Mainstream Iowan

Reaping What We Sow...

Published on 2009-02-19 10:55:00

What Is Happening To Our Country -Why Is The Crisis Worsening? The answer is simple: "Our nation is now dealing with the consequences of it's own actions and conduct." ***Enough said. The Mainstream Iowan blog has been around for a number of years and we have decided to move on to other things. The blog will be going away. While many of our visitors liked us, many did not, but that is okay. We extend our thanks to all our visitors!Regards and Best Wishes...

Principal In The News

Published on 2009-02-18 06:13:00

Principal Financial's RatingsFitch Ratings has downgraded and placed on Rating Watch Negative the ratings of Principal Financial Group Inc. (PFG) and its subsidiaries. The downgrades and watch assignments include the insurer financial strength (IFS) ratings of PFG's primary life insurance company subsidiaries to 'AA-' from 'AA' and its holding company senior debt rating to 'A-' from 'A'. A full list of rating actions follows at the end of this release.The downgrade reflects Fitch's ongoing revie

The Beginning of the USSA

Published on 2009-02-17 06:15:00

Obama To Sign Stimulus Bill TodayIndebting The Next GenerationU.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to sign the $787 billion economic stimulus plan into law at a ceremony in the western city of Denver, Colorado on Tuesday. Mr. Obama calls it a "major milestone on the road to recovery" for the U.S. economy, while critics insist it is too expensive and will create fewer jobs than proponents insist.The bill, which includes government spending and tax cuts intended to help push the U.S. economy o

Immigration Fraud In Iowa Displacing American Workers

Published on 2009-02-16 06:05:00

A Scheme That Displaced American High Tech& Advanced Computer Programming WorkersU.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker, who represents Iowa's Southern District, says Vision Systems Group Inc. brought foreign workers to the U.S. to fill temporary high-tech jobs.The company filed documents claiming the workers were employed in Iowa, but Whitaker says they were actually located on the coasts. Whitaker says the move saved the company money as the foreign workers were paid lower wages in Iowa than they wou

Space Pollution: Is Our Space Safe?

Published on 2009-02-13 06:12:00

Collision Dangers Resulting FromOrbiting Satellites, Debris and Space Junk300,000 Hazardous Objects Orbiting Earth A Russian and a US satellite crashed into each other in an unprecedented collision unleashing clouds of space debris that could threaten orbiting spacecraft, officials said.After more than five decades of human activity in space, the news raises fresh concern over the swarms of hazardous debris orbiting the Earth.A 2008 report by the international monitoring group Space Security Ind

The Price Of Partying With Phelps

Published on 2009-02-12 06:20:00

Phelps Party Friends Party Pooped- Eight People Arrested - Authorities recently executed search warrants at two private homes in Columbia, S.C., and arrested eight people for marijuana possession, in connection with an investigation into the photo of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps holding a bong, ABC News has learned.The British tabloid News of the World published a photo of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps holding a bong. Phelps, a swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing G

And Change Is What The Country Got...

Published on 2009-02-11 06:19:00

Dow Jones Fall 382 PointsLack Of Confidence In StimulusInvestors are frustrated with the government's latest bank bailout plan — and showing it by unloading stocks. The major stock indexes fell more than 5 percent Tuesday, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which tumbled 382 points. Financial stocks led the market lower, reflecting Wall Street's growing concerns about the government's ability to restore the health of the banking industry."The economy is in deep trouble. The stimulus p

More On The Minnesota Senate Race

Published on 2009-02-10 06:17:00

Disenfranchised VotersBallots Not Counted In Minnesota Senate RaceWhile Franken wants provisional electioncertificate to be seated in the U.S. SenateSmith, the top elections official in Anoka County, dropped a minor bombshell Thursday in the courtroom where a lawsuit over Minnesota's U.S. Senate race was being heard. She testified that the county has found — within the prior 24 hours — a dozen or more ballots that were never counted in the statewide recount that ended last month.While the nu

Democrats: Pay Your Taxes

Published on 2009-02-09 06:21:00

Obama's Cabinet Appointees Have Tax ProblemsShhh.. Don't Forget About Al Franken's Taxes...America is now nearly three weeks into the Obama presidency and already his administration has been plagued with a few political scandals. Chief among them are the inability of anyone in his cabinet to pay their taxes.Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, Obama’s nominee for secretary of health and human services, recently stepped down as the nominee after controversy broke out over the fact that he did no

World's Most Gifted Swimmer Blows It Away

Published on 2009-02-06 06:07:00

Michael PhelpsA Gifted And Talented Athlete, While A Poor Role Model Michael Phelps was suspended from competition for three months by USA Swimming, the latest fallout from a photo that showed the Olympic great with a a marijuana pipe.The sport's national governing body also cut off its financial support to Phelps for the same three-month period, effective Thursday.Earlier Thursday, cereal and snack maker Kellogg Co. announced it wouldn't renew its sponsorship contract with Phelps, saying his be