Numbers

$853.7 billion China's foreign-currency reserves, which surpassed Japan's as the world's largest

$202 billion China's 2005 trade surplus with the U.S., a record high that is partly fueled by Beijing's booming reserves

259 Katrina-damaged school buses that New Orleans hopes to sell on eBay to raise money for its public-school system. Bids on one hit $5,500 within 29 hours

23 Public schools in Orleans Parish--out of 117, pre-Katrina--that have reopened

5 Contestants, of 6 million in three major pools, who correctly chose the Final Four in the NCAA basketball tournament

26 Years since the Final Four last had no top-seeded teams

8.1% Government-mandated improvement in fuel efficiency for new SUVs from 2008 to '11

10.7 billion gal. Expected total fuel savings over the life of vehicles in those model years--less than the U.S. now uses in one month

Sources: New York Times; www.census.gov AP (2); New York Times (2); Department of Transportation (2)