Decreasing then Level perpetuity question

The first payment of a perpetuity-immediate is 60. Subsequent payments decrease by 1 till they reach a level of k. Payments remain constant at k thereafter. The present vale of the perpetuity is equal to the present value of a perpetuity-immediate paying 44 each year. The annual effective interest rate is 5%. Calculate k



I set this up as



(Da) angle 60-k + v^60-k (k/i) = 44/i = PV



The answer sets it up as



(Da) angle 60-k + (k/i) = 44/i = PV



Why would you not discount the value of the perpetuity after time 60-k to time 0?

Decreasing then Level perpetuity question

U.S. effort to help build homegrown streetcar manufacturer falls short

http://ift.tt/1y5H3gT



The Washington Post has a very interesting article on the failure of an Oregon company named United Streetcar, which builds streetcars ... well, has built a grand total of 18 streetcars, and will build more if it can find any customers.



The article describes the Obama administration's promotion of the company, from a 2009 photo-op by Ray LaHood (you remember, the transportation secretary who acknowledged "I don’t think they picked me because they thought I’d be that great a transportation person") to "a glowing Department of Transportation-produced marketing video" posted on the White House website in 2011.



The department was happy to fund streetcar projects as well as other transit projects ("with $48 billion in transportation projects as part of the economic stimulus, 'we didn’t have to pick and choose,' LaHood said."). "Buy America" clauses limited the potential sources, and if foreign companies bid and made a commitment to build in the US, the administration, in at least one case, leaned on purchasers to pick United Streetcar anyway ("District officials took the unusual step of simply throwing out the Czech firm’s higher-scoring bid. 'The wrong folks kept winning,' said D.C. Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), adding that federal officials were 'very clear. They wanted Oregon to get the award.'").



LaHood also modified existing rules on the funding of transit projects through program called New Starts. I'm not sure I have a very clear idea of what the changes entailed based on limited Googling, but I think I have the gist of it. Apparently the Bush administration spoilsports insisted that projects meet some reasonable cost-effectiveness criteria based on what transportation services would be provided, so streetcars (which cost more per rider than buses at no speed advantage) tended not to win out. (United Streetcar's first project, in Portland, received a Congressional earmark and so did not have to abide by those rules, as far as I can tell.) Under the Obama administration rules, though, transit agencies could pad the benefits of their projects by assuming that streetcars have a unique ability to drive development yada yada yada multiplier effect yada yada yada tens of billions of dollars in benefits for streetcars, at least, what a steal!



Even so, the company has only won three contracts in its history, was late in delivering to all three, and has no new orders.

U.S. effort to help build homegrown streetcar manufacturer falls short

Why are atheists so depressed/suicidal with such lower standard of quality living?

Atheists are more depressed and suicidal than religious individuals.

http://ift.tt/1y5H04T



Children of religious less likely to be depressed than children of non-religious

http://ift.tt/1z5VbVL



US Marines Training Document lists loss of faith as serious indicator for suicidal tendencies

http://ift.tt/1z5V9NB







We hear from many individuals that becoming logical free thinking "based on the evidence" is only way to live life, disregarding human nature's corrupt core....yet we see so much evidence of relationships and institutions degrading as they become less religious. Why?



Lack of religious attendance correlates with infidelity

http://ift.tt/1z5VbVX









It would seem based on evidence atheism is intricately linked with worse standard of living...yet its promoted aggressively to own peril. Why???

Why are atheists so depressed/suicidal with such lower standard of quality living?

30's vs 20's

In a recent thread, shebapoe said



"Time passes. Some opportunities are there at 25 and not at 35. The reverse is also true. Some opportunities are always there.



It's up to you to learn the difference, and consider prioritizing accordingly. "



For actuaries 30+, how are your lives different than in your 20's? What would you have done differently? What did you wish you've done more of/spend more time doing?



Just a 20 something actuary looking for guidance

30's vs 20's

Resubmitting the IA

I do not believe this is against the rules to ask. For those of you who have had to resubmit the IA, did you use the same word doc template from the previous round(s) with updated questions or did you copy and/or type your updated questions into the new template given to you when signed up again? I am just wondering if I should waist the time to copy my answer into the new template?



Thanks!

Resubmitting the IA

IA Marking Method

Does anyone know how the IA is marked?



I'm ok with most questions, but there's one I just don't know how to approach and since I'm not allowed to ask about it it looks like whatever I put in is going to be completely wrong, it might as well be blank. How would this be dealt with by the SOA markers?

IA Marking Method

Selling ASM Manual 9th ed. 6th printing $65

Great condition - no marking or highlighting. Comes in a binder. Best reference for the extensive MFE material!



$65 - PM if interested.

Selling ASM Manual 9th ed. 6th printing $65

Local $1/$2 NL hold 'em

Just a few observations after a couple recent trips:

1. There are still players who have no idea how to play. Think they're at a VP jacks or better machine, and will get paid off regardless of other players' hands.

2. No attention is paid to the pot size versus the bet. Every draw calls.

3. Most women still play like women. The ones that don't are easily spotted.

4. Two calls and everyone thinks they're pot committed. I guess they heard that from someone else and think they're using the term correctly.



So came out ahead in both sessions. Need to go more often if this is how it's going to be. I was expecting the end of easy poker, but not yet, I guess.

Local $1/$2 NL hold 'em

Grumpy Cat Christmas Special

http://ift.tt/1y5GR18

Quote:

Grumpy Cat celebrated Christmas once. It was awful. The frowning feline shot to fame in 2012, becoming an Internet meme, book sensation and magazine-cover star. Now the foul-faced furball (real name: Tardar Sauce) is trying her paw at acting, starring in Lifetime's Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET/PT). USA TODAY hopped on the phone with Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), who voices the cranky cat, to chat about the unhappy holiday comedy: ..... Q: Given that the movie was shot before you recorded your part, how much of Grumpy's dialogue was scripted and how much did you improvise? A: I probably rewrote about 90% of what I say in the movie, and I also added a lot of commentary. Once I realized that the cat's mouth wasn't going to move, I just kind of went for it, and thought, "Well, if it's just going to cut to the cat and I can say my line, then I can just comment on other things, too." The movie kind of has a Mystery Science Theater 3000 vibe to it, so it's like you're getting Grumpy's commentary throughout the whole thing, but then Grumpy is also starring in the story.

I was gonna say



NO





but....

Grumpy Cat Christmas Special

Remember Clip Shows?

I think they are universally hated. The cast breaks out a photo album(despite a camera never having been present) then proceed to reminisce about past episodes. Total bull crap and wastes of time. Even as a kid I despised this kind of filler. It was worse than a rerun.



Do modern tv shows still have these or have they been exorcised? I haven't seen one in a while, but I also watch less tv than I used to. I may just be missing them.

Remember Clip Shows?

Is slave a racist word?

Heartland Brewery had a slogan that some beer will make you a slave to the flavor and there seems to be some fake outrage. I guess the beer is a black lager.

Is slave a racist word?

Practice Exam

Hi, I just took the practice exam for CA2. Can someone who has taken the exam (pass or failed) confirm that the practice exam is similar in difficulty as the real exam?



I am sure that the conditions of taken the exam at the center make it more difficult but are the exam questions materially different than the practice exam?



Thanks.

Practice Exam

'Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit

Can anyone please explain this to me?

'Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit

look at this guy

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/hu..._people_1.html







does he look familiar?

look at this guy

Where is the sanity in any current religion? Hindus slaughter >5,000 buffaloes

Why do people still use tarot cards and astrology in the 21st century?



Equally puzzling: why do so many people (especially highly educated ones, like actuaries) still self-identify as believers in any of the major religions (such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism) all of which not only fail to stand up to evidence-based analysis, but also still have current practices which on any objective analysis seem insane?

Quote:

From http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...s-9892632.html The slaughter of more than 5,000 buffaloes at the Gadhimai Hindu festival in Nepal has drawn global condemnation from animal charities. Many more buffaloes and farm animals including chickens, goats and pigs are due to be killed as part of what is thought to be the world’s largest animal sacrifice ritual. Devotees believe the event brings good luck and will encourage Gadhimai, the Hindu goddess of power, to answer their wishes. Several charities had worked to stop the slaughter – the first of its kind since an estimated 200,000 animals and birds were sacrificed in 2009 – but only succeeded in pressuring the Indian Government into stopping animals being transported across the border.

Where is the sanity in any current religion? Hindus slaughter >5,000 buffaloes

Cover Letter/Cold Email Critique

I don't like this, I just wrote this up fairly quickly today. I have a list of actuaries ready to email, so now I just need my cold email write-up/cover letter critiqued. Go nuts with this. I feel like I wrote too much of a novel, but I wanted to get my story across. I also feel like it's too "cookie-cutter" and obviously mass-emailed.



Dear ________,



I am writing to you after finding your contact information on the SOA directory. I am a May 2013 graduate from the OBVIOUSLY SUPERIOR UNIVERSITY in AWESOME CITY, NOT-SO-TROPIC STATE with a B.S. in actuarial science. I have passed two exams (P and FM) and am sitting for MFE in March of 2015.



I have attached my resume to this email as a reference to help you better understand my story. After passing my second exam, I became very interested in the world of commercial real estate and pursued a job with COMPANY NAME Commercial Real Estate, where I currently work as a research analyst. It was a goal of mine to become a commercial real estate broker, but after spending roughly nine months in the industry, I have decided I want to get back on the exam track and pursue my career as an actuary, instead.



As a research analyst, I believe I have accumulated many skills that align closely with the skill set of an entry-level actuary. I have experience in Excel, various programming languages, data collection/analyzing, and report writing. I have chosen to reach out to you because the (P/C, health, consulting) branch of actuarial science interests me most because _____. (I will mention here that I am willing to relocate if it is an out-of-state location)



If you are aware of any entry-level actuarial opportunities within (X Company), I would be very grateful to be informed.



Kind regards,



MY PRONE-TO-MISPELLING NAME HERE





Also - totally unrelated but I can't justify starting a new thread for this:



Is being a recreational musician resume-worthy? I've heard that some recruiters eat this up, but others think it's completely unnecessary. It's not a form of income by any means (unless someone is feeling generous enough to pay me for playing at their wedding).



Thanks guys. :taco:



Edit - there are formatting issues that will be fixed when I actually send out the email.

Cover Letter/Cold Email Critique

Current college Junior looking for an actuarial internship

Any stuff to fix or add on my resume?

Attached Images

AO.pdf (136.1 KB)

Current college Junior looking for an actuarial internship

Issues with October 2014 questions

On the day after the October exam, I e-mailed the SOA regarding three of the questions. There may have been issues on other questions, but these are the ones that occurred to me when I took the exam. Feel free to respond to this post with other issues you know of.



The SOA responded to all three e-mails with the same message, that I would receive the exam committee's response after the grades are released. Now that the exam questions have been released, I think it is safe for me to post the text of my three e-mails here. The bold headings indicate the relevant question number.



Question 8b:



I took the ILALFVU exam on October 30, 2014 and I have a concern about question 8b. I am recalling this from memory, so I may have some details incorrect. I understand it is improper for me to release information about exam questions, so I am submitting this information only to you.



The question asked for the SOP reserve at the end of 2013 given actual cashflows, and given the fact that the product was issued 7 years earlier. Since PV(Excess DB) and PV(Assessments) were given, it was possible to recalculate these items from issue date replacing the year 7 projected values with actual values. This determines a new benefit ratio. However, I do not believe sufficient information was provided to determine the SOP reserve at the end of 2013. To use a retrospective formula, one would need to know the 2012 SOP reserve under the new benefit ratio, but that was not available. To use a prospective formula, one would need to know PV(Excess DB) and PV(Assessments) for the future as of the end of 2013.



This is my impression based on my recollection and understanding. If I am correct, I request that the Committee consider this when grading the exam.



Question 3b:



I took the ILALFVU exam on October 30, 2014, and I have a concern about how one of the questions will be graded. The question required one to calculate PVCoC, PVBP, IBV, and EV. I don't think there is anything wrong with the question, but I am concerned regarding which formulas would be accepted as correct.



About a week before the exam, I noticed some inconsistencies between the formulas used in the model solution to problem 10 of the May 2, 2014 ILALFVU exam and formulas in the study note, Embedded Value: Practice and Theory, by Fraca and LaSorella.



The model solution said that book profits = after-tax net income. However, equations 3 and 20 from the study note do not agree with this formula.



The model solution discounted cost-of-capital from the beginning of the year and book profits from the middle of the year. However, this contradicts equation 18 of the study note.



I request that the Committee take this inconsistency into consideration when grading the exam.



Question 10b:



I took the ILALFVU exam on October 30, 2014, and I have a concern about one of the questions which I'd like to bring to your attention. I forget the question number, but it was in the afternoon session and asked for the difference between the STAT and Tax reserves at issue date of a single premium deferred annuity.



Based on the information given, I believe the answer was 0. The reason is that the assumptions and methods under both STAT and Tax are identical. With that answer and justification, I don't think a student would have to demonstrate a knowledge of CARVM.



Since it was a 7 point question, I assumed that I should demonstrate a knowledge of CARVM. In order for such knowledge to be relevant, the STAT and tax interest rates should be different. The problem gave: federally applicable rate = 2.5%, prevailing state rate = 3.5%. I knew the tax interest rate was the larger of the two, so I used 3.5% for tax. I was confused about STAT, thinking it should also be 3.5%. I used 2.5% for the STAT rate, based in part on my reasoning that the 7 point problem can't have such a simple answer.



Nothing I've written indicates anything is wrong with the question. I've discussed it with a few people, and apparently we all used different approaches in handling the question. I wanted to bring this to your attention, in case the problem intended to test CARVM, because a candidate might have to use an incorrect interest rate in order to make an understanding of CARVM necessary.

Issues with October 2014 questions

Can we get the DWS Survey by gender?

This just landed in my In Box last night.



http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/tech-s...GenderSalaries



It's based on salaries reported to Glassdoor.com and shows some discrepancies between salaries of male and female working at some major tech employers. I'm sure DWS won't want to go so far as slicing and dicing by employer (or might list them as Employer 1, Employer 2, etc. without identifying employers), but this could be interesting.



I'm well aware of the many variables that go into compensation (likely higher if you move more often, bring in more business, work longer hours and travel more) and I realize that even with GlassDoor.com showing average years of experience it doesn't tell the whole story.



How about it for next year, DWS? Inquiring minds want to know.

Can we get the DWS Survey by gender?

Upside to Countries with No Free Speech/Press

hear me out



http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?m=201411

Quote:

Punning banned in China November 29, 2014 @ 12:05 am· Filed by Victor Mair under Humor, Language and advertising When the first headline arrived stating that China was going to ban punning, I thought that it must be something from The Onion. But when more and more reports came pouring in, I said to myself, "No, this is China. They're really going to do it." Indeed, the latest directive from the Ministry of Truth (State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television [SAPPRFT]) shows that they are dead serious. Here are some of the reports that have come my way: "China bans wordplay in attempt at pun control" The Guardian (11/28/14) "Officials say casual alteration of idioms risks nothing less than ‘cultural and linguistic chaos’, despite their common usage" The Guardian article was picked up by Reddit, where the puns are running fast and furious. "Nowhere to Pun Amid China Crackdown" WSJ, China RealTime (11/28/14) "China Bans Puns; Citizens Left Dis-Oriented" Mediaite (11/28/14) Just what sort of puns was SAPPRFT decrying? Here are two of the most egregious offenders: Jìn shàn Jìn měi 晋善晋美 (lit., "Shanxi good Shanxi beautiful") was used in ads promoting tourism to Shanxi province. The slogan — translated as “Shanxi, a land of splendors” — was a pun on the Chinese saying, jìnshànjìnměi 尽善尽美 ("perfection"). kèbùrónghuǎn 刻不容緩 ("pressing; acutely urgent", lit., "acutely may not delay") was rewritten as kébùrónghuǎn 咳不容緩 ("coughing may not delay / linger") in an advertisement a for cough remedy.

Yes, yes, I know that they're almost definitely targeting this over political jokes (namely, the people doing the banning getting made fun of...even before the pun ban), but still









think about it





but as victor writes

Quote:

The Chinese government may think that, because they've outlawed guns, they'll also be able to outlaw puns. But they have another think coming, since the latter is one pleasure, and one powerful weapon, that the people are not likely to relinquish lightly.

oh well



a totalitarian state can dream

Upside to Countries with No Free Speech/Press

Forumosa

Hey everybody, first time poster. I searched for similar questions but I didn't find anything quite like my situation so thought I'd try posting, but I've never made a forum post of any kind anywhere before, so sorry if I do it wrong.





I am 34 and I currently live in Taiwan teaching English. I got a bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic from a pretty good private university, but at that age I was quite unmotivated/irresponsible so my GPA was almost exactly a 3.0. I have a coworker from South Africa who is studying to be an actuary, and in South Africa you need a degree in a field related to actuarial work so he was getting a second Bachelor's degree online from the London School of Economics. I decided to try and follow in his footsteps so I began to study for a second Bachelor's in Banking and Finance from LSE, and in March I plan to take exam P. So for the past year I've been feeling pretty pleased with myself, confident/hopeful about my future, and just generally as though everything was going just right. But it seems like it's just when you're feeling particularly pleased about life in general that fate tends to sneak up behind you with a bit of lead piping, and such has been the case with me. Looking through these forums I've seen stories of people who have completed loads of exams and can't get a job, career changers who have a more quantitative/analytical work history than I do but who are still worried about their chances, people saying you need a good GPA or they just throw your resume in the trash, etc. I'm worried. So I have some questions that I was hoping that you guys/gals could help me out with please.



1. Should I continue to pursue a second Bachelor's or should I try to get a job that would give me experience that looks good on a resume, maybe something where I work with excel?



2. What kind of job could/should I get? I've been an English teacher ever since graduation and I have a humanities degree, what jobs would hire someone like me that look good on the resume of a potential actuary? How would I go about finding these jobs?



3. If I can't find a relevant job will the second Bachelor's help me when it's completed? I'm on track to get the equivalent of close to a 4.0, and LSE is quite a good school, but it is still online even though we take the same exams as the on-campus people.



4. Reading these forums 10 years ago it seemed like all you needed was 3-4 exams and a pulse, but the market got a lot tougher for obvious reasons. Do you think the improving economy will also improve the market for job seekers in the field?



5. I don't graduate for 3 more years, so how quickly should I take the exams? I've looked through P and FM, and honestly they don't look that hard, but would it look weird if I took 3 exams this year and then did nothing for two years? I'm confident I can do well on the exams but how should I pace them?



6. At what point in my exams/studies do I need to move back to America? I'm just worried about money here - as long as I'm in Taiwan I'm making money, but in America job searching I'll be burning through my savings, and English teachers in Taiwan do not have a lot of savings.



Sorry if this post seems long-winded but I'm worried about my future. :viola: I just feel like I'm pretty smart and I'd make a good actuary but I don't know if there's any way that I can show/prove that at this stage in my life. Actually having seen the exam material I wish that they would make the exams harder, it would reduce the pool of applicants and I'd have a better chance. And yes, I know that I should "take a couple exams and then get back to you", but what I'm wondering is what the most effective thing to do is WHILE I'm taking the exams, and whether or not with the exams I have any chance at all. Like I said, there are plenty of career changers but an increasing number of them seem to come from a financial/mathematical background, or at least have networking opportunities or friends in the field.



Well internet, what do I do? I throw myself upon your tender mercies.

Forumosa

Resume critique

I've updated resume, please let me know if there are any changes need to be made.

Attached Images

sample.pdf (74.6 KB)

Resume critique

Help me pick out a computer

Too lazy to do the research myself, and maybe there are people here who know a lot about this anyway.



I and my husband only have one (very old) laptop between us. The laptop is XP and Ubuntu dual boot. We each already have tablets. I find the tablet too small and distracting to study off of, and don't want to hog the one computer we have.



A laptop is preferable due to space constraints, however if there is a convincing argument for a desktop I will consider it.



I want to be practical, stable and yet preferably very affordable.



First of all, it is likely one of us might have to look for a job. A lot of online applications require uploading word doc resumes. Open office, googledocs etc are neat, but the formatting will be messed up between different programs. We will need windows for that. Also we may like to play simple games (no 3D shooters), and I couldn't get amazon prime to work on ubuntu, so I am thinking we need windows on the thing. The laptop we have with the windows may be enough, unless it dies on us. It has battery problems. We replaced the battery and the charger, still has issues. I am thinking it is old and dying on us.



How about a used desktop with windoze and then maybe a chromebook or something in addition? Anybody try chromebooks?



Other suggestions?

Help me pick out a computer

ASM PE 3 #13 Question

For clarification, I have the ASM 16th Edition 2nd printing, and I have a question on the solutions for the 3rd practice exam, #12.



I'm wondering why the solution is using the withdrawals as their s, rather than the deaths. To my knowledge, I thought the withdrawals are for reduced the risk set, r, for when they happen, rather than being s. In this problem, the deaths and withdrawals seem reversed.



Is my understanding of the Nelson-Aalen estimator wrong? Or is there a nuance in this problem I am not seeing?



Thanks in advance.

ASM PE 3 #13 Question

Women in AS

I haven't been able to find much on this topic online...are there any female actuaries you know who have kids, and whose careers were negatively affected by this (ie, they were basically pushed out the door)? Do the companies you work for have standard maternity leave policies or are they more generous? Do you know any mothers (or actuaries in general) who work from home? Thanks!

Women in AS

"May we contact your present employer" question

Is that question just for reference? How many people out there actually tell their present employer that they are searching for a different position?



I'm just wondering if this question is necessary and how many people actually say yes to it.

"May we contact your present employer" question

Jane the Virgin

Just started watching this on Hulu and I'm enjoying it. Is anyone else watching?

Jane the Virgin

Weekend trip advice/ideas

Looking to take a trip (romantic) somewhere warm for a long weekend. But I dont really know what a good place would be for a long weekend. Assume I live in the continental US. So wherever I can fly to that's worth flying to for a long weekend. Like a Thursday evening to Sunday.



Any advice/ideas appreciated!



TIA!

Weekend trip advice/ideas

Isn't Islam, at its core, is a Death Cult, placing little or no value on this life?

From http://ift.tt/122Dn3N

Quote:

Nigeria unrest: Kano mosque explosions 'kill dozens' Dozens of people have been killed in explosions during Friday prayers at one of the biggest mosques in the Nigerian city of Kano, reports say. Many more people have been hurt, with one rescue official putting casualty figures at just under 200. The Central Mosque is where the influential Muslim leader, the Emir of Kano, usually leads prayers. The emir recently called for people to arm themselves against Islamist militant group Boko Haram. The group has been waging an insurgency in Nigeria since 2009 and has killed more than 2,000 people this year, rights groups say.

Why a cult?



Because Islam's holy texts state that those who leave Islam should be killed, and polls show significant majorities of followers accept this.

This is worse than scientology.



Why a death cult?

Because Islam's holy texts emphasise the rewards in the afterlife for those who follow Allah and the example of Mohammed, Islam's perfect role model for all time, and encourage its followers to place little or no value on this life in comparison.



This seems to be why so many Muslims around the world have been willing to blow themselves up in crowded markets, killing innocents including other Muslims and women and children: they are only depriving those innocents of what is regarded as this inferior, earthly life, and they believe that their god, Allah, will reward the innocents (if they are Muslim) with a far more valuable "next life" in paradise. The Quran also encourages them to believe that the non Muslims who are killed are worthless ("the lowest of creatures") who are destined for horrible tortures in hell for eternity.



Thank goodness the majority of Muslims don't behave like those who believe those parts of the Quran literally. But when they don't behave like that, it is in spite of the Quran and Mohammed's example, hence in spite of Islam. In which case, why bother self identifying as Muslim? The answer seems to be related to the death cult aspect again (apostates face at a minimum ostracism from their families, and in several cases being killed), plus being brainwashed into the religion from birth, with rote learning of the Quran being put forward as the most important part of education.



#TimesUpIslam : stop threatening your own followers, and above all, stop the killing, torturing, taking hostages, and raping.

Isn't Islam, at its core, is a Death Cult, placing little or no value on this life?

PEC - difficulty relative to other exams

Just curious for those who have written the PEC before, how does the difficulty compare to other FSA exams?

PEC - difficulty relative to other exams

Mack's paper on Bentander method

Hi All,



This is my first attempt to 7 and the material are much more technical than I thought. Here I get some questions regarding this paper and hope to have your kind help.



What confuse me are the U0 and U. The proofs of all formula appear nice to me until the numerical example. In that case, Mack estimate the Var(U) by assuming a distribution of U. What I thought is, if we are able to estimate U, what is the point of making all the discussion in this paper? We can refer to the distribution of U for all the percentiles, confidence interval, TVaR, etc.



In practical sense, I don't think it is easy to distinguish between U0 and U. So actuaries normally set them the same?



Many Thanks!

Mack's paper on Bentander method

Solution to Derivative Markets 3rd edition McDonald

Hello friends



I have the McDonald's Derivative markets 3rd edition book but unfortunately i do not have the solutions to the problems, anyone who can help i will appreciate



king regards

Solution to Derivative Markets 3rd edition McDonald

What are you thankful for?

I am thankful for Domingo Montoya providing me with a venue for performance enhanced posting.

What are you thankful for?

I rate turkey

Bought some store-prepped turkey, pumpkin pie, and sweet potato chips.



Turkey: 8/10

Pumpkin Pie: 6/10 meh

Sweet Potato Chips: 10/10 will eat again

I rate turkey

RBC Formulas for Life Insurance Companies

Can anyone help me understand where to find the RBC formulas for Life Insurance companies?



I don't understand if the formulas are only available if you pay a fee, or if they aren't published online. Internet searches have turned up nothing, so if anyone can share how to obtain the actual formulas/factors and guidelines themselves it would be helpful.

RBC Formulas for Life Insurance Companies

Time to Disband the NFC South!

At the moment:

• Atlanta: 4-7;


• New Orleans: 4-7;


• Carolina: 3-7-1; and


• Tampa Bye: 2-9.

If ever there were a case for divisional relegation, this would be it.



The 'Boys and even the Lions, who are currently in position for a wildcard berth have twice the wins of Atlanta.



Or, we could disband the NFL. :razz:

Time to Disband the NFC South!

RIP PD James

http://ift.tt/1zBn1t7

Quote:

Phyllis Dorothy James White, who became Baroness James of Holland Park in 1991 but who was better known as “the Queen of Crime” for the multilayered mystery novels she wrote as P. D. James, died on Thursday at her home in Oxford, England. She was 94. Her publisher in Britain, Faber & Faber, announced her death. Ms. James was one of those rare authors whose work stood up to the inevitable and usually invidious comparisons with classic authors of the detective genre, like Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and Margery Allingham. A consummate stylist, she accumulated numerous awards for the 13 crime novels produced during a writing career spanning a half century. Seven of her mysteries were adapted for the public television program “Mystery!” and were broadcast in Britain and the United States. Ms. James bristled at the frequent comparisons to genre authors who wrote during the golden age of the English mystery novel, in the 1930s. “That kind of crime writing was dull,” she once said in an interview, “in the sense that it was unrealistic, prettifying and romanticizing murder, but having little to do with real blood-and-guts tragedy. One simply cannot take these as realistic books about murder, about the horror of murder, the tragedy of murder, the harm that murder does.” Many critics and many of her peers have said that by virtue of the complexity of her plots, the psychological density of her characters and the moral context in which she viewed criminal violence, Ms. James even surpassed her classic models and elevated the literary status of the modern detective novel. She is often cited, in particular, for the cerebral depth and emotional sensibilities of Adam Dalgliesh, the introspective Scotland Yard detective and published poet who functions as the hero of virtually all of her novels. Her intention with Dalgliesh, she told the British critic and writer Julian Symons in 1986, was to create a detective “quite unlike the Lord Peter Wimsey kind of gentlemanly amateur” popularized by Dorothy L. Sayers. Ms. James envisioned a realistic cop as her protagonist, a dedicated and skilled professional, and yet “something more than just a policeman, you see, a complex and sensitive human being,” she said.

RIP PD James

I date turkey

I like big breasts and I cannot lie.

I date turkey

I mate turkey

Better than apple pie IMO IYKWIM.

I mate turkey

I ate Turkey

and I liked it.

I ate Turkey

Please help with this problem

Someone please help with this problem. Thank you



Let X be a random variable with distribution function



F(x) = 0, for x<0

x/8, for 0<=x<1

1/4 + x/8 for 1<=x<2

3/4 + x/12 for 2<=x<3

1, for x>=3



Calculate P (1<=X<=2).

Please help with this problem

Providence and/or New Orleans?

My partner and I are looking for teammates.



Right now, the plan is

• Dec 5th-7th, the North American Swiss, (Providence) and then, in preparation for taking home the bacon (as it were) in the North American Pairs - B, we could do


• the 0-10,000 Swiss Mar 13th-14th (New Orleans).

Otherwise there are nationally rated pairs events in New Orleans to play in.

Providence and/or New Orleans?

Getting rid of kids

Anybody have any ideas?

Getting rid of kids

ACTEX MFE 2014 Study Manual and 3LC Study Manual

I have ACTEX MFE 2014 study Manual valume I and II in Fall 2014 edition, expect to sell at $90.

And ACTEX CAS EXAM 3LC study Manual in Spring 2014 edition, epect to sell at $80.

All are almost brand new, untouched condition. Please PM me. If purchase in bundle, the price can be negotiated. Thanks.:wave:

ACTEX MFE 2014 Study Manual and 3LC Study Manual

You're in your car, and notice a $100 dollar bill on the windshield. Thoughts?

Let's assume this is in the USA. :razz: Probably near Ferguson MO.



Inspired by.

You're in your car, and notice a $100 dollar bill on the windshield. Thoughts?

callable bond question

A 1000 par value bond pays annual coupons of 80. The bond is redeemable at par in 30

years, but is callable any time from the end of the 10th year at 1050. Based on her desired

yield rate, an investor calculates the following potential purchase prices, P:

• Assuming the bond is called at the end of the 10th year, P = 957.

• Assuming the bond is held until maturity, P = 897.

The investor buys the bond at the highest price that guarantees she will receive at least

her desired yield rate regardless of when the bond is called. The investor holds the bond

for 20 years, after which time the bond is called. Calculate the annual yield rate the

investor earns.



The solution is



897 = 80 a angle 20 + 1050 v^20



and i = 9.24%



can someone explain why we are using 897 for the price of a bond that was called at year 20?

callable bond question

Materials offered at the exam centres

Hello friends



just but to know, am i required to carry writing materials to the exam centers eg (pencils and plain papers) or i will be provided by them, if not these are there special material that i will be provided to help me do the calculations



hope to hear from you



regards

Materials offered at the exam centres

What do you guys think of Allure as a girl's name?

I really want to name my future daughter Allure. It's such a beautiful name to me for some reason. It's full of beauty. It's mysterious, powerful and fascinating.



My future wife is not so sure....



What do you guys think?

What do you guys think of Allure as a girl's name?

Alexandra is a nice name for a woman

that is all

Alexandra is a nice name for a woman

Negative Case Reserve

Hello - this may sound like a stupid question, but just curious about this...



Can an insurer book a negative case reserve amount if the insurer is 100% certain that salvage will occur by that amount in the near future?

Or is this not at all allowed based on some accounting/actuarial standards?



Thanks in advance.

Negative Case Reserve

Should I stop borrowing student loans based on how much I will be making as a potenti

Title: Should I stop borrowing student loans based on how much I will be making as a potential actuary



I will make this quick and concise:



I am in my 3rd year and I have 2 more years left



I have a full 5 year academic scholarship, all the loans I ever took were subsidized Stafford loans



By the end of this school year I will owe $13,500 of students loans



I'm thinking of stopping taking loans for the next two years in college and save money from my internships to spend.



Here is the big question: Based on what you guys know about how much actuaries make should I stop borrowing now if I can, or is it okay to go up to let's say $18,000 of loans tops?



I just don't know if I borrowed too much already based on the career that I am choosing.



Thanks for your help in advance, if you need further clarification please ask.

P.S.



Extra personal info:



I'm planning to be married soon after graduation, my future wife is going to medical school and I'll be supporting her financially. She's going to graduate undergrad debt free, so she doesn't need help there.

Should I stop borrowing student loans based on how much I will be making as a potenti

question for the AO evolutionary biologists

So I have recently interacted with a handful of pets, petting them along their torsos and not just their heads and back. They have most of the same organs protected in a ribcage that humans have. And they seem to have similar organs unprotected (kidneys, namely, we're all wary of a kidney punch in a barfight).



I'm wondering at what point in the divisions that occurred [theoretically, 40 days 40 nights, all that] that some creatures branched into each of the following with the same general kinds of arrangement of organs and quite similar protections of subsets of those organs:

a) humans

b) dogs

c) cats

d) a whole big list of animals (who I might just be proven wrong wrt the premise of my question)



I know there are at least a few of you that delved deeply into biology or other related topics that might be able to address this in some way. I am curious.



I thank any useful responses in advance and might thank useless responses as they arrive!

question for the AO evolutionary biologists

ActEmpire Thanksgiving/Black Friday Sale

Hi Everyone,



Starting this Friday, ActEmpire is having our Thanksgiving sale from 11/28 - 12/04. The book can be purchased from our site:



actempire.com



The password once you click the sale button is: "AOForum".



The sale takes $30 bucks off, so you get the physical book and the online access for $145. It makes a great supplement if you have already purchased materials as well.



Details:

There are over 500+ practice problems in the book (about 350 pages long), 4 full length exams and an online quiz that you can take at the end of each sentence. Check out the site for some sample chapters, practice quizzes and practice exams.



If anyone has any questions about our materials, feel free to pm me or send me an email at greg@actempire.com .



Cheers,

Greg

ActEmpire Thanksgiving/Black Friday Sale

Satanism

Any LaVeyan Satanists out there? It seems pretty cool from what I've heard about it, but wondering if it's worth the time to read the bible.

Satanism

What are the rules for this year's Turkey Day Bumpfest?

Given the recent mod activity I've been hearing about, I just want to determine what will and will not be acceptable tomorrow, in terms of posting frequency/content/etc. How many bumped threads are permitted per poster per hour before the ever-seeing Eye of Sauron Mod1 gets pointed in that particular poster's direction? How many new threads involving such topics as army surplus, life hacks, wedding planning, etc? What is the max pixel size allowed for any horse pictures that need to get posted?



Just trying to avoid this place going all #Ferguson unnecessarily.



Regs,



:viola:

What are the rules for this year's Turkey Day Bumpfest?

Question from AMCLR, 1st ed.

How would you solve this question? I don't know how to handle the fact that the death benefit is paid at the end of the month of death and reversionary bonus is compounded in annual basis.



Consider an annual premium with-profit whole life insurance issued to a select life aged exactly 40. The basic sum insured is $200,000 payable at the end of the month of death, and the premium term is 25 years. Assume a compound reversionary bonus of 1.5% per year, vesting on each policy anniversary, initial expenses of 60% of the annual premium, renewal expenses of 2.5% of all premiums after the first, plus per policy expenses (incurred when a premium is payable) of $5 at the beginning of the first year, increasing by 6% per year compound at the beginning of each subsequent year.

Calculate the annual premium.



Thanks

Question from AMCLR, 1st ed.

Proposed FAA regulation - Drone hobbyists will be required to have pilot licenses

http://ift.tt/1xV0PMb



This pretty much kills my plans to deploy my swarm of miniature predator drones to take over the world.



Which crony organizations are likely to be behind this? Pilot unions? It looks like Amazon might benefit.

Proposed FAA regulation - Drone hobbyists will be required to have pilot licenses

Actuarial Consultant – Northeast USA – ASA/FSA w/ Medicaid experience (#43405)

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment | P&C Jobs



Client has health analytics Actuarial Consultant position on the East Coast. Seeking 2-5+ years of Medicaid experience, and prior Business Development background (or potential). Must have or be pursuing an Actuarial designation. (#43405)







Apply at http://ift.tt/1iPhglC OR email your resume to Tom Troceen at actuaries@dwsimpson.com and mention the position above. You may also contact any of our recruiters at (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300.



Tom Troceen

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment

4121 N Ravenswood Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60613

Phone: (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300





Fax: (312) 951-8386

actuaries@dwsimpson.com



www.dwsimpson.com







View and apply for this job at http://ift.tt/1xV0NE4

Actuarial Consultant – Northeast USA – ASA/FSA w/ Medicaid experience (#43405)

How important is real analysis to statistics?

How important is real analysis to statistics?


http://ift.tt/1xJtbVP

Quote:

Originally Posted by quora contributor Statistical theory deals with convergence of sequences of random variables in high-dimensional Euclidean spaces. How could you not need real analysis to think about that? That's not to say that you need that sort of background to use statistical methods. But if you want to understand the methods and their limitations at anything more than a superficial level, you need to be able to connect with the theory. And I have to admit, the idea that you can study a non-trivial amount of optimization without real analysis is somewhat amusing.

How important is real analysis to statistics?

Are actuaries benefiting the society?

So I'm a naive college undergrad who still believes in changing the world.

I'm graduating in spring with P, FM and an internship under my belt and it sort of just hit me that, say I do find a job, for the next 40 yrs I'll be working for insurance companies, crunching numbers, and working on products that I won't even meet the end users.



My point is, with the skills of an act sci major, I can go to fields that seem to be more beneficial to general society, such as doing stats for medical research or financial planning for people...etc.



I do find the subject interesting and will probably proceed this path, but can someone please point out to me how act sci isn't just a career that one enters for security and $$$, but rather has its benefit to society? And why did you choose this career vs XYZ career?



Thanks so much and I apologize if my understanding isn't correct (in that case, please correct me!)

Are actuaries benefiting the society?

Megaupload's Kim Dotcom Is Broke

Quote:

"There are assets frozen across the globe. There are mechanisms in place for getting relief from those frozen assets," Rothken said. "We're hopeful that courts across the globe, including in Hong Kong and New Zealand, will do the right thing and release funds to counsel." Without those assets, Rothken said, Dotcom doesn't stand a very good chance. "This is the largest copyright case in the history of the United States and New Zealand," Rothken continued. "The government is trying to outspend Kim Dotcom. They are trying to win on procedure rather than merit."

http://ift.tt/1ybMoSD



You see - in America, justice depends on how much money you spend on defense.



:usa:

Megaupload's Kim Dotcom Is Broke

Analyst – Canada – Student w/ Programming skills (#43305)

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment | P&C Jobs



Canadian insurance company seeks Analyst with solid database experience and programming skills. Sharp P&C insurance and computer science knowledge desired. Work will involve designing Actuarial applications. (#43305)







Apply at http://ift.tt/1iPhglC OR email your resume to Tom Troceen at actuaries@dwsimpson.com and mention the position above. You may also contact any of our recruiters at (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300.



Tom Troceen

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment

4121 N Ravenswood Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60613

Phone: (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300





Fax: (312) 951-8386

actuaries@dwsimpson.com



www.dwsimpson.com







View and apply for this job at http://ift.tt/1FrtV7Z

Analyst – Canada – Student w/ Programming skills (#43305)

Entry Analyst – Canada – Student/Entry w/ Programming skills (#43301)

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment | P&C Jobs



Top Canadian property & casualty insurance company looking to hire Entry Analyst to perform rate level indication work and construct predictive models. Knowledge and interest in P&C insurance and programming skills desired. (#43301)







Apply at http://ift.tt/1iPhglC OR email your resume to Tom Troceen at actuaries@dwsimpson.com and mention the position above. You may also contact any of our recruiters at (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300.



Tom Troceen

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment

4121 N Ravenswood Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60613

Phone: (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300





Fax: (312) 951-8386

actuaries@dwsimpson.com



www.dwsimpson.com







View and apply for this job at http://ift.tt/15A96uz

Entry Analyst – Canada – Student/Entry w/ Programming skills (#43301)

Pricing Actuary – International – Student/ACAS w/ strong Leadership skills – IBA Memb

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment | P&C Jobs



Large international insurance company seeks a Pricing Actuary in their Sao Paolo, Brazil office. Actuarial management, leadership abilities, strong communication and status in the Brazilian Institute of Actuaries is required. (#43459)







Apply at http://ift.tt/1iPhglC OR email your resume to Tom Troceen at actuaries@dwsimpson.com and mention the position above. You may also contact any of our recruiters at (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300.



Tom Troceen

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment

4121 N Ravenswood Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60613

Phone: (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300





Fax: (312) 951-8386

actuaries@dwsimpson.com



www.dwsimpson.com







View and apply for this job at http://ift.tt/1FrtUB3

Pricing Actuary – International – Student/ACAS w/ strong Leadership skills – IBA Memb

Product Actuary – Midwest USA – FCAS/FSA w/ strong Management skills (#43471)

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment | Life Jobs



Mutual insurance company seeks Actuary for compliance work. Ideal candidate will be FCAS/FSA and possess strong management skills. Responsibilities include claims analysis and product testing. (#43471)







Apply at http://ift.tt/1iPhglC OR email your resume to Tom Troceen at actuaries@dwsimpson.com and mention the position above. You may also contact any of our recruiters at (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300.



Tom Troceen

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment

4121 N Ravenswood Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60613

Phone: (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300





Fax: (312) 951-8386

actuaries@dwsimpson.com



www.dwsimpson.com







View and apply for this job at http://ift.tt/15A93yL

Product Actuary – Midwest USA – FCAS/FSA w/ strong Management skills (#43471)

In a Shift, Obama Extends U.S. Role in Afghan Combat

Quote:

WASHINGTON — President Obama decided in recent weeks to authorize a more expansive mission for the military in Afghanistan in 2015 than originally planned, a move that ensures American troops will have a direct role in fighting in the war-ravaged country for at least another year. Mr. Obama’s order allows American forces to carry out missions against the Taliban and other militant groups threatening American troops or the Afghan government, a broader mission than the president described to the public earlier this year, according to several administration, military and congressional officials with knowledge of the decision. The new authorization also allows American jets, bombers and drones to support Afghan troops on combat missions. Continue reading the main story Related Coverage U.S. Troops to Leave Afghanistan by End of 2016MAY 27, 2014 In an announcement in the White House Rose Garden in May, Mr. Obama said that the American military would have no combat role in Afghanistan next year, and that the missions for the 9,800 troops remaining in the country would be limited to training Afghan forces and to hunting the “remnants of Al Qaeda.” The decision to change that mission was the result of a lengthy and heated debate that laid bare the tension inside the Obama administration between two often-competing imperatives: the promise Mr. Obama made to end the war in Afghanistan, versus the demands of the Pentagon that American troops be able to successfully fulfill their remaining missions in the country.

http://ift.tt/15A95Xl



Not sure why this is called a shift.

Both parties have been doing this (expanding unpopular wars - despite making promises otherwise) for at least 50 years now.

In a Shift, Obama Extends U.S. Role in Afghan Combat

Interviews with two different positions open

Has anyone ever interviewed with a larger company which had two different actuarial positions open? For example, maybe they have an entry-level consultant position and an entry-level pricing position open.



When I was interviewing for EL positions in college, I've had this come up twice where the interviewer said "so we have an opening in X department and also an opening in Y department. Which of these are you more interested in?". I was unsure if I should answer with a preference for one or the other, or if I should say that I'm open to both (beggars can't be choosers, ya know). I'm going to be looking to get an EL position in the near future and I'm trying to get a sense of what the best way to approach this situation is, should it arise.

Interviews with two different positions open

Ivy Dreams documentary and actuarial profession

I came across a documentary called Ivy Dreams on youtube. It films the life of four Asian high school seniors revolving around the college application process. Three out of the four families pushed their kids to the extreme, hoping they would get into top-Ivies (Harvard, Princeton, Yale).



This documentary was filmed in 2005-2006. I looked up where these people are nearly ten years after the documentary was filmed. Interestingly, the only one that made it to an Ivy is now an actuarial professional.

Ivy Dreams documentary and actuarial profession

ASM manuals most recent editions for FM and MFE

ASM for FM (11th ed) and MFE (9th ed) , no writing or highlighting in either. Clean and both in great conditions. Asking $82 for FM and $92 for ASM. I prefer using paypal.



PM me if interested. Thanks :)

ASM manuals most recent editions for FM and MFE

2012 IAM Implementation

Would the 2012 IAM table apply to deferred annuities issued prior to 1/1/15 but annuitized after that date? I can't seem to find any sources with an answer. Does anyone know how this kind of situation was handled with the a2000 table or other tables?



Thanks

2012 IAM Implementation

Traffic report

http://ift.tt/1FrtSZQ

Quote:

PUTNAM COUNTY, N.Y. -- Interstate 84 will be closed to commercial truck traffic from the state lines of Pennsylvania to Connecticut indefinitely as a result of the storm on Wednesday. The closure for the 70-mile stretch went into effect at 7 a.m. Wednesday.

what?

Traffic report

Nov EA-2F Released

Posting in a separate thread since there isn't much activity anyway. The exam is up, how did everyone do?



http://ift.tt/1FrtQkO

Nov EA-2F Released

Taking More Exams vs. College Activities

So far I get 2 exams passed. I was debating passing up 2 more or participating in extracurricular activity leadership positions like becoming editor of the school paper, lead delegate to Model UN, and captain of the debate team. I was thinking these activities would make me more well rounded as a job candidate for EL actuarial positions because I would easily be able to demonstrate to an interviewer that I have strong communication skills instead of just telling them. I don't think I'll have much time to study for exams if I get very involved in extracurriculars as I know there have been other posters who have said they have difficulty studying for exams during semesters. In any event, I do plan on learning MS Office and some programming languages on the side before I graduate as well.





Is it better to have just 2 exams plus good extracurriculars or have like 4 exams passed and little-to-no extracurriculars as an undergraduate, all other things equal?

Taking More Exams vs. College Activities

perpetuity-due question

John buys a perpetuity-due with annual payments that are adjusted each year for inflation. The first payment is 100. Inflation is 3% for the years 1-5 and 2% thereafter. Calculate the price of the perpetuity if the yield rate is an effective 6% per annum.



if i draw a time line starting at t = 0 to 5, i get

100 + 100(1.03) + ... + 100(1.03)^5



after that i get

100(1.03)^5(1.02) + 100(1.03)^5(1.02)^2 + ...



if i do geometric sum for t= 0 to 5 i get

100(1-1.03^5 / 1-1.03)



if i do geometric sum for t = 5 to infinity i get



100(1.03)^5(1.02) [ 1 + 1.02 + 1.02^2 + ...]

= 100(1.03)^5(1.02) [ 1-1.02^ infinity / 1.02] and i cannot calculate this



can someone tell me what i am doing wrong here?

perpetuity-due question

Actuarial AdvantEdge P Manual: !!! FREE SHIPPING !!!

Passing the first actuarial exam is a crucial first step to enter this quantitative, challenging, and highly remunerative profession. There's no better way to maximize your chance of a pass mark on Exam P than by purchasing the Exam P study manual from Actuarial AdvantEdge.



Visit http://ift.tt/1zXf0PQ now to learn more about our breakthrough manual, to read firsthand feedback from our customers, to see a copy of our sample manual, and to purchase the cleanest, most thorough Exam P study manual on the market.



Becoming a fully credentialed actuary takes many years. Don't delay! Put yourself on the fast-track to becoming a fully credentialed actuary by purchasing the Actuarial AdvantEdge Exam P study manual today!



Although this manual is offered at http://ift.tt/VzBPdR and http://ift.tt/1aHxifZ, orders placed through http://ift.tt/1zXf0PQ will receive free shipping!!! So, save yourself some cash and visit http://ift.tt/1zXf0PQ now.

Actuarial AdvantEdge P Manual: !!! FREE SHIPPING !!!

I saved more black lives than anyone

Is rudy going to run for president or something?

I saved more black lives than anyone

"Critique my resume :)" - Updated:

-I need help writing a decent sentence for the e-learning thing. I'm basically trying to say how I used persuasive speech to meet weekly goals in convincing students to upload documents to the website through networking, presentations, etc

-Is there any way to make "game developing" applicable to actuarial work or should i leave it as is? If people leave "cashier" jobs on their resume, i think this is worth leaving nonetheless

-Is "extracurricular activities" a good header, or should i stick with "technical experience"? Monte and game dev are self study/solo/side projects



*Changed a few bullet points, i think it sounds a lot better now. please let me know your opinions, and have no shame in tearing me a new one lol.





Huge shout-out to Whoanonstop, lllj, vjvj, and actexp for their feedback in my last post!!!

Attached Images

AO.pdf (35.0 KB)

"Critique my resume :)" - Updated:

Quick Question

Can someone please help me with this question?



If we know the price of a 3 year bond with face value of 1000 and 8% annual coupon is 982.83, how do we find the interest rate?



I understand the equation becomes 982.83=80a(n=3, i=?) +1000v^3 but i have no idea how we use the calculator or mathematical how to find i.

Quick Question

LIMRA lapse table

Does anyone know where I can find the 1966-67 lapse table? mort.soa.org only seem to have the 1971-72 table.

LIMRA lapse table

Conference call question

If you have a conference call at 3:00 what time do you aim to enter the call?



Typical call with a dial in 888-925-1567



Access code 178654#



Do you start dialing before 3:00 so that you enter the room at 3:00? Do you start dialing at 3:00 and if you are there at 3:01 it's cool? Do you sometimes roll in at 3:07 because you are running from another meeting?

Conference call question

Job Candidate wanted in New York City

Hello,



I work for an insurance brokerage company called Integro in New York city.



Integro is seeking someone who is obsessed with computer programming and data analysis for a variety of potential roles. We are hoping to leverage this skill set to drive our research and development capabilities forward. Ideal candidates would develop both technical expertise and client-facing skills in a fast paced environment. Actuarial advancement is offered and sponsored but not required. No prior experience required.

Responsibilities:

• Develop programs and models using modern data techniques

• Create exhibits and analyses for delivery to clients

• Meet with clients and prospects to sell our technical capabilities

• Work within a bi-coastal team and maintain strong communication with all members

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Accounting or Finance.

• Technical capabilities in R, Matlab, Python or similar statistical software

• Self starter who can make and report progress without continual oversight

We offer a broad array of benefits and salary package is commensurate with experience.



Please forward any resumes to david.herson@integrogroup.com



Thank you

Job Candidate wanted in New York City

What do you wear to sleep?

PJ's?



Nothing?



Undershirt?

What do you wear to sleep?

Consultant – Canada – Associate/Fellow w/ strong Commercial and/or Personal Lines Ana

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment | P&C Jobs



Top carrier in GTA seeks experienced Fellows and Associates to join staff.* Solid background in pricing of commercial lines or Personal lines with strong analytics and communication skills. Great opportunity to grow with fast growing carrier. (#43466)







Apply at http://ift.tt/1iPhglC OR email your resume to Tom Troceen at actuaries@dwsimpson.com and mention the position above. You may also contact any of our recruiters at (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300.



Tom Troceen

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment

4121 N Ravenswood Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60613

Phone: (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300





Fax: (312) 951-8386

actuaries@dwsimpson.com



www.dwsimpson.com







View and apply for this job at http://ift.tt/1zs593P

Consultant – Canada – Associate/Fellow w/ strong Commercial and/or Personal Lines Ana

Which Afrin spray is for runny nose and not stuffy nose

I have a cold and my nose won't stop leaking mucus. Does Afrin fix this or is it only for clogged noses? Which spray do i buy?

Which Afrin spray is for runny nose and not stuffy nose

Should I tell them I receive extra time?

When I took college courses I was given extra time to take classroom exams due to a "learning disability" (ADHD, for example). If I'm interviewing should I disclose with my interviewer that it will take me extra time to do things on the job or should I just let them assume that my educational background had the same conditions as everyone else?

Should I tell them I receive extra time?

CAS Courses 1 and 2 Study Materials

Looking to buy CAS Courses 1 and 2 Study materials. Please PM me if you have one to sell.

CAS Courses 1 and 2 Study Materials

Does this product exist?

Let's say you're running a private prison and many of your inmates die before their sentences are up, for various reasons (natural causes, disease, etc.). However if that happens, you lose out on expected revenue. Is there a product that can hedge against unexpected loss in revenue due to inmate deaths?

Does this product exist?

Director – Southeast USA – FSA w/ GGY-AXIS skills desired (#43450)

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment | Life Jobs



Financial company seeks FSA to develop and improve valuation/projection models. Experience with GGY-AXIS models desired. Relevant Actuarial modeling and technical skills required. (#43450)







Apply at http://ift.tt/1iPhglC OR email your resume to Tom Troceen at actuaries@dwsimpson.com and mention the position above. You may also contact any of our recruiters at (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300.



Tom Troceen

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment

4121 N Ravenswood Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60613

Phone: (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300





Fax: (312) 951-8386

actuaries@dwsimpson.com



www.dwsimpson.com







View and apply for this job at http://ift.tt/1zs567U

Director – Southeast USA – FSA w/ GGY-AXIS skills desired (#43450)

Should I tell the truth?

I will be starting a job search in the near future, but there is one thing that I am concerned about and not really sure how to handle when I start interviewing.



I'm going to be a bit vague with my background info:

-I worked at 1 company for 2<t<5 years

-I have passed between 2&5 exams, only passing 1 exam during my working years.

-Although my exam progress was not stellar, I always received good performance reviews at work and always got the impression that I was a competent employee from my supervisors.



After a few years at this job, I decided to leave for personal reasons.



Since leaving, I have passed another exam. By the time I start interviewing for another position, I will have a 6-8 month gap in my resume since my last job.



I anticipate that when I start interviewing, I will get some questions about why I left my last job and have that gap in my resume, and I will probably get some questions about why I did not have good exam progress while I was working.



The truthful answer to these questions is that I was severely depressed during this time. I have improved GREATLY since then and I am in a MUCH better mental state then I was when I left my job. Now that I look back on myself, I am surprised that I lasted as long as I did. I was very very depressed during that time period - due to a bunch of things in my personal life. I was just in a very very dark place. At the time that I left my job, I was not really thinking of anything else...I just knew that my condition would get worse if things continued as they were, and I came to the conclusion that I needed to step away from things for a little while.



I don't regret this decision...I am much better off mentally than I was then and I believe it was the right thing to do for my health. But, I really am not sure how I would explain this during an interview.



Am I just overthinking things too much? Should I tell the truth if interviewers ask me about my lack of exam progress and the gap in my resume? Is there a better way to handle this?

Should I tell the truth?

Neutral Actuarial Coefficients

Hi everyone,



I have a question regarding the modelisation of the neutral actuarial coefficients within a contributory pension scheme. Do you guys have any ideas? I'm talking about age/anticipation/prorogation, etc. coefficients.



Thank you very much! :wave:



Edit: for precision, I think they're called actuarial factors (early retirement). Can anyone please tell me how they're calculated?

Neutral Actuarial Coefficients

Corporate laptop refresh. Ugh!

So two years ago I got a Dell Latitude laptop from work. i5,128GB SSD, crappy 1368x768 resolution. Whatever. I usually have it docked and work on my dual 24s, and the SSD was kind of nice at the time. A little small, but still better than a pokey turntable.



Two years later I'm due for a refresh and what am I getting? The EXACT SAME BUILD, just with a slightly faster, Haswell i5. This is one of the largest commercial Dell lease accounts in the country (maybe the world). What the hell kind of morons spec 128GB SSDs in 2014/2015? This is for a fleet of tens of thousands of laptops, from the "developer" builds, right up to the executive specs (Those are HP elitebooks, but still with a crappy 128GB SSD). The only thing they seem to vary across the fleet is the CPU, resolution, and RAM.



Without getting into details, I actually have work related needs for a lot more space. I usually end up wasting a couple hours per week deleting files to make room for the current project, then redownloading data and reconstructing the files I had to delete. And no, there isn't a good way to do everything on the servers. At least not with the storage spaces I have privileges on.



Why are people this stupid? I mean sure, it would be nice if everybody could keep everything on the servers, but they are always in the middle of a platform migration somewhere. But who even BUYS 128GB SSDs any more? Seriously?!?!?!?! Can I get a 512 or even just a 256 up in here?



Oh, and what's up with the 768 resolution persisting on laptops? It's getting hard to find a phone with a resolution that lame any more. You can't actually get any real work done on these screens, people! I was rocking Windows 3.1 twenty years ago at 1280x1024. Get some real screens, morans!



:rant:

Corporate laptop refresh. Ugh!

Pension interview

I'm going to be interviewing for a spot at a small pension consulting place in town. This will be both my first pension interview, and my first non-corporate interview. He's going to schedule it this week, so I'm guessing it'll be in the first week of December.



What should I do in the next week (besides brush up on Excel stuff and interview questions)? What if he asks me why I haven't found a job yet? Are there any different questions I should expect from a pension/small company interview?

Pension interview

Barbie can't be a computer engineer but she certainly could be a civil engineer

that is all.

Barbie can't be a computer engineer but she certainly could be a civil engineer

Charming behaviors and mannerisms

I'm curious what behaviors you notice in people around you that you would consider charming.



I work with someone who never seems to curse - saying things like "darn it" instead. Doesn't even say God - always replaces it with "gosh." Not sure why I find it charming but I do.

Charming behaviors and mannerisms

I wrote 1800 words for task 1. Would it affects me in MMR ?

Would i need to summarize it or leave out some points?

I wrote 1800 words for task 1. Would it affects me in MMR ?

Who left the door open in Mexico?

It was like 65 degrees in the Northeast today.

Who left the door open in Mexico?

Cutting the cord Canadian style

Someone please save me googling this?



If I want to cut our satellite TV, what are my internet TV type options available in Canada? We have an apple TV, and I think that's insufficient. XBMC? Something else? I need enough to keep the wife and kids happy here, so it needs to be functional.

Cutting the cord Canadian style

good yoga videos/ program?

I'm interested in doing some beginner yoga on active recovery days. Don't want the formal structure of a class, just some beginner routines i can learn and do whenever. Was thinking of just a DVD. Anyone have some suggestions?



I did a few beginner classes a year or so back. Could pretty much figure out the poses on my own, so I'm not too worried about messing them up.

good yoga videos/ program?

Negotiation?

Hello All,



I am an entry level student with 1 exam passed and 2 internships. I have been fortunate enough to receive a few job offers with what I consider to be very competitive salaries. I have also been offered relocation assistance.



In regards to the relocation assistance, is this something that is often negotiated? Can this money be used towards anything (ie rent and lease costs, plane tickets to search apartments) and do i give back any remaining dollars I have not spent? Or is it treated as a bonus?



Thanks very much for any insights that you all might have.





Go Bills

Negotiation?

B-A-S-T-A-R-D

Okay, seriously, can we get this uncensored? Basturdization is a completely legitimate, non-profane word. Basturd in it's original usage is not a curse word. These words come up from time to time, and censoring them is simply silly. Especially when words like bitch and shit aren't censored.



I know there has been a hold out on this one for a long time, but this is ridiculous.

B-A-S-T-A-R-D

Quantum monadology

thought someone else might find this interesting:

http://ift.tt/15joGKI

tldr version: imagine a theory of consciousness based on the concept of monads and apply quantum field theory to the result. bake at 420 for 42 minutes. serve.

Quantum monadology

Draft 2016 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters

HHS has released the draft Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2016:



http://ift.tt/15joGuc

Draft 2016 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters

Entry Level Resume

Hey



I had my resume in here a while back, and I've made a few changes since then. In short, summer of 2013, I was planning to take summer courses and decided against it towards May and I was not able to get a summer internship then.



Summer of 2014, I spent in India for my grandparents' 50th anniversary and I started to search for jobs starting in September. The gaps on my resume of non actuarial positions is starting to look worse as time goes on and I'm trying my best to get a position as soon as possible. I'm primarily searching for actuarial positions but I am looking for nonactuarial positions on the side as well. Any feedback is well appreciated.



My Resume



Thank You.

Entry Level Resume

Intuitive way to remember H(x) = -lnS(x)

Is there an intuitive way to remember the relationship between the cumulative hazard function and the survival function?



Thanks.

Intuitive way to remember H(x) = -lnS(x)

Senior Analyst – Southeast USA – Student/ASA w/ OPEB experience (#43174)

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment | P&C Jobs



OPEB experience sought to join small national consulting firm. Great opportunity to grow into full consultant or support practice with analytics. ASA or near with 5 plus years of benefit calculations, valuation experience. Access, Fortran VB a plus. (#43174)







Apply at http://ift.tt/1iPhglC OR email your resume to Tom Troceen at actuaries@dwsimpson.com and mention the position above. You may also contact any of our recruiters at (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300.



Tom Troceen

DW Simpson Global Actuarial Recruitment

4121 N Ravenswood Ave

Chicago, Illinois 60613

Phone: (800) 837-8338 / (312) 867-2300





Fax: (312) 951-8386

actuaries@dwsimpson.com



www.dwsimpson.com







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Senior Analyst – Southeast USA – Student/ASA w/ OPEB experience (#43174)

FA 12.5-12.9 ?

Anyone will do the final assessment after thanksgiving weekend?

FA 12.5-12.9 ?

In laws and the holidays

How do you decide your holiday travel? Is there tension in your family over this issue?

In laws and the holidays

Quick Question

Hi, I have the following what looks to be simple question:



Suppose N~Poisson(m*theta)

Let X=N/m

Find Pr(X=x) (actually, f(x) is what they ask for, as X won't be discrete)



So I start with

Pr(X<=x)=Pr(N/m<=x)=Pr(N<=xm)



But where do I go from here?

The answer the book gives is: f(x)=Pr(N=xm)



How do I get there? If we employ methods used in continuous distributions, then what happened to the multiplicative factor m when we differentiate?



Many thanks

Quick Question

Suicide Elevated?

Utah's new marketing slogan is "Life Elevated" maybe it should be "Suicide Elevated?"



http://ift.tt/1uS5tJV

Quote:

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s suicide rate climbed dramatically in 2012, making the state one of the worst in the nation. Why? One factor could be the state’s higher elevation, according to a University of Utah neuroscientist. Dr. Perry Renshaw, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Utah School of Medicine, said Utah’s higher altitude has an impact on serotonin, the brain chemicals that regulate mood. And he believes ongoing research may provide clues that could lead to supplements or other treatments to blunt the effects that promote suicidal outcomes. ...

tl;dr altitude tends to increase dopamine but reduces serotonin. So there seems to be a natural 'rocky mountain high' that people who leave for the coasts tend to long for, but it is also naturally depressing.

Spoiler:

In 2008, Renshaw joined the Salt Lake City arm of the Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center. The goal of the center is to better understand and thereby reduce suicide in the population.



“Shortly after joining the center I became aware of the fact that suicide rates amongst U.S. residents are much higher in the Rocky Mountain states than in other parts of the country,” he said. “The prevailing view at that time was that this may be due to high rates of gun ownership and relative isolation of Intermountain West residents.”



Renshaw’s former job at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School made use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which studies changes in brain chemistry associated with major depression and bipolar disorder. This body of work strongly suggested that mood disorders were associated with changes in brain energy creation and utilization.



“Thus, it was not much of a leap to suggest the thin air in the high altitude states of the Intermountain West might create special problems for individuals with mood disorders,” he said. “While this idea made sense to me, many manuscript reviewers were skeptical. Our first paper was published in the Journal of Medical Hypotheses but a follow-on paper, with much more detail, was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2011.”



According to the Utah Department of Health, in 2012, the most recent available reporting period, 545 Utahns committed suicide, up from 456 in 2011. In addition, Utah is the 7th highest in the nation for suicide, keeping it consistently higher than the U.S. rate. Suicide is also the fourth leading cause of death among Utahns ages 24 to 64.



Since 2010, an average 501 Utahns each year have died by suicide and another 3,968 were hospitalized or treated in emergency rooms from injuries due to suicide attempts. Kristy Jones, community projects coordinator at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, said in 2012, Weber and Davis counties each lost 51 people to suicide. Weber County lost 23 per 100,000 and Davis County lost 18 per 100,000. This is the highest amount of loss in the past five years.



Renshaw, along with Dr. Doug Kondo, a Utah psychiatrist, and Rebecca Huber, a doctoral student in educational psychology, conducted a study using publicly available databases through the Centers for Disease Control as well as a high-resolution map of the altitude of the continental United States. This map was constructed by Dr. Namkug Kim, a research fellow in the U of U group.



The primary finding of the study was a strong relationship between variation in rates in suicide in the United States and altitude of residence. Similar relationships have subsequently been reported both in South Korea and in Austria.



So how does altitude affect our well being and why?



Renshaw said the prevailing view is that acute exposure to high altitudes can produce a range of medical and neurologic symptoms, including cognitive dysfunction.



“The work that we have engaged in suggests the changes in mood can appear at altitudes as low as 2000 feet above sea level,” Renshaw said. “Work in animals, by other laboratories as well as our own, suggest there are important changes in the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine associated with an increase in altitude. Low serotonin levels as we believe occurs in Intermountain West dwellers will result in increases in rates of both depression and anxiety.”



In contrast, increases in brain dopamine levels, which have also been associated with elevation, reduce the rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and, more generally, give one a sense of well-being and satisfaction with essentially all the activities of daily life.



“Thus, we have what might be called a ‘Utah paradox’ whereby Utah tends to lead the nation in terms of having both the happiest and the saddest residents in the United States,” he said.



Renshaw said what to do about the problem is the focus of the group’s ongoing work.



“We are very interested in the idea that combinations of natural product supplements may well improve altitude related mood and anxiety disorders,” Renshaw said. “We are currently conducting animal studies and are trying to raise funds to conduct clinical trials.”



In the meantime, Renshaw said, most Utah residents love living in the state.



“The work that we are doing describes a much smaller number of individuals who seem to have adverse reactions to the thin air,” he said. “This likely reflects different genetic predispositions to mood and anxiety disorders. Anxiety and depression are closely intertwined, and our observations suggest that anxiety may actually be more common than depression in new residents to our state.”

Suicide Elevated?