Numbers: Nov. 5, 2007

COLLEGE TUITION

6.6%

Percentage increase from last year in average tuition and fees at four-year public colleges; in-state students pay about $6,185

$23,712

Average tuition and fees at four-year private colleges, a 6.3% increase from last year

AIRPORT SECURITY

75%

Percentage of simulated explosives missed by federal TSA screeners at Los Angeles international airport; screeners at Chicago O'Hare missed more than 60% of test bombs

20%

Percentage of fake bombs missed at San Francisco international airport, which employs private screeners, not TSA employees

WORLD RECORDS

656

Length in feet of a Chinese wedding-dress train (below); the bride had hoped to land a place in the Guinness World Records book

4,468

Length in feet of the current world-record-holding train, created in February in Cyprus 

HOLIDAY SHOPPING

$33 billion

Expected online retail sales this holiday season, up 21% from last year; 11% of those surveyed plan to do at least three-fourths of their holiday shopping online

$816.69

Average amount consumers plan to spend this year on holiday-related shopping, both online and in stores

Sources: AP (2); USA Today (2); Metro (UK); Guinness Book of World Records; Forrester; USA Today