Did an Actuary Inspire Dickens' Christmas Carol?

In the beloved Christmas ghost story, the miser Ebeneezer Scrooged is transformed by a visit from 3 ghosts:  Christmas Past, Present and Future. 

Perhaps these ghosts were inspired by a conversation old Charlie had with a young actuary over a bowl of porridge. By happy accident, we came across a lost page in Charles Dickens's diary.  Or we just asked Chat GPT to reproduce it. 

Hurricane Milton

I never expected that I would begin an article series on hurricanes! And now, here we are.

For Ian (which went right over me!), we stayed put, having been caught by surprise by a change in trajectory in the hurricane's projected path. 

With Milton, when we saw what lay in store, we knew we would get out of dodge. And while we enjoyed the tranquility of not having hours upon hours of barreling winds, there is still a very palpable anxiety felt from a distance.  You worry about your house, your neighbors, your community, and those who will face extreme hardship in the aftermath.

In that vain, I think it is important to begin to have a discussion about some of the lesser-covered impacts of severe storms, particularly mental well-being. The news will blast headlines on death tolls, insurance bills, and other devastation. The road to recovery will be covered less as the days go by. And while houses and yards are cleaned of debris, the invisible psychological effects may be harder to repair. 

Review of Actuarial Science an A.I Actuarial Album (Produced by MJ the Fellow Actuary)

The generative AI craze continues - now entering into the actuarial world. The latest rendition is an actuarial AI album produced by MJ the Fellow Actuary.  The promise of computer-generated actuarial music is an exciting one, and may bring to life other actuarial music concepts.

The initial single is the catchy "Exams on Exams" which is an anthem of triumph for the many who have made their way through the gauntlet of testing.

Some may be surprised, but 12 years ago, we called out the possibility of a smartphone passing actuarial exams.  A music album is the next step. Obviously.

Overall the album covers the ebb and flow of romance amidst the struggles of an actuarial career.  It is at times confident and bold, and other times more...reserved. The wordplay is filled with little nuggets of industry jargon smashed into a slightly different context to decorate the verses and choruses. Sometimes they work magically, and other times they are a bit strained. 

Between the Spreadsheets Rating: 4 out 5 stars.

Let's go through a track-by-track review, written by a 99.99%* human being (as far as I know). 

*0.01% is nonhuman materials.

The Viral Virus: Season 5 The Long Haul

Generated with Microsoft Designer

My family, like many, has enjoyed the Netflix Series Stranger Things - which is now coming into its final (fifth) season. As I write the fifth installment of COVID reflections, I am wondering if this will be the last edition - or if we will keep going like the Fast and the Furious Franchise.  Who knows, maybe I'll think of a prequel? 

Recap (in the style of Friends)

• Season 1 - The one when the world stopped
• Season 2 - The one with a jab
• Season 3 - The one that gives you a boost
• Season 4 - The one which has the variants

The sirens have silenced. In May of 2023, the World Health Organization ended COVID's status as a public health emergency. In September of last year, the CDC called an end to the Public Health Emergency status. 

We are transitioning from pandemic to endemic. This is somewhat of an ironic final destination since some of the early opposition to the COVID reactions was that this was "just another flu". In a way, they almost ended up being right. But there are also many many ways in which that was not true in the early days, and also many ways in which that is not true today.

COVID is still quirky - and still not that much fun. Often lingering for a long time, and can be fatal, despite developments in treatment and medicine like Paxlovid. 

Now that the virus is no longer an emergency, this also means that a lot of the monitoring and tracking is winding down. 

As we look to the future of the world where the virus has taken up residence, the questions and concerns are changing.  

Black History Month Compliation

February is Black History Month - and there are some compelling stories and people in the insurance and actuarial space. This is an attempt to inventory those items.  Suggestions welcome.

North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company leaders C. C. Spaulding, John Merrick, and Aaron Moore. Photo arrangement from The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race entry on these men and their company