Freddie Mac, the government backed mortgage giant, just posted very strong earnings. Freddie pulled in 5 billion dollars last quarter, the second largest profit in its history. John Silvia is chief economist at Wells Fargo, explains why just a few years after coming to the brink of collapse, Freddie and Fannie are doing better than ever.

Transocean is releasing an earnings report Wednesday. The company owned the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and provided the crew involved in the deadly Gulf oil spill and explosion in 2010. Three years later, the company is going strong, and analysts are projecting better-than-expected earnings.

Like a lot of teachers across the country, Ruth Wilson returned to the classroom this week. She has been a middle school teacher in Jackson County, Georgia for six years, but this year she’ll be teaching 10th grade students. It’s not the only change she will face this school year, however. This is also the first year Wilson returns to school as a new mother.
To take advantage of the Family Medical Leave Act, mothers must use up any vacation days or sick days they have accrued. Wilson says that would have left her in a delicate position, should her baby need a trip to the doctor.