Description: When I first became a member of the Society of Actuaries. I used to enjoy hearing, or reading the Secretary’s summary of the “nonroutine” business transacted by the Board. In those days I wondered how one determined what was “routine” and what was “nonroutine.” Somehow even the “nonroutine” often seemed pretty “routine!” with the benefit of a few years in the profession.

Description: In an article on the same subject, in the March 1976 issue of The Actuary, it was reported that the Sub-Committee on Notation of the International Actuarial Association had circulated a questionnaire among the various national organizations to sound out public opinion on the issue of linearization and expansion of the International Actuarial Notation. This article is an update on recent developments reflecting the Special Meeting on the International Actuarial Notation, held October 30, 1976 at the XX International Congress of Actuaries.

Description: This article discusses the reasons for becoming an actuary.

Description: Book review for An American Philosophy of Social Security written by the chairman for the original Social Security Advisory Council and discusses the original and subsequent thinking about social security.

Description: According to the book 'The Limits to Growth' by Dennis L. Meadows et al., exponential population growth is the looming cause of five major trends of global concern- accelerating industrialization, increasing population pressure, rapid disappearance of unused arable land, depletion of non-renewable resources, and a deteriorating environment. Can disaster be avoided? The author of this article suggests that since actuaries are self-styled futurists, using our mathematical skills to define, analyze, and solve complex business and social problems, we should not be left behind on this one.

Description: This is a review of the book, 'From Actuarius to Actuary' by Robert B. Mitchell who was selected by The 25th Anniversary Committee of the Society of Actuaries to prepare a popular history of the actuarial profession. This volume should be read by actuaries. They will be charmed by its style and informed by its content.

Description: This philosophical rambling on pleasure concludes that some actuaries deserve the commendation of their colleagues for having added to “the public stock of harmless pleasures.”

Description: This 1976 article discusses the history and current developments with respect to the International Actuarial Notation, including reference to a paper on this topic in the December 1972 issue of The Actuary by John Boermeester.

Description: A report about the changes to the SOA elections process and its impact from an historical and future perspective. From The Actuary Vol. 24, No. 4

Description: This article lists and describes the year 2000 scenario developed from the Delphi survey of Futurism Section members. From The Actuary Vol. 24, No. 2