When Seth Walker first walked into Lincoln High School’s new cybersecurity class, he felt out of place. “I didn’t have any IT experience, and everyone else seemed so far ahead of me,” he remembered. “So, I let that motivate me to learn the craft and keep up.”
His curiosity led him from a rural high school in Talladega, Alabama, to Troy University, where he’s studying cybersecurity and working on his CompTIA Security+ certification as a freshman. He credits high school internships and mentorship from his teacher, Brian Kelly, as the foundation that shaped his path forward. “I saw firsthand how cybersecurity looks in different environments,” Walker said. “It made me realize this is something I can really build a future in.”
A Regional Model for Rural Readiness
In 2023, Talladega County Schools joined Digital Promise’s inaugural Cybersecurity Pathways Cohort, part of a national effort to build regional workforce pipelines in high-demand tech fields. Soon after, the district joined neighboring Talladega City, Anniston City, Etowah County, Oxford City, St. Clair County and Sylacauga City school districts to form the East Alabama Regional Cybersecurity Alliance (EARCA), a collaboration with post-secondary institutions and industry partners in East Alabama working to grow local cybersecurity talent.
Together, the group created a student-centered Cybersecurity pathway reaching more than 33,000 students. EARCA is becoming a replicable model for regional pathways, offering shared curriculum, teacher professional development and employer partnerships that can be adapted anywhere.
The alliance strengthens the local economy by connecting education directly to employment, and preparing students for an evolving tech landscape where cybersecurity and artificial intelligence intersect. With 8,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in Alabama and 750,000 vacancies nationwide, schools like Lincoln High are preparing students for roles that pay an average of $90,000 annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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“The cybersecurity pathway gives students a clear direction and a chance to stay and work here in Alabama,” said Darian Simmons, career tech director at Talladega City Schools.
Building a Program From the Ground Up
For Kelly, the instructor who launched Lincoln High’s program, cyber had long been an interest. “I worked in IT doing help desk and network support, and always wanted to integrate cybersecurity,” he said. “When the opportunity came up to run the program, I jumped on it.”
Kelly saw this as a chance to hone his own skills as well. “My advice to other teachers is to just jump in. The more you’re exposed to AI and cybersecurity, the more comfortable you get. Learn with your students. Do the competitions. Figure it out together.”
This is the philosophy that shapes his classroom environment. Students work in small groups to solve problems together before turning to him for help. “That’s what cybersecurity is: creative problem-solving,” he said. Competitions like CyberPatriot and SkillsUSA keep students motivated and build confidence in their skill set.
Hands-On Learning and Flexible Tools
One memorable project for Walker involved a rubber ducky, a small, programmable USB drive that can access a device remotely. “It showed us how something simple can be powerful,” he said. “The same process can be used for harm or protection, so it all comes down to intent.”
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Students also use IBM SkillsBuild, a free platform offering self-paced courses and micro-credentials in cybersecurity, AI and digital literacy for teachers and students. For Walker, it was a turning point. “It was my best friend in that first semester,” he said. “There is no better foundation for hardware, networking and software basics.”
Kelly values the self-paced design for giving students flexibility and teachers built-in professional development.
How Talladega County Schools is transforming students’ futures with cybersecurity pathways
From PD to Practice
Through EARCA, Kelly meets monthly with other cybersecurity teachers for professional learning and resource sharing. The sessions create a community of practice where educators share lesson ideas, test labs and align their teaching with workforce needs.
At Lincoln High, Kelly turns those shared strategies into hands-on learning. His students analyze phishing emails, design defense strategies and complete local internships that connect classroom skills to careers.
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The lessons from Alabama echo in other regions. In Kansas City, full-stack instructor Shineta Horton applies similar principles through her own professional learning. “If we want students to use technology ethically and creatively, teachers have to feel confident exploring it first,” she said. “They see me learning as we navigate SkillsBuild together, and that changes everything.”
Both Kelly and Horton agree: career readiness extends beyond technical know-how. “The tools will continue to change,” Kelly said, “but adaptability, communication and persistence are what carry students forward.”
“Everyone should have access to this kind of learning,” added Walker. “It opens so many doors.”
Lessons for Educators
The EARCA model offers insights for schools expanding career readiness opportunities:
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Start small and learn together. Teachers don’t need to be experts; learning alongside students builds trust and confidence.
Connect with the community. Partnering with local businesses gives students exposure to how AI and cybersecurity operate in different settings.
Leverage free resources. Platforms like SkillsBuild provide accessible pathways for both professional development and student engagement.
Looking Ahead
For Kelly, the growth of the cybersecurity program represents a shift in mindset as much as curriculum. “We’re showing students that technology careers aren’t somewhere else,” he said. “They can build them right here in Alabama.”
For Walker, what once felt intimidating now feels essential. “Cybersecurity gives me a way to make a difference,” he said. “It’s not just about technology, it’s about protecting people.”
The story of East Alabama offers a blueprint for others: a regional alliance of schools and employers creating student-centered career pathways and a resilient local economy through education and collaboration.
On Sunday evening, during Bad Bunny’s electrifying halftime performance at Super Bowl LX, a crowd of what appeared to be fewer than 200 people in an undisclosed location were treated to an alternative concert, “The All-American Halftime Show,” presented by the right-wing student organization Turning Point USA.
Conceived as culture-war counterprogramming for a show by a Puerto Rican mega-star who raps and sings in Spanish, and has been a vocal critic of ICE, the event featured four MAGA-aligned country stars and was headlined by Kid Rock, who made his entrance in jorts and trademark fedora. But for all the ideological outrage behind this challenge to globally popular Latin music, TPUSA’s star-spangled jamboree wasn’t particularly message-driven nor even provocative.
It streamed on platforms including Rumble, DailyWire+, and multiple YouTube channels. Blake Neff, producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, claimed there were over 5 million live viewers on the Turning Point USA YouTube stream; as of publication time, it has been viewed over 16 million times. Shortly before going live, TPUSA announced that it would not be able to air the special on X due to “licensing issues.”
Super Bowl LX, meanwhile, was expected to draw as many as 130 million viewers.
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Though largely framed as a memorial to Charlie Kirk, the TPUSA founder killed in September during a campus talk, “The All-American Halftime Show” included no appearance by his widow, Erika Kirk, who has been on an extended media tour since her husband’s death. President Trump did not comment directly on the concert, choosing instead to rant about Bad Bunny’s performance.
“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!” Trump wrote on his digital platform, Truth Social. “It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World.” These comments came amid renewed scrutiny of Trump’s relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Democratic party’s official X account screenshotted Trump’s post about Bad Bunny, observing: “Guess he wasn’t watching Kid Rock then.”
The livestream of the TPUSA event was preceded by a message from defense secretary Pete Hegseth, who said that the so-called Department of War was “proud to support” it. Viewers were also directed to a phone number they could call to “start or join a Turning Point USA chapter.” Comments on the stream were filled with remarks such as “Protect kids,” “No NFL on screen,” “GOD BLESS AMERICA,” and “JESUS.”
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Country singer Brantley Gilbert kicked off the concert, heavy on pyrotechnic visual effects throughout, rapping into a microphone with brass knuckles on it and performing the hit “Dirt Road Anthem,” which he cowrote but was originally made famous by Jason Aldean in 2010. It features the line “Better watch out for the boys in blue,” a reference to trouble with police. The crowd, some wearing MAGA hats, then swayed to a couple of tunes by Gabby Barrett, who won the 2021 Female Artist of the Year award at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Next came Lee Brice, who shouted out Kirk directly. “Charlie, he gave people microphones so they could say what was on their minds,” he declared before launching into a premiere performance of a new song called “Country Nowadays.” The lyrics included an allusion to gender politics. “I turn the TV on and sit and watch the evening news / Be told if I tell my own daughter that little boys ain’t little girls / I’d be up the creek in hot water,” he sang. The chorus noted: “It ain’t easy being country in this country nowadays.”
The 2026 Winter Olympics are taking place in Italy this year, with all the action taking place in Milan and the Alpine city of Cortina. This year marks the fourth time Italy has hosted the Winter Games; most recently, Turin hosted in 2006. Of the 16 sports that will be featured at the Winter Olympics, there will be 15 returning favorites, including figure skating, Alpine skiing, curling, ice hockey, speedskating, snowboarding, freestyle skiing and ski jumping, and one entirely new sport, snow mountaineering. (Will it be as big a hit as the 2024 Summer Games’ new addition, breaking? It remains to be seen.)
Live coverage of every event at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will be available to stream on Peacock — though thanks to the time difference between Italy and the U.S., to watch many of the events live, you’ll have to wake up (or stay up) until 2AM or 3AM ET. Primetime replays and select live coverage will air on NBC. The games officially kick off with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, 2026.
Here’s what else you need to know about watching the 2026 Winter Olympics.
How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics
Dates: Feb. 6 – Feb. 22
TV channel: NBC
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Streaming: Peacock
When are the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The Winter Olympics officially begin with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6, although some events will start as early as Feb. 4). The Milano Cortina 2026 games will run through Feb. 22. The closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in the Arena di Verona on Feb. 22.
Where are the Winter Olympics this year?
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Northern Italy, primarily in Milan and also the Alpine mountain resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, where events like bobsled, skeleton, alpine skiing, curling, para snowboard, and more will take place.
What channel are the Olympics on?
The 2026 Winter Olympics will air on NBC and stream live on Peacock.
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How to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics without cable
For $11/month, an ad-supported Peacock subscription lets you stream live sports and events airing on NBC, including the 2026 Winter Olympics, Super Bowl LX and more. Plus, you’ll get access to thousands of hours of shows and movies, including beloved sitcoms such as Parks and Recreationand The Office, every Bravo show and much more.
For $17 monthly you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
When is the Winter Olympics opening ceremony?
The Milano Cortina 2026 opening ceremony will be held on Feb. 6, 2026. Due to the time difference, the ceremony will kick off around 2PM ET/11AM PT.
Winter Olympics time difference
This year’s Olympic Games are in Italy, which is 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time. Meaning that some events will start bright and early for U.S. viewers, and live coverage will likely wrap up around 4PM ET each day. NBC will have primetime replays of the biggest moments each night.
Hockey (bronze medal games) – 1PM (Peacock – Live)
Friday, Feb. 20
Biathlon mass start – 6AM (Peacock – Live)
Speedskating final medals – 8AM (Peacock – Live)
Figure skating gala – 1PM (Peacock – Live)
Saturday, Feb. 21
Men’s hockey gold medal game – 12PM (Peacock – Live)
Women’s hockey gold medal game – 3PM (Peacock – Live)
Men’s hockey gold medal game – 8PM (NBC – Primetime)
Sunday, Feb. 22 – closing ceremony
Cross-country skiing final event – 6AM (Peacock – Live)
closing ceremony – 2PM (Peacock – Live)
closing ceremony – 8PM (NBC – Primetime)
More ways to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics on NBC
While Peacock is the best way to watch the Winter Olympics, there are other options if you restrict yourself to the NBC broadcasts. As our guide to the best live TV streaming services to cut cable notes, both YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are excellent options, but you’ll want to skip Fubo until and unless the service resolves its contract dispute with Comcast, as NBC channels remain unavailable for now.
Looking to watch Bad Bunny free live streams – aka the Super Bowl 2026Apple Music Halftime Show? The Patriots may be 0-9 down, but you won’t want to miss a replay of Bad Bunny’s halftime concert with special guests!
Good news: We found out you can watch Bad Bunny FREE live streams and replays online, and from anywhere with a VPN – including the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Spain, Mexico and Brazil.
If the Bad Bunny live stream isn’t free where you are, you can unblock your local free stream with a VPN… but not any VPN. You’ll need a fast, stable VPN that unblocks like a pro.
How to watch Bad Bunny free in US (official stream)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Want to catch Bad Bunny Super Bowl live stream with Peacock Premium ($10.99/month) — you’ll get live Apple Music halftime show, plus full Bad Bunny replays and highlights after the game.
💡 Want to watch Bad Bunny FREE in the US? You can get Walmart+ 30-day trial = FREE Peacock. Perfect for catching every Bad Bunny song – plus the trophy lifting.
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🌎 Outside the US or in Canada? Use NordVPN to access the free trial and stream like you’re stateside.
When time does Bad Bunny 2026 start?
The 2026 Bad Bunny show is expected to start at around 8pm ET / 5pm PT / 1am GMT on Sunday, February 8. That’s 12 noon AEDT on Monday, February 9 if you’re a Bad Bunny fan in Australia.
Can I watch Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime 2026 free on my mobile?
Of course, most broadcasters have streaming apps that you can access through mobile phones or via your tablet browser. For example, Channel 5 in the UK.
You can also stay up-to-date with the latest Super Bowl Halftime Show news via the NFL’s official X/Twitter (@NFL), Bad Bunny’s official Instagram (@BadBunnyPR) and Apple Music 2026 Halftime Show.
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Who are Bad Bunny’s special guests?
Rumored special guests joining Mr. Bunny include Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Cardi B, Marc Anthony. We’re also told that Bad Bunny could invite reggaeton OGs Tego Calderon or Hector el Father on stage at Super Bowl 2026. And there are even whispers about Ricky Martin.
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Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
The often-rumored budget MacBook is still expected to arrive at some point in the first half of 2026, as Apple prepares to compete directly with Chromebooks.
The MacBook should be cheaper than the MacBook Air at launch
Rumors have repeatedly insisted that Apple will bring out a MacBook with an iPhone chip running the show instead of an M-series chip. As more forecasts come in, it seems the rumor mill is more insistent than ever that it will launch this year. The latest volley, coming from Mark Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg on Sunday, the MacBook will be the centerpiece Mac launch for early 2026. Gurman doesn’t offer much new about the model, recapping previous claims about it, but he also doesn’t narrow down the timing to beyond the first six months of the year. Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
A march supporting California’s billionaires didn’t exactly attract a huge crowd on Saturday — the San Francisco Chronicle counted around three dozen attendees, along with another dozen tongue-in-cheek counter-protesters.
To be fair, organizer Derik Kauffman had predicted attendance of only “a few dozen” beforehand. But the incongruous idea of the “March for Billionaires” has provoked an outsized response on social media. And according to Mission Local, journalists nearly outnumbered demonstrators at the event itself, where marchers carried signs with messages like “We ❤️ You Jeffrey Bezos” and “It’s very difficult to write a nuanced argument on a sign.”
The ostensible reason for the demonstration was to protest the Billionaire Tax Act, a proposed state ballot measure that would require Californians worth more than $1 billion to pay a one-time, 5% tax on their total wealth. If the measure actually passes, Governor Gavin Newsom said he will veto it.
Kauffman, who founded the AI startup RunRL and is not a billionaire himself, told reporters, “California is, I believe, the only state to give health insurance to people who come into the country illegally. I think we probably should not be providing that.” (Fourteen states offer health care to undocumented immigrants.)
One of the constants in consumer electronics is that designers will try to put as many features into a single device as possible, whether it’s a Walkman with a radio tuner or a new class of devices that crams a photo and video camera in the same enclosure as a music player. At the time that the Kodak MC3 was released this made it a rather unique device, with it in hindsight being basically a smartphone without the phone, as [Tech Tangents] aptly notes in his recent video on the device.
Six years before Apple’s iPhone would be announced, and eight years before the first iPod with a video camera, the Kodak MC3 was in many respects bleeding edge technology targeted straight at tech enthusiasts. For less than $300 you got VGA-quality images, CompactFlash storage, and MP3 playback capability. The videos it produced were 320×240 resolution, h.263 encoded MOVs with a maximum length of 4 seconds at 20 FPS, or 4 minutes with a 64 MB CF card.
The unit that [Tech Tangents] got used came with a 128 MB CF card, but couldn’t use a 2 GB CF card, which is a shame. The screen on it got a lot of flak for not not having a backlight, but this was common for the era, as were the poor viewing angles. Ditto for the poor video quality, as anyone who invested in consumer digital cameras in the early 2000s can attest to. In that respect this Kodak device was probably a bit too ambitious with its features for the era, maybe to compensate for it completely missing the boat on the rise of digital camera technology around the time.
The Super Bowl gifted us a new trailer for the upcoming Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and for that fact alone, we’re truly thankful. Pedro Pascal is back as Din Djarin (aka the Mandalorian), along with Grogu — or I suppose you could still call him Baby Yoda or The Child.
It’s been three years since season 3 of The Mandalorian ended on Disney Plus, so Mando’s return is a welcome one. The Mandalorian and Grogu will find the duo doing what they do best: Being best buds while traveling the galaxy. There’s a catch, though. They’ve been enlisted to protect the New Republic. The Galactic Empire may have fallen, but there are insidious evil-doers out there who threaten this new era of peace.
Sigourney Weaver also stars alongside The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White, who plays Rotta the Hutt (the son of Jabba), and Jonny Coyne, who plays an Imperial Warlord who leads a crew of those looking to keep the evil glory of the Galactic Empire alive.
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Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu was directed by Jon Favreau, who co-wrote the script with Dave Filoni. It’ll premiere in theaters on Friday, May 22.
The Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger with MagSafe, priced at $40 (was $150), sits quietly on your nightstand, desk, or kitchen counter, charging three devices simultaneously without taking up too much space. People who use this charger frequently reach for it, even when they are not on a trip. A few days in, it’s easy to see why: it just makes sense to have one compact accessory that can handle all of your gadgets rather than a mess of cables and individual pads scattered about.
When folded up, the charger is incredibly compact, measuring 3.3 by 3.1 by 1 inches and weighing less than half a pound, allowing it to nestle neatly in a drawer or backpack without being noticed. When you open it, you’ll find three small spaces waiting to be filled: one magnetic pad for your iPhone, a flip-up module for your Apple Watch, and a flat bit for your AirPods or AirPods Pro.
Mophie developed the entire thing with MagSafe in mind, and it’s also Qi2 certified, so any iPhone 12 series and up will just snap into place securely. That connection provides up to 15 watts of wireless power, quickly charging your phone from dead to “good enough to get through breakfast or a quick meeting.” The Apple Watch spot supports fast charging and even allows you to put it up in nightstand mode if desired. AirPods simply sit on the third pad and deliver up to 5 watts; it’s not rocket science, but it’s consistent and reliable.
The package includes a 40-watt wall converter, a USB-C cable, and a set of international plug heads for outlets in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia. People who travel will undoubtedly appreciate the global coverage, but the converter also works well for powering the charger at home. The entire package folds flat into a small travel pouch that keeps everything neat and safe.
Just set it on the bedside table, drop your iPhone on the MagSafe pad, flip up the Watch charger and pop the AirPods case below. By morning, everything is charged and you can just pick up your phone and go, with no miles of cables strewn across the bed to tangle in. Plus, the elevated iPhone pad is nicely oriented, allowing you to view your phone screen in landscape mode, which is a great small convenience.
VMware Workstation Pro 25H2 focuses on platform updates, adding USB 3.2 support, newer virtual hardware, improved Hyper-V detection, and compatibility with recent Linux releases like Debian 13, Fedora 42, and RHEL 10, plus a new dictTool utility for working with configuration files.
