A tiny insect known as the Asian citrus psyllid, is threatening to spread a disease which could severely damage citrus orchards world wide. Psyllids are known carriers of a disease called citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing). The disease spoils the affected crop for consumption, and then kills the infected trees. There is currently no known cure for citrus greening disease.

The LA Times has reported that, at this point, members of a multinational taskforce are attempting to limit populations of the offending psyllids, while gathering and sharing data about them and the citrus greening disease they may spread. Countries involved in this focused effort include: The United States, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama.

Citrus greening disease has already caused considerable damage to orchards in Florida. Outbreaks of the disease have also recently been reported in Louisiana, Belize and in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. Populations of the psyllid are known to exist in Mexico and the southern U.S., although not all of the insects are found to be actual carriers of the disease.

Jim Cranney, president of the California Citrus Quality Council in Auburn, is quoted by LA Times as stating: "(Citrus greening disease) is like a wildfire with unlimited fuel, and all of our respective countries have to be prepared for when the wind starts blowing in our direction..."

The upshot for consumers? Be on the lookout for higher citrus prices nationwide.

Who could have imagined that a Bullwinkle imitating, television sidekick could ever get in a jam with the IRS?

Apparently, Full House's Joey (Dave Coulier) has done exactly that. Perez Hilton reported today that tax liens totaling nearly $50,000 have been filed against that TV uncle with a talent for cartoon character voices.

According to Detroit News: "The state of California filed an $11,793 lien against him on May 4 in the Los Angeles County Recorder of Deeds office.The IRS filed a $37,063 lien against him on March 17, 2008, in Los Angeles County.

Checking up on Dave Coulier's Official website, I found no mention of his little tiff with the taxing authorities. He does however, indicate that he'll be visiting close to my home in Wisconsin next month. I also checked Dave's Twitter feed to see if he tweeted about the situation. He hasn't yet mentioned his back taxes on Twitter, but he does indicate that becoming a senator may be one way to pick your nose in peace - or not.

This much I can tell you for certain; It's better to pay our taxes when they are due, than it is to try retrospectively prying the IRS off our backs. I always suggest leaving tax form preparation to a professional tax accountant, because being able to talk in comical voices won't make a tax audit one bit funnier.

A recently released study by the journal "Health Affairs" is making some large waves across the Internet.

The study outlines medical expenditure data related to the direct costs of obesity in this country. MSNBC quotes the study as stating "...medical spending averages $1,400 more a year for an obese person than someone who's normal weight."

Setting aside the fundamentals of the issue for the moment, one has to wonder how our legislators, who tend to write more documentation than they read, will take the fact that obesity now accounts for 9.1% of all medical spending, up from 6.5% in 1998, and translate that data into health reform pork for their fat lobbyist buddies.

Given that we now serve a government which is more closely tuned to policies of punitive sanction rather than policies of constructive assistance, how shall our legislators exploit the fact that obese Medicare recipients spend about $600 a year more on prescription medications than lighter Medicare recipients?

In what may be a first time ever occurrence, the town board of Amherst, New York has derailed the game license for its local Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant. Evidently, there is some question about how to properly let a kid be a kid in Amherst.

An unexpected 3-3 vote deadlocked the license process for the Amherst Chuck E. Cheese's. A rather tangled discussion then followed the voting. Specifically at issue was council member Shelly Schratz's concern that the kid-oriented theme restaurant was making excessively violent video games too easily accessible for very young children. Concerns were also aired regarding an apparently high number of police responses to the popular birthday party location.

When times are tough for people, times are just as tough for their pets.

In fact, sometimes personal budget issues get so bad that people and their pets are required to part ways. If a family is struggling just to put food on it's own table, that sometimes means Fido and his food dish have to go.

The struggle to keep beloved pets properly fed and at home, is the driving force behind a new wave of free pet food programs which is beginning to take hold across the country.

In some instances, the free pet food programs are initiated by local animal control and animal shelter agencies. Such is the case with a well received pet food program thriving in Floyd County, Ga.

It appears that soon the zoos around Boston will be receiving less than adequate state funding.They are being put in the sad position of possibly being forced to lay off approximately 160 employees. They are also facing the all-too real possibility of having to relocate as many as 1,000 zoo animals. Where are Noah and his ark when you need them?

The problem is that zoo officials estimate that as many as 200 of those animals needing new homes may not be able to be relocated. This means that either the government would be forced to maintain the animals within closed zoo facilities, or it would have to euthanize the poor creatures.

This problem was brought on through some unfortunate budget slashing done by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, who gouged $4 million out of the previous $6.5 million in that state's zoo funding. Evidently zebras, tarantulas, and lemurs rank pretty low on the Massachusetts budgetary food chain.

Although an article from TheBostonChannel.com about the possible zoo closures does not state it explicitly, it would seem that if alternate funding sources could be arranged, the animals could remain unmolested in their current homes for zoo patrons to continue enjoying. Indications are that there are a few months left yet before the guano hits the fan. Currently, the Massachusetts zoos are funded through state funds, private donations, and ticket sales.

Now, it appears that a major fund drive is in order. Do you think billionaire Warren Buffett would be interested in sponsoring a snake or two?

I think he might be open to that possibility.

Update - July 13, 2009:
Governor Deval Patrick has accused Zoo New England of using scare tactics with it's published claim that zoo staff may be required to euthanize some zoo animals in the wake of possible zoo closures.

Kyle Sullivan, a spokesman for the governor is quoted by Boston.com as stating: "...we would all do well to remain level-headed and focus on solutions.'' According to the report, Sullivan also stated that it is Zoo New England's responsibility to find a way to keep it's operations running.

Massachusetts lawmakers have reportedly indicated that they shall attempt to override their governor's veto of zoo funding.

There has been no formal statement from the zoo animals.

It's a little known fact that the city of St. Louis levies a 1% earnings tax on money earned there. This means, if I was a plumber who lived outside the city of St. Louis, but I went into the city to repair a leaky toilet, I would be required to contribute 1% of my earnings into the city coffers.

This usually amounts only to local outrage, but a new application of the law is making headlines because apparently St. Louis city tax collector Gregory F.X. Daly has determined that he'll be collecting 1% of the bonuses being paid to the players of this summer's All Star game, which will be played in St. Louis.

I have heard about the kidnapping of dogs. A recent dognapping case ended up with a $10,000 ransom being paid.

I have heard about a lobster being held for ransom. That was a case of using the release of an unusually large lobster to solicit donations for a food pantry.

But I have never, until now, heard about someone in Lincoln, Nebraska holding a Mr. Coffee machine for ransom. It's a wonderfully novel idea. It's also quite seriously strange.

Apparently, they have always taken great pride in doing things a little bit differently in Nebraska. It's the home of the prairie wind wagon, the world's largest stamp ball, and Andy the footless goose. He also was kidnapped, but unfortunately he never made it home alive.

How much is your local post office worth to you? Would you miss it if it disappeared? Do you depend on your local post office for services other than regular mail delivery and the purchase of postal supplies? These and other mail service-related questions will soon be a significant concern for many people across America.

Due to the rapidly rising costs of doing business, the United States Postal Service is considering the closure of approximately 3,200 local post offices. That's nearly 10% of the post offices currently in operation. According to an article from MSN Money, most of the postal locations which are being considered for closure exist in metropolitan areas.

Imagine that you are mowing the lawn, and your lawn mower pitches a stone into one of your windows, cracking the glass. So you put a little piece of wood in front of the glass to cover the breakage, and go back about your business. You'll get the window fixed later.

One week later, you receive a letter from your homeowner's insurance carrier, stating that your coverage is going to be dropped. The letter cites your unkempt landscape and the boarded up window as the reasons for your loss of coverage.

Don't laugh, this could happen to you!

According to a report from ABC7.com News, that is almost exactly what has happened to one homeowner in Florida.The difference between that story and my hypothetical one is that it was a golf ball which cracked that homeowner's window. The story indicates that the home in question is well kept, and that the homeowner hasn't filed a loss claim in 20 years.