Looking Back at 2024

Can you imagine it? Another year is at an end and it is remarkable to think that time has gone by so quickly.

I have done a recap video for the past two years. Let's do it again.

In today's video, I want to reflect on 2024 and the state of the channel. I am still actually working, haha. But a few minutes to reflect.

Year Recap. My favorites.

I have personal favorites this year that I want to share with you. Let us begin with that.

My favorite video to make in 2024 was that of the Nisei interpreters during World War II. Their plight of navigating two different cultures strikes a chord with me. And their stories of heroism - particularly the story of Terry Doi at Iwo Jima - will always stick with me.

Second is the story of Texas Instruments. It has it all. The integrated circuit, silicon transistors, Morris Chang and a disastrous foray into retail. I find myself going back to a few stories and re-reading them for enjoyment. This one I come back to a lot.

Third is the story of Ei-Nis, the semiconductor maker in Serbia. Augmented with thoughts and image records from the son of a former worker there, I found it extraordinary insight into the Yugoslavian economy.

Fourth is my video about how a CVD diamond is made. I came across the company during a visit to a startup fair in Taipei. I asked if they’d be interested to letting me do a video about them and amazingly enough they were. And that is how I found myself in a small village outside Taichung, handling diamonds that might cost tens of thousands of dollars on the market. Lab diamonds are the future. Enough said.

Fifth is my video on RF filters. A miraculous piece of technology that helped create the AI giant now known as Avago/Broadcom. I want to thank the anonymous viewer in Denver who spent the time to walk me through it in a call.

Workflows

In recent videos, I have been augmenting the research with conversations with key people. These might be experts in a field, researchers talking about their life's work, or participants in a historical event.

Perhaps one small advantage of being more well known is that people recognize who you are, and thus are more willing to speak with you. I am appreciative of ...