Boris Johnson has claimed that the treatment of a BBC DJ who accidentally played a song containing the N-word was akin to the inconsistency shown by the "Nigerian maniacs" in Boko Haram.

In remarks criticised by his Labour opponents, the London mayor said Britain was living in a "Boko Haram world", in reference to the terrorist network that has kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria.

BBC Radio Devon broadcaster David Lowe claims he was forced to quit after playing an 82-year-old version of The Sun Has Got His Hat On which featured the racial slur.

Just as a point of comparison, Boko Haram forbids Muslims to take part in any political or social activity connected to Western society, has killed more than 1,500 people this year, and specifically targets schoolchildren and teachers.

In his Daily Telegraph column on Monday, Johnson wrote: "In our own modest way, we live in a Boko Haram world, where it all depends on the swirling rage of the internet mob, and where terrified bureaucrats and politicians are borne along on a torrent of confected outrage.

"There is no consistency in the outlook of the Nigerian maniacs: they use weapons produced by the very capitalist system they claim to deplore, for instance.

"There is certainly no logic at the BBC. They should restore Mr Lowe to his job - if he will take it - and the entire BBC board should go down to Devon to apologise in person, and at their own expense."

He added: "Their treatment of this man is utterly disgraceful."

London Assembly member Len Duvall, leader of the Labour group called the Mayor's comments "totally unacceptable". Lowe, he said, had played "an immensely degrading word that is charged with slavery and the abuse of an entire people for over 150 years".

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Boris Johnson Blasts BBC Treatment Of DJ David Lowe Who Quit Over N Word Song

Lawn Treatment Program Step 4 - Final Application
This is the last treatment in my hybrid organic lawn care program. Step #4 can take place pretty much anytime in the fall. Here is more information about aer...

By: The Lawn Care Nut

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Lawn Treatment Program Step 4 - Final Application - Video

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) May 08, 2014

Spring is finally here and temperatures are rising! Unfortunately, outbreaks of tree insects and diseases are on the rise too. Many trees are facing formidable problems that can weaken or destroy tree health. According to Giroud Tree and Lawn, early detection and targeted treatment are among the keys to controlling insects and diseases on trees.

As we roll into May, healthy deciduous plants should display a full crown of lush, green leaves, explains Lou Giroud, President of Giroud Tree and Lawn and ISA Certified Arborist. Evergreens should have new buds and vibrant color. The picture is significantly different for trees with insect or disease problems.

Sick trees display clear warning signs. Homeowners should be alert for any of the top five symptoms: 1.Damaged Leaves: Chewed, yellowing or discolored leaves. 2.Late or Partial Leaf-Out: Tree leafs out later than others of the same type, has lack of new growth, dwarf leaves or only some sections of the tree leaf-out. 3.Decay: Mushrooms or shelf fungi growing out of the root system or trunk of a tree, cavity or peeling bark. 4.Insects: Signs of insect activity on the leaves, branches or trunk. Heavy hitters for Spring are Aphids, Leaf Miners, Lacebugs and Soft Scales. 5.Excessive deadwood: Dead branches can be a serious safety hazard to people and property.

Early detection and treatment are key to saving trees suffering from insect or disease problems. Homeowners concerned about tree health, should contact a tree service company with ISA Certified Arborists. The Arborist will inspect the trees, diagnose the problem and recommend the best course of action.

About Giroud Tree and Lawn Giroud Tree and Lawn specializes in tree service, tree removal and lawn care programs that make customers love doing business with the company since 1974. Serving Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, the company offers professional tree and lawn evaluation, tree pruning, tree removal, insect and disease control, fertilizing, stump removal and traditional and 100% organic lawn programs to keep lawns healthy and green. Giroud Arborists are certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and have the knowledge and experience required to diagnose, treat and maintain tree and lawn health. The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has been awarded the Angie's List Super Service Award every year since 2005. The Giroud Treework for Charity program donates free tree care services to parks, historical sites and other non-profit organizations located in the Companys service area. For more information, visit the company website at http://www.giroudtree.com or call 215-682-7704.

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Tree Service Action May Be Required for Trees with Spring Insect and Disease Problems that Can Weaken or Destroy Tree ...

SALT LAKE CITY, UT Salt Lake City police had to break up a French lesson on the lawn of a church during a wedding recently.

Police say a guest flagged down a passing cop to complain about a couple involved in a sex act in front of guests and kids.

The 60-year-old cougar who goes by the name of Sandy, refused the cops order to let her younger partner, 56-year-old Wilson, stop his special treatment.

The officer had to pry them apart to take them to jail.

Sometimes getting a room doesnt solve the problem, especially on an airplane.

It seems that a 20-something woman flying with her parents from England to Las Vegas decided to have a quick bathroom break with a man she met on the plane.

Other passengers on the Virgin Atlantic flight heard loud, disturbing noises coming from the loo, and told the flight crew.

Air stewards ended up cuffing the intoxicated woman who fought with them when they tried to make her stop. She got her release from Vegas cops after the plane landed.

Note to travelers: What happens in Vegas only stays in Vegas if you get there before you do it.

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Wedding crashed by older couple having sex on church lawn

For 10 years Sandy Thomas had been running a 2-mile circuit most mornings around her North Laurel neighborhood of Hammond Village to stay physically fit, but in 2006 life handed her a detour.

Her husband, Jim, died that year from skin cancer, and the ranch-style home where they had lived for nearly 40 years and raised five kids suddenly seemed too big. So she sold the house in 2007 to her son, Mark Thomas, and moved to Hanover, Pa.

Sandy Thomas, who is fit and youthful at 71, continues to run in her new community. When Mark, 46, asked her to join him in the Maryland Half Marathon in Maple Lawn on Saturday, she figured it was a good way to check an item off her "bucket list" of things she wants to accomplish in life.

She will run in the 13.1-mile race in memory of her husband, and with her son literally at her side. The pair will run at her pace so they can cross the finish line together.

All proceeds from the half marathon, and the Maryland 5K race added this year, will benefit the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center in Baltimore for the sixth consecutive year.

"Our intention at first was to move the race to different jurisdictions because races run in the same place can get stale, no matter how great the venue," said Michael Greenebaum, co-founder and co-chairman of the race, which benefits the center named in his parents' honor.

"But we feel very much at home in Howard County and our intention is to stay," he said of the event, which was moved from Baltimore County to Fulton in 2011 and continues to draw between 1,700 and 2,000 entrants each year.

Greenebaum's mother is a 24-year breast cancer survivor who takes an aromatase inhibitor developed by a University of Maryland doctor, he said.

Her successful treatment is the reason behind his parents' $10 million gift to the University of Maryland Medical System and the University of Maryland School of Medicine nearly 20 years ago, he explained.

"One of the reasons we like it here in Maple Lawn is because this is a really health-conscious and progressive county," said Greenebaum, whose real estate company developed the planned community.

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Memory moves mother, son to run Maryland Half Marathon in Maple Lawn

An annual explosion of toxic algae threatens to aggravate the Ohio communities along Lake Erie again this summer.

Keeping Western New York from suffering the same fate brought Sen. Charles E. Schumer and local environmental leaders to the Erie Basin Marina today as they called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture to intervene and regulate the suspected causes of the toxic blooms.

The harmful algal blooms cyanobacteria that harm the skin, liver and nervous system in humans have inundated western Ohio and southern Ontario in recent years, closing beaches, shuttering water treatment plants and harming pets and wildlife.

Lake Erie is one of Western New Yorks greatest resources for tourism, recreation and for healthy drinking water, Schumer said. But toxic algae blooms threaten to greatly undercut the value of this resource.

The senator called on the EPA to regulate cyanotoxins and provide help and guidance to local water treatment plants in testing and filtering the toxin from drinking water. Thats something both Canada and the European union have already done.

Schumer also urged the Department of Agriculture to designate the Great Lakes as a Critical Conservation Area, a new designation in the 2014 Farm Bill. That would provide farms federal funding and assistance to help them prevent runoff from their farms that scientists cite as the top contributor of phosphorous and, with it, algal blooms to Lake Erie.

If we do these two things, we can get a handle on this problem before it becomes a nightmare, Schumer said.

Jill Jedlicka, executive director of the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, said, We dont want whats happing in Ohio and Michigan to happen in New York State.

The toxic pea-green substance, which has largely been a problem in the lakes shallow western basin from Toledo to the Lake Erie islands in Ohio, hasnt landed on New York shores yet. But it cropped up for the first time last year in Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pa.

Although its too early in the season to gauge how bad the algal blooms could be this summer, scientists say historical data shows that when precipitation is high during the spring months, it usually leads to more algae in the lake later in the year. The chief culprit, scientists say, is agricultural runoff from the 4 million acres of the Maumee River watershed straddling Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

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Politicians, environmentalists warn of Lake Erie algal blooms

An annual explosion of toxic algae threatens to aggravate the Ohio communities along Lake Erie again this summer.

Keeping Western New York from suffering the same fate brought Sen. Charles E. Schumer and local environmental leaders to the Erie Basin Marina today as they called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Agriculture to intervene and regulate the suspected causes of the toxic blooms.

The harmful algal blooms cyanobacteria that harm the skin, liver and nervous system in humans have inundated western Ohio and southern Ontario in recent years, closing beaches, shuttering water treatment plants and harming pets and wildlife.

Lake Erie is one of Western New Yorks greatest resources for tourism, recreation and for healthy drinking water, Schumer said. But toxic algae blooms threaten to greatly undercut the value of this resource.

The senator called on the EPA to regulate cyanotoxins and provide help and guidance to local water treatment plants in testing and filtering the toxin from drinking water. Thats something both Canada and the European union have already done.

Schumer also urged the Department of Agriculture to designate the Great Lakes as a Critical Conservation Area, a new designation in the 2014 Farm Bill. That would provide farms federal funding and assistance to help them prevent runoff from their farms that scientists cite as the top contributor of phosphorous and, with it, algal blooms to Lake Erie.

If we do these two things, we can get a handle on this problem before it becomes a nightmare, Schumer said.

Jill Jedlicka, executive director of the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, said, We dont want whats happing in Ohio and Michigan to happen in New York State.

The toxic pea-green substance, which has largely been a problem in the lakes shallow western basin from Toledo to the Lake Erie islands in Ohio, hasnt landed on New York shores yet. But it cropped up for the first time last year in Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pa.

Although its too early in the season to gauge how bad the algal blooms could be this summer, scientists say historical data shows that when precipitation is high during the spring months, it usually leads to more algae in the lake later in the year. The chief culprit, scientists say, is agricultural runoff from the 4 million acres of the Maumee River watershed straddling Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

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Politicans and environmentalists warn of Lake Erie algal blooms

Now that lawns are beginning to green up, some Midlanders are finding patches of thin or dead grass in their yards. These patches may be the result of grubs eating the root system of the turf. Immediately after hatching in spring when soil temperatures rise, grubs start feeding on the roots of grass. In late May through June, grubs stop eating and begin the transformation into adult beetles. Grub damage may appear in home lawns from March to early May or from mid-September to November. Look for signs of skunks or raccoon digging into the patches or flocks of birds feeding around the dead patches, which can be easily pulled up or rolled back often exposing the grubs.

To confirm that the problem is caused by grubs, Michigan State University Horticulturalist Dave Smitley suggests you use a shovel to dig up several one square foot patches to a depth of about two inches around the bare spot and look for three-quarters-inch long, C-shaped grubs. If you find any, they are more than likely the larvae of European chafer, especially if they are found in lawns that do not receive sufficient nutrition to maximize root growth, sufficient irrigation or are routinely mowed too short.

A healthy lawn can support a grub population of five or more grubs per square foot with no visible turf damage and therefore no need to treat for grub infestation. The general damage threshold treatment to control European chafer beetle grubs is 10 to 12 grubs per square foot. However, if the turf is dense with a healthy, robust root system, it can withstand a bit more grub feeding.

The best way to prevent European chafer grub damage is to maintain a healthy lawn. To establish a grub-tolerant lawn, you should mow your lawn 3.5 to 4 inches in height, properly irrigate and fertilize it to maximize root growth. If the grub population is high (more than, say, 10 to a dozen per square foot) or if there is a history of damage in an area, it may be necessary to use an insecticide to control the grubs.

According to MSU, there are two types of insecticides to treat lawns infested with the European chafer grubs: preventive chemicals and curative chemicals. Preventative products work well on newly hatched grubs present in July. Curative products kill all life stages of the grubs in the spring if applied before early May. Carbaryl and trichlorfon are considered curative treatments and are the only options available if high numbers of grubs are found in the fall and spring before early May. Do not apply any curative compounds in the spring after May 15 because the grubs will have stopped feeding by then as they prepare to pupate. A target date of May 5 would be best for curative insecticidal products

Both carbaryl and trichlorfon are short-lived compounds that kill all life stages of the grubs. Should you choose to use a curative insecticide, water the affected areas immediately before and after the insecticide is applied with at least one-half inch of water. Grubs will move to the surface with the pre-watering and the product will migrate to the grub with the post watering.

MSU research suggests that while it will take 10 to 14 days for the grubs to begin to die after carbaryl is applied, it is a little more effective on European chafer grubs than trichlorfon. Trichlorfon should be expected to require at least five days after application to kill grubs, assuming it rains or irrigation was applied.

Preventative control can be accomplished with application of products that contain halfenozide, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam or clothianidin as active ingredients. Preventative insecticide products tend to be more environmentally friendly than curative products, but they will not control grubs in the spring, or for large grubs found from September to late May. They work very well, however, on newly hatched grubs present in July.

Properly applied, they will greatly reduce the possibility of subsequent damage to your lawn if you found lots of grubs during fall or if you want to prevent grub damage during fall of 2014 and spring 2015.

Preventive products containing the above active ingredients will consistently give 75 to 100 percent reduction of grubs if they are applied in June or July, and if they are watered-in with one-half to one inch of irrigation immediately after application. Watering immediately after application with at least a half-inch of irrigation is critical to obtaining good results. This also moves the chemical off the grass and will make the yard safe for children, pets and wildlife after the yard is dry.

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Time for residents to deal with grubs

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) April 25, 2014

Warning signs that a tree has health problems and needs tree service are unmistakable. Giroud Tree and Lawn urges Philadelphia homeowners to be alert for poor leaf development, excessive deadwood or any of the Top 5 Tree Problems for Spring.

As we roll into Spring, deciduous trees should have new bud and branch growth and eventually a full crown of lush green leaves, explains Lou Giroud, President of Giroud Tree and Lawn and ISA Certified Arborist. Evergreens should have new buds and vibrant color. Trees with health problems will present a much different picture.

The five major Spring warning signs of tree health problems are:

1.Delayed or Partial Leaf Out: When a tree leafs out later than others of the same type, has lack of new growth, dwarf leaves or only some sections of the tree leaf out, the tree may have health issues.

2. Damaged Leaves: Chewed, yellowing or discolored leaves may be signs of insect activity or disease.

3. Borers: One of the biggest concerns is Emerald Ash Borer which recently invaded our area. Emerald Ash Borer is 100% fatal to Ash trees. Professional treatment is the only way to protect Ash from this deadly pest.

4.Decay: Mushrooms and shelf fungi are symptoms of decay when growing out of the root system or trunk of a tree. Another sign of decay is a cavity. If the decay is extensive, then the tree may be hazardous.

5.Excessive deadwood: Dead branches can be a serious safety hazard to people 5nd property. Brittle branches tend to break more easily in wind, snow and ice.

The following are the key tree service actions Philadelphia homeowners can take now to protect tree health and safety.

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Tree Service is Needed for Trees with Deadwood, Poor Leaf Development or Any of the Top 5 Tree Problems for Spring in ...

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Bobby Cleveland, the STA-BIL Engine Answerman and Worlds Fastest Lawnmower Racing Champion, shares lawn tips for spring and Tracy challenges his title in a race.

Now that the cold weather is finally starting to break, soon it will be time to dust off the lawn equipment and get ready to spring into action!

The key to getting your lawn race ready is to make sure your small engine equipment, like your lawnmower, hedge trimmer, leaf blower, and so on are tuned up and ready to go for spring. Most likely, they have been sitting in storage all winter and may have a hard time starting. The following three simple steps can help prevent small engine equipment problems and avoid a costly trip to the repair shop:

1. Educate yourself on how to care for your small engine machines and equipment. Are there products or fluids that will help keep the engine clean? How often should the oil be changed? Proper care now can keep equipment running better, longer.

2. Check fasteners, cutting blades and oil levels when you first take equipment out of storage. Fasteners should be tightened, blades sharpened and wheel bearings and fittings should be lubricated.

3. Make sure to add appropriate fluids like STA-BIL Ethanol Treatment to new fuel to keep the fuel fresh, prevent corrosion amplified by ethanol in todays gasoline and boost engine performance.

Once your machinery is ready to go, make sure to spend time caring for the grass!

1. Mow it properly, and try not to cut it too short. It is also best to mow the lawn when it is dry, as it not only will cut better but will be less messy to clean up too.

2. It seems like a no brainer, but make sure to water your grass, especially during the hot summer months. Its always best to water in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid evaporation.

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Lawn tips from the Lawn Mower Champion