Latest news with #Buster
Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
PBS Cartoon Characters Names Trivia Quiz
Listen, I know we're all grown up now, but let's be honest: once a PBS kid, always a PBS kid. Maybe your go-to was catching Between the Lions after school. Or maybe, like me, you always wanted to be featured in Buster's video blogs during the Arthur commercials. Despite your level of PBS nostalgia, I think we can all agree that those characters were iconic. Let's see if you can name those, major and minor, characters today!
Agriland
4 days ago
- General
- Agriland
Teagasc celebrates International Potato Day at Bloom
The world is celebrating International Potato Day today, Friday, May 30, to recognise the crop's critical role in global food security. In December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed May 30 as International Potato Day. The initial momentum for the declaration was sparked during the World Potato Congress, in Dublin in May 2022. The conference highlighted the importance of the potato on an international stage. As the third most important food crop worldwide, the potato is gaining even more relevance, especially in developing countries, where it plays a key role in sustainable agriculture and nutrition. To mark the very first International Potato Day, Teagasc potato breeder, Dr. Denis Griffin will give a special talk at the joint Teagasc and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) stand at Bloom on Friday, May 30. Dr. Griffin will talk about the potato crop's global significance and Ireland's long history with the crop. He will also cover the cutting-edge research being conducted in Ireland to aid sustainability, and how Irish science supports the sector both domestically and globally. He will discuss the Teagasc potato group breeding programme at the Teagasc crops research department in Oak Park, Co. Carlow and the traits being pursued to improve future crops. Two new potato varieties, Buster and Fidelity, recently released by the breeding programme will also be discussed. International Potato Day In other news, last week, May 22, Kate Curran from Kilmagemogue, Portlaw, Co. Waterford was named the winner of the Teagasc / FBD Student of the Year 2024 award. The awards were presented to the top graduates of the Teagasc level 6 agriculture, horticulture, equine, and forestry training programmes in 2024 by Teagasc chairperson, Liam Herlihy in Dublin. Curran completed the Level 6 Specific Purpose Certificate in Farming (Distance Education) at the Teagasc Kildalton College in Piltown, Co. Kilkenny. In addition to winning the overall award, Curran was also successful in the Part-Time and Distance Education category award.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Voters, this is how little the Florida Legislature thinks of you
Early voting for the 2024 General Election started Oct. 21 for most counties in Florida. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix) You've heard of the U.S. Constitution, right? You can see one of the 1789 originals right there in the National Archives. At least until the current regime shuts the place down for harboring wokey documents. You can get yourself a cheap copy of the newest iteration — the one with the freedom of speech part as well as the birthright citizenship, the equal protection under the law, the votes for women, term limits for presidents, and other exciting stuff — small enough to fit in your pocket. Many of us feel quite attached to the Constitution. Not the current regime, of course, but, you know, actual, normal, sane Americans, at least half the country, maybe even more. Florida also has a pretty good Constitution. From time to time, citizens have voted to make it even better, trying to improve education, preserve the environment, increase the minimum wage. The problem is, the governor and the Legislature don't much like the Florida Constitution. They don't much like each other, either. And they really don't like that actual, normal, sane Floridians have been able to amend that Constitution. So now they've made it damn near impossible. A new law demands that petition circulators and petition signers provide all manner of ID, a Florida driver's license, and last four digits of their Social Security number. Only Florida residents can gather signatures. All signatures have to be turned into the supervisor of elections 10 days after the voter signs or the gatherer will be fined $50 per day per signer. If voters sign on or before Feb. 1 in an election year, the fine for late turn-ins is $100 a pop, and, if the gatherer 'acted willfully' in holding onto voter info and providing late petitions, it'll cost the gatherer $5,000 a pop. If you're not registered as a petition collector and you have in your possession more than 25 signatures in addition to your own petition form or one from a family member, you could be charged with a third-degree felony. And if Mars aligns with Saturn on a rainy Tuesday in an odd-numbered year, well, you're going to jail, Buster. The sponsors of this idiotic bill claim it's necessary, pointing to a 900-page report alleging all manner of malfeasance in the 2024 campaigns to approve reproductive rights and allow recreational marijuana use. The report was issued by Ron DeSantis' own goon squad, the Office of Election Crimes, the same clown car cops who went around arresting people for Voting While Black. This large and extensive investigation netted 18 arrests. Nearly 1 million people, real live Floridians, signed the petition. In the end, 57.2% voted 'yes' on Amendment 4; 42.8%voted 'no.' In a normal democracy, we'd call that a win. Of course, Florida is not a normal democracy: maybe not much of a democracy at all. The Legislature can stick any amendment they favor on the ballot. You, Floridian, have to jump through hoops of fire, spin straw into gold, and answer the Riddle of the Sphinx. An amendment needs 60% to pass. It used to be a simple majority, but after citizens voted in the notorious pregnant pig amendment, many thought the threshold for enshrining something in the Constitution should be higher and chose to toughen the standard. You can kind of see why: Outlawing cruelty to our porcine friends was well and good, but did it really belong in the document that lays out the ideals and laws governing the state? I mean, if you want to see an out-of-control constitution, look at Alabama's: It's around 370,000 words long and has 900 amendments addressing such issues such as playing dominoes, impersonating a preacher, and driving while blindfolded. Problem is, if you have a gerrymandered-to-all-hell Legislature, completely unresponsive to the needs of the citizens, amending the Constitution is about the only way to get genuinely important measures passed. In 2014, 75 percent of Florida voters said 'yes' to the Water and Land Conservation Act, which mandated the state use a percentage of real estate taxes to buy and manage properties critical to clean water and wildlife habitat. But the Legislature and various state agencies chose to ignore what three-quarters of Floridians clearly said they wanted. While the state bought some land with the money, it also paid for office furniture, computers, salaries, even ball caps — none of which do much for the natural environment. Politicians know better, right? Same with the class-size amendment, passed in 2002. Voters said K-12 students would learn better if classes weren't over-stuffed. Then-Gov. Jeb Bush and the Legislature shrugged and refused to enforce the will of the people. In 2020, voters said how about we gradually increase the minimum wage to a princely 15 bucks an hour by 2026? (FYI: A 'living wage' for a single person in Florida is about $23 an hour.) This year, the Legislature thought maybe we didn't really mean that and why not let employers pay less than the current minimum of $13 an hour? They called these indentured-servitude jobs 'pre-apprenticeships' and 'work-based learning opportunities' for young people who don't happen to belong to the middle-class and might learn valuable skills such as tomato-picking and lawn maintenance. In a rare moment of sanity during this year's legislative session, that bill failed. But the governor and Legislature succeeded in casting citizens' ballot initiatives as ethically and legally dubious. There was indeed an element of alleged criminality surrounding the abortion and marijuana amendments — on the governor's part. He weaponized the state against Amendment 4, sending police to petition signers' homes to question them, posting misinformation on state websites, and threatened broadcasters who ran ads promoting reproductive rights with criminal charges. Hope Florida, a foundation controlled by Casey DeSantis, used taxpayer money to fight Amendment 3. Even some Republicans were appalled by this misuse of public funds. Indeed, the only good thing about the new bill is that it bans state officials from using your money to promote or vilify a proposed amendment. It's not airtight. But maybe it will slow down Florida's march toward autocracy. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
EXCLUSIVE: Inside Buster Murdaugh's Quaint $445K Marital Home—and It's a World Away From His Family's Enormous Estate
Disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh's surviving son, Buster, is attempting to move on from the tragic and horrifying circumstances surrounding his father's murder conviction, by laying down roots in a new town alongside his new wife, Brooklynn. Buster, 32, wed his longtime girlfriend in an intimate ceremony in Beaufort, SC, on May 3, with their closest loved ones in attendance, according to People. It marked a happy milestone for the couple, whose relationship became mired in scandal back in 2021, when Buster's mother, Maggie, and brother, Paul, were found shot dead on the family's property in Islandton. Brooklynn is understood to have been by Buster's side when he was given the heartbreaking news about his family members' deaths, and she remained a close source of support after his father was indicted and later charged with both Maggie and Paul's murders. Even before they walked down the aisle together, Buster and Brooklynn had begun laying a foundation for their married life away from the controversy that continues to surround the Murdaugh family property—which has come on and off the market multiple times since the horrifying killings took place. In 2023, records indicate that the duo purchased a humble $445,000 three-bedroom, three-bathroom 1,652-square-foot dwelling in Bluffton, SC, about an hour south of the Murdaugh family's enormous former estate, which is known as Moselle. The home is a far cry from the sprawling compound that former lawyer Alex Murdaugh built for his family on his 1,770-acre property, which featured a main residence, a hunting lodge, a private airplane hangar, and separate dog kennels, where Maggie's body was discovered. However, it appears that Buster and Brooklynn are hoping to overhaul their home in order to turn it into their perfect marital abode, with their wedding registry including an option for guests to contribute to their 'House Project Fund.' The item listing on the registry featured a small photo of the quaint dwelling, which was built in 2003 and was described in its original listing as a 'desirable' and 'peaceful' home. Buster is no doubt hoping that the house will serve as a personal sanctuary as he continues to navigate the difficult legal fallout from his father's case. The 32-year-old is in the midst of pursuing a hefty libel lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix, among others, over comments that were made in the documentary 'Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal' linking him to the 2015 death of a man named Stephen Smith, despite there being no evidence connecting him to the crime. According to WSAV, the case is set to go to trial in Hampton County, although a date has yet to be set. Still, Buster will undoubtedly be grateful for any distraction that his home renovation project can provide as he continues to live under the shadow of his family tragedy. That tragedy has also plagued his family's former home, Moselle, which was recently taken off the market after failing to find a buyer, having been listed for $2.75 million in December 2024. The dwelling includes only a small portion of the land that the Murdaughs once owned, which was carved up by the property's original buyers after they purchased it for $3.9 million in March 2023, not long before Murdaugh was convicted. Just a few months later, those buyers, James Ayer and Jeffrey Godley, chose to carve up the land and put the Murdaugh family home and its surrounding 21 acres back on the market for $1.95 million. However, the home was eventually put up for auction when it failed to find a buyer—selling for $1 million to local man Alex Blair, who spent months renovating the main residence in a lengthy project that saw the dwelling expanded and modernized. In October, the buyer spoke to about his reasons for purchasing the home, sensationally insisting that he believes Murdaugh is innocent of the murders of his wife and son, while revealing that—despite reports to the contrary—his portion of the property did include the kennels where Murdaugh's son, Paul, was shot. A crime scene expert determined Murdaugh ambushed Paul in the dog kennels and shot him twice, then shot his wife five times, delivering the final shots after she fell to her knees. However, Blair claimed that could not have been the case, revealing that he was actually in possession of the kennel door and window that contain the bullet holes, which he said served as clear evidence of Murdaugh's innocence. 'I have the door and the window from the dog kennel,' he said. '[Murdaugh] is a big man; he was even bigger back then, and he's too big for the bullets to have gone through in the way that they did. 'Maybe it was karma for other things that he did,' he went on. 'But I don't think he killed them.' Reports initially suggested that the dog kennels had not been included in the 21-acre portion of the Murdaugh family estate that he purchased. However, Blair said the kennels, as well as Murdaugh's private airplane hangar, were both part of the sale. He tore down both structures while renovating the home. He added that, while he didn't know Murdaugh personally, many of the locals who live on the street where the Moselle Estate House sits agreed with him that the former lawyer is not guilty of the murders. 'Everyone on that road is like, 'No,'' Blair shared. He revealed his hope that the incredibly detailed overhaul of the property would help to remove any 'bad stigma' from it, noting that he wanted to change the home's narrative in a 'positive' way. Following the completion of his renovation, Blair listed the dwelling for sale; however, he has since taken the property off the market. What a Recession Could Mean for the Housing Market Trump's Clash With Fed Chair Powell Over Interest Rates Could Backfire in the Mortgage Market See How Your State Ranks on the New Report Card for Homebuilding and Affordability
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Meet the 2025 America's favourite pets: Buster from Queens and Geno from New Jersey capturing nationwide love
The 2025 " America's Favourite Pet " contest recently closed, and the top two winners this year, Queens, New York bulldog Buster and New Jersey domestic shorthair cat Geno, have definitely captured America's heart. This high-end contest, run by professional fundraiser Colossal for the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), saw over 400,000 pets across the nation participate, so this victory for both animals and families is all the more exceptional. The competition is special for the special method of voting that it follows. Pet owners provide a picture and description of their pets, while voters are entitled to one free vote per day. To also raise the passion and zeal for the cause, people can donate $1 per extra vote that they cast. This practice not only raises community participation but also makes people donate, so that every vote becomes a significant force towards animal welfare. Buster's winning personality claims as ' America's favourite dog ' Buster, the beloved bulldog of Queens, New York, is no ordinary pup. A clever mischief-maker with a history of spiking soccer balls with headbutts, Buster is a fan favourite. His terrific personality comes through in all he does, from the raucous, side-splitting snores to his bull-headed love of roasted chicken. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 21st Century Skills Start with Confident Communication Planet Spark Learn More Undo No surprise that his terrific personality won over the hearts of thousands of residents nationwide. By claiming the title of "America's Favourite Dog," Buster not only won himself a $10,000 award but also the prestigious honor of appearing on the cover of Modern Dog magazine. His win speaks to how much love there is for pets and how much companionship and joy animals bring to our lives. The winning charm of Geno, ' America's favourite cat ' At the same time, Geno, a domestic shorthair from New Jersey, was named America's Favorite Cat. "He is inquisitive, brave, and treat-motivated," his family says, and that bold and curious personality served him well in the extremely competitive contest. As a faithful survivor and friend, Geno's win meant a great deal to his devoted fans. Similar to Buster, Geno also won a $10,000 award and will be the cover model of Modern Cat magazine. Geno's win helps to bring to light the way in which cats, with their own set of personalities and idiosyncrasies, also hold a special position in the hearts of pet owners across the country. How "America's favourite pet" is transforming animal welfare support Now in its fifth year, the "America's Favorite Pet" contest has grown into so much more than an online popularity contest. It is a massive fundraiser for the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), a progressive animal welfare organization. The contest generated a whopping $8.3 million this year alone and a total of well over $22 million in its first five years. Proceeds from the competition go to fund life-saving care for thousands of animals, including wildlife and adoptable pets. Success of the competition demonstrates increased national interest in promoting animal welfare through both direct donation and grass-roots participation. Eric Stonestreet joins the mission to give pets a second chance This year's event was even more memorable as it was visited by Emmy-winning actor Eric Stonestreet, from the hit TV show Modern Family. Stonestreet, who is an avid animal enthusiast and cause supporter, co-hosted the event with his rescue dog, Roscoe. Thanks to Stonestreet's initiative, the competition not only honored cuteness and individuality but also fostered pet adoption and rescue campaigns. Stonestreet's presence added to the face of the cause, reminding everyone who watched and participated of the thousands of animals that waited for their own hearts' homes. His support validated the overall theme of the competition: that all pets deserve a second chance at a good life. Also Read | Black Marlin: Discover the fastest fish in the world's physical characteristics, diet, habitat and more
