Description: Non-actuary discusses how studying for the ASA exams has helped him to excel in his field.

Description: CBS has a new show in its lineup about an FBI agent who recruits his mathematical genius brother to help him fight crime. The show is called Numbers and although most things on TV don't really capture my imagination, I do enjoy this one. For one thing it gives my teenage daughters a point of reference with their friends. "Yes, my dad is an actuary. He's kind of like that crazy guy on numbers, saving the world, one math problem at a time." From The Actuary Magazine April 2006

Description: The topic of social and demographic changes has been included in the Emerging Issues Advisory Committee's screening because changes in demographics and social norms can directly impact products offered and how they are distributed by the life insurance industry. Also, changes in demographics can impact pricing and underwriting refinements within the industry. This article focuses on mortality from obesity and on mortality of the older population.

Description: Table of contents for December 2006 issue of The Actuary Magazine.

Description: Irish actuary and professor explains his hypothesis that actuaries, as practitioners, are reluctant to adopt the theories of financial economists unless the models on which the theories are based fit the actual data the actuaries have.

Description: Principles serve as signposts of practice. They can be a combination of core truths, values, heuristics and paradigms that collectively encapsulate the theoretical underpinnings, mental processes and attitudes of the practitioner.

Description: This article is an overview of the FAP course, a new e-learning tool that encompansses real-world applications and examples to demonstrate actuarial practice and to teach principles that help candidates make the transition from the preliminary examinations.

Description: This article discusses the trend toward outsourcing of insurance assets to third party money managers which has grown steadily as insurers face increasing market challenges. Insurers are finding that a strategic approach to outsourcing investments is critical to enhancing value within both liability reserves and surplus portfolios.

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: Here are the themes that I plan to address in more detail over the next year—our education and examination program; more meaningful partnerships among the various actuarial organizations, especially in the United States; and increased transparency.