Description: Retirement benefits have become a seamless worldwide web. Thus actuaries who go to war in the international arena are painfully aware of the impact of U.S. technology on the battlefield. The debut of that awesome awful weapon, ERISA, and all its derivatives has persuaded many countries to adopt counterparts.

Description: Profile of an actuary who makes sculptures out of sand and snow.; Profile of an actuary who pursues geocaching.

Description: The Society’s Career Encouragement Committee is continuing its program of recruiting minority and women students for the actuarial profession through the subcommittee on Minority Recruitment. This is a brief report on the program’s recent progress.

Description: This article focuses on retirement decisions, phased retirement and related policy issues, calling for actuaries to take on leadership roles in retirement public discussion.

Description: Article highlighting the activities of the SOA for its members.

Description: This column highlights the hobbies, pastimes and personal interests of SOA members.

Description: Four stories: Travel Bug (Lisa Marquardt), Imagination Soars (Gary Thomas), Among the Fish and Coral—Amazing! (Sharon Giffen) and On Board with SHIP (Dwight Barlett)

Description: Discusses the report of the fifth Advisory Council which provides recommendations for improving Social Security.

Description: The article summarizes the SOA survey conducted of risk professionals regarding their understanding of important risk terms. The results contain perceptions by individuals and also firm-level information. Survey responses clearly demonstrated high differences in risk definitions.

Description: Discusses why it is so important for actuaries to actively monitor evolving issues with taxation of life insurance companies and products, and how to monitor the issues and get involved with the process.