Who among us hasn't wondered who would win in a fight between a bear and an alligator? Or a ram and a tiger? A badger and a gopher? While these animals are all university mascots represented in the NCAA March Madness tournament, they're also competitors in an imaginary Pokemon battle-style spinoff tournament playing out right now on Twitter. And the "fights" are absurdly scientific.
Last night, US President Donald Trump released a $US1.1 trillion ($1.4 trillion) draft budget for 2018, slashing EPA funds by 31 per cent, the State Department by 28 per cent, and zeroing out the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Endowment for the Arts, and more. He did propose $US54 billion ($70 billion) in defence spending, so at least future members of America's spartan dystopia will get to live in a real-life version of The Hunger Games-meets-Mad Max.
Despite widespread resistance, yesterday, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as US Education Secretary in a 51-to-50 vote. Though 48 Democrats and two Republican senators voted against her, ultimately, vice president Mike Pence broke the tie. For public school educators, and particularly science teachers, her confirmation is a nightmare realised.
