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casino games for fun Bright ideas Saturday, December 21 is the shortest day of the year so we thought it would be a good time to appreciate the history of light bulbs. We walk into a dark room and flick a light switch and don’t think anything of it. But you are using one of the greatest inventions ever made. The light bulb led to new energy breakthroughs — from power plants and electric transmission lines to home appliances and electric motors. Research on the bulbs began more than 150 years ago and like most great inventions, the light bulb can’t be credited to one inventor. It was a series of small improvements on the ideas of previous inventors that have led to the light bulbs we use in our homes today. Here’s a timeline of key events and the evolution of our lighting. If you cannot read the graphic the text is below. You can learn more about global energy trends here. 1803 — 1809: First arc lamp created Humphry Davy demonstrated the first incandescent light to the Royal Institute in Great Britain, using a bank of batteries and two charcoal rods. Arc lamps provided many cities with their first electric streetlights. 1835: First constant electric light demonstrated James Bowman Lindsay demonstrated a constant electric light at a public meeting in Scotland. Some have credited him with being the inventor of the incandescent light bulb. 1850 — 1859: Lightning in a tube In the 19th century, two Germans discovered that they could produce light by removing almost all of the air from a long glass tube and passing an electrical current through it. Called Geissler tubes, they became the basis of many lighting technologies including fluorescent lights. 1877 — 1885: Competition for the incandescent light bulb heats up Inventors all across the world — including William Sawyer and Albon Man in the U.S. and Joseph Swan in England — worked on creating an electric incandescent lamp. 1882: Developing the lighting system Thomas Edison focused on the entire lighting grid, showing that it was possible to distribute electricity from a centrally located generator with the Holborn Viaduct in London and developing the first commercial power utility in lower Manhattan. 1901: Precursor to fluorescent lights Peter Cooper Hewitt created a blue-green light by passing an electric current through mercury vapor. The lights had few suitable uses because of the color but were one of the precursors to fluorescent lights. 1904: Out with the carbon filament and in with the tungsten In 1904, incandescent lamps with tungsten filaments appear on the European market. These bulbs lasted longer, were brighter and more efficient than lamps with carbon filaments. 1908: Edison screws Part of Edison’s contribution to the light bulb was the socket he developed, which today is called the Edison Screw. By 1908, it was the most commonly used light bulb socket used, and today, it is used for almost all residential lighting applications. 1913: Doubling the efficiency of incandescents Irving Langmuir discovered that filling a light bulb with inert gas-like nitrogen instead of vacuuming out the air doubled the light bulb’s efficiency. 1926 — 1934: Neon tubes By the late 1920s and early 1930s, European researchers were doing experiments with neon tubes coated with phosphors. Word of these experiments helped spark fluorescent lamp research in the U.S. 1951: Fluorescents overtake incandescents By 1951, more light in the U.S. was being produced by linear fluorescent lamps than incandescent — a change that was led by the need for efficient lighting during World War II. 1962: First light-emitting diode (LED) is invented While working for General Electric, Nick Holonyak Jr., invented the first visible-spectrum LED in the form of red diodes. Pale yellow and green diodes were invented next. 1973: Energy is not cheap The 1973 oil crisis marked a turning point in U.S. energy consumption because energy was no longer cheap. Researchers rose to the challenge and began developing fluorescent bulbs for residential use. 1976: Fluorescent bulbs go spiral In 1976, Edward Hammer at General Electric figured out how to bend the fluorescent tube into a spiral shape, creating the first compact fluorescent light. 1978: LEDs appear in consumer products As researchers improved red diodes and their manufacturing, companies began incorporating them into consumer products such as calculator displays and indicator lights. 1985: First compact fluorescent lamp hits the market Early CFLs hit the market in the mid-1980s and ranged from $25-$35 a bulb. 1994: First blue, then white LEDs The invention of the blue diode in the 1990s quickly led to the discovery of white LEDs. Shortly thereafter, researchers demonstrated white light using red, green and blue LEDs. This leads to development of high-definition flat screen TVs. 2000: Energy Department works to push LEDs forward In 2000, the Energy Department partnered with private industry to push white LED technology forward by creating a high-efficiency packaged LED device. 2002 — 2008: First residential LED bulb hits the market By 2008, there were just a few LED replacement bulbs on the market, and most were 25-40 watt equivalents. 2012: 49 million LED products installed In 2012 alone, more than 49 million LED products were installed in the U.S., saving about $675 million in annual energy costs. 2013: CFLs for as little as $1.74 Nearly 30 years after CFLs were first introduced on the market, their costs have dropped to as low as $1.74 a bulb. They also use about 75% less energy than incandescents and last about 10 times longer. 2013: LED costs drop dramatically Since 2008, the cost of LED bulbs has fallen more than 85%, and most recently, a number of retailers announced that they will be selling LEDs at $10 or less. Sources: U.S. Department of Energy , Edison Tech Center, The International Energy Agency, The Franklin Institute, Constellation EnergyBy Ashton De Santis, director – inventory partnerships, The Trade Desk Australia’s Upfronts season brought a wave of new energy to the advertising world. With advertisers facing mounting pressure to prove real business impact, this year’s sessions put measurement and accountability at the heart of the conversation. Publishers doubled down on the value of premium content from BVOD to live sports and challenged the dominance of less impactful channels such as social media. Nine’s new partnership with independent market mix modelling (MMM) solutions and Foxtel’s alliances with Kantar and Adgile signal an industry change away from vanity metrics towards more meaningful business outcomes. This renewed focus on measurement is setting the stage for an exciting year ahead. In particular, for brands that have moved away from upper-funnel strategies in favour of short-term performance campaigns due to tightening budgets, this shift is a game-changer. With consumer confidence poised to grow in early 2025 and inflation slowly easing, brands may look to unlock bigger budgets. But with these opportunities comes responsibility – marketers must show that every dollar delivers growth. More granular insights can help turn marketing into a measurable growth engine, reinforcing its vital role in driving long-term business success. Case in point: Kellogg’s proved the real business impact of BVOD by leveraging Unpacked by Flybuys retail data in their advertising strategy. By targeting Flybuys’ high-value audience segments – from low-sugar buyers to cereal enthusiasts and health food shoppers – they effectively reached new potential customers. The campaign demonstrated how BVOD ads directly translated into sales at Flybuys’ retail partners and resulted in a 156% surge in conversions for Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain brand and an impressive 187% sales boost for brands like Coco Pops. The Upfronts also debunked the myth that TV as a whole is in decline, proving that total TV remains a force in advertising. With publishers introducing technology that enables seamless cross-channel activation, campaigns can now unify across BVOD, SVOD, live broadcast, and streaming all under one cohesive strategy. However, despite these advancements, the challenge of fragmented measurement persists. To unlock greater efficiency, brands will need tools that integrate data across devices and publishers, including their own first-party data. Industry identity solutions like Unified ID 2.0 can bridge these gaps by targeting and measuring their audience across the wider publisher ecosystem. Let’s keep in mind that Aussies spend 64% of digital media time on the open internet, from video and audio streaming to online news to apps. This presents a massive opportunity for advertisers. So while publishers are proving the value of premium content, the real impact will come from optimizing investments across the entire open internet. For advertisers ready to embrace the future, the playbook is clear: premium content across the open internet, unified measurement, and a relentless focus on real business outcomes. – Top image: Ashton De Santis

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jao Ituka led Jacksonville State over East Carolina on Thursday night with 18 points off of the bench in an 86-78 victory. Ituka shot 5 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Gamecocks (4-1). Jaron Pierre Jr. added 16 points while shooting 4 of 10 from the field and 7 for 11 from the line while he also had six rebounds and six assists. Michael Houge had 15 points and shot 6 of 11 from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. RJ Felton led the Pirates (4-1) in scoring, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. C.J. Walker added 20 points and seven rebounds for East Carolina. Yann Farell also had 12 points. Ituka scored 10 points in the first half and Jacksonville State went into halftime trailing 39-37. Jacksonville State used a 13-2 second-half run to take the lead at 71-66 with 3:52 remaining. Houge scored 12 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Winning numbers for $1.22 billion Mega Millions jackpot drawn

By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transiton of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. “This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day,” said Susie Wiles, Trump’s designate to be White House chief of staff. Related Articles The announcement comes a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts have emphasized to Trump’s team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. Republican Senators have also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump’s nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers have been particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump’s designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. “That’s why it’s so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing,” said. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine on Monday. John Thune, the incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team “understands there’s going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees.” AP congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed.

Greg Gumbel , a sports broadcaster for CBS for more than 20 years who covered the NFL and college basketball, died Friday of cancer. He was 78. CBS Sports shared a statement from his wife Marcy and daughter Michelle Gumbel, who said, “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel. He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity. He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten. Greg’s memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him.” The older brother of TV newsman Bryant Gumbel, Greg Gumbel started out at a local Chicago station before joining ESPN in 1979, the year it launched. He anchored “SportsCenter” and did play-by-play for NBA games. He earned a local Emmy Award for hosting programming for the Madison Square Garden Network. In 1989, he moved to CBS Sports, where he announced NFL and college basketball games and hosted “The NFL Today.” Gumbel moved briefly to NBC, then returned to CBS and became part of the net’s March Madness coverage and announced NFL games. Earlier this year, he stepped away from his March Madness coverage at CBS. Born in New Orleans, he grew up in Chicago and graduated from Loras College. David Berson, president of CBS Sports, said in a statement, “The CBS Sports family is devastated by the passing of Greg Gumbel. There has never been a finer gentleman in all of television. He was beloved and respected by those of us who had the honor to call him a friend and colleague. A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time. He was a familiar and welcoming voice for fans across many sports, including the NFL and March Madness, highlighted by the Super Bowl and Final Four. Greg broke barriers and set the standard for others to follow. It is an extremely sad day for all of us at CBS Sports and the entire sports community. We will miss Greg dearly, and send our deepest condolences to his wife Marcy, daughter Michelle, and his entire family.” His friend and former co-worker, producer Dan Forer, wrote on X, “The holidays are supposed to be filled with joy, but they are often mixed with sorrow. I just learned that my dear friend Greg Gumbel has passed. Greg was the best announcer a young producer/director could have... In addition to being a true professional he was a kind, magnificent man. May his memory be a treasured blessing for his family and friends.”An average of 140 women and girls were killed by a partner or relative per day in 2023, the UN says