The NYSE goes private

The NYSE will merge with electronic-trading firm Archipelago Holdings to create a for-profit company. Many wonder if this is the beginning of the end of the old system of face-to-face trading. David Wells from the Financial Times talks to host David Brown.

No school district left behind

The nation's largest teachers' union, the National Education Association, is joining forces with education departments in Michigan, Vermont, and Texas to sue the federal government over the No Child Left Behind Act. The NEA and the 9 school districts involved claim the act is an unfunded mandate. From the Work and Family Desk, Marketplace's Sarah Gardner reports.

British Conservatives score big on immigration

Campaigning for Britain's upcoming Parliamentary elections is underway. Immigration is one of the hottest topics for British voters. As Marketplace's Stephen Beard reports, there's a disconnect between what British politicians say about immigration, and its actual effect on the British economy.

High-tech goes offshore

Two entrepreneurs have a plan: Buy an old cruise ship... Hire hundreds of computer programmers... And set up shop off the California coast -- in international waters. By doing that, they say, they won't have to deal with visa hassles. Of course, by anchoring in international waters, they also won't have to worry about U.S. environmental and labor laws. Marketplace's Matthew Algeo investigates.

Commentary: The bankruptcy laws and big business

Filing for individual bankruptcy is getting harder with new laws designed to prevent individuals from sliding out from under financial obligations, making it difficult for legitimate claims. Meanwhile, large corporations still find a viable option in corporate bankruptcy. Commentator Robert Reich says this just isn't fair.

Coupon Clippers

You know them; you may even be one of them -- major league coupon clippers. The shoppers who know how to pay for a whole cart of groceries with just a few dollars and a neat stack of coupons. Those searching for the best deals are now often finding them on the internet, where their fingers -- not the scissors -- can do the clipping. Mhari Saito takes a look.