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 article describes the “Arithmeter”, invented by Elizur Wright, to expedite the calculations made necessary by the legislation that he himself had drafted that required the Massachusetts Insurance Department to compute net level premium reserves on all policies in force. One of the few Arithmeters in existence was donated to, and is now in the possession of, the SOA.

Description: Diagram displaying the relationships between the various annuity certain functions.

Description: Article from The Actuary, March 1972 – volume 6 - Issue 3 provides the author's comments on Health Maintenance Organizations and describes an opportunity for actuaries to apply as service providers to this developing industry.

Description: Through a public relations effort launched first by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries [CIA] and then the SOA, two actuaries representing the profession capitalized on their abilities to analyze future contingent events in the 1998 baseball season’s home run race. This article describes the efforts of Mel Norton, FCIA and John Dewan, FSA to predict who would break Roger Maris’ 1961 record of 61 home runs in one season.

Description: John Naisbitt, in Megatrends, defined a megatrend as a general shift in thinking or approach affecting countries, industries and organizations. This article challenges actuaries to consider off-the-charts factors within their risk maps and consider their potential impact.