Shows
STUMP - Death and TaxesMovember 2025: Continuing OnJust some talk on why I fundraise for Movember, which I’ve been doing since 2017. I look at some of the programs funded by Movember. The need continues.Episode LinksHere are the places you can donate to the Movember Foundation, which supports men’s health, specifically focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s mental health:* Mary Pat Campbell’s MoSpace – a place to donate at Movember itself* My Movember Facebook fundraiser – my officially linked fundraiser, if this works better for youAnd here’s a QR code if t...
2025-11-1725 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMath, Education, and TechnologyAfter a surprise hit tweet, I pull from something I wrote 25 years ago about using calculators in math class, ramble a bit about using technology in math classes in general, give some advice for people who want to patch holes in their math knowledge, and bring it back to Mathcamp, false proofs, and LLMs.I will have more to say about Mathcamp and fun math another time — I LOVE MATH!Episode LinksHowie HuaIt was Howie’s post that I was responding to.Howie Hua puts out lots of s...
2025-07-2056 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMen's Health Week: Men and Suicide in the U.S.In this episode of STUMP, I talk about the trends and sex gap in death by suicide in the U.S. This is just talking the numbers, so it’s fairly dispassionate, looking at the trend over the decades and by age groups. If you don’t want to hear the episode, you may want to look at the post on Substack (website or app), where I have posted graphs and tables, and you can download the spreadsheet with the numbers behind these.Episode Notes and Links988 LifelineGraphsTabl...
2025-06-1736 min
The Mic High Club Luchtvaart Podcast#327 Meep meep! Roadrunner ingevlogen voor TrumpEpisode 327! Exact 30 minuten, schoon aan de haak. Een C-17 brengt de Roadrunner naar Schiphol, voor de entourage van Trump. De geheimen van de NAVO-top liggen op straat. Eerste vliegramp - 11A overleeft als enige - met de Dreamliner. AWACS-vliegtuigen onder vuur vanuit de ruimte. Indonesiẽ koopt Turkse straaljagers. Ryanair wil dat unruly passengers dik gaan betalen voor wangedrag aan boord. Moeilijke plaatsnaam: cursus Pools bij Lufthansa. Het speelkwartier van Play is afgelopen. En nog veel meer.
(00:00) Hot Town Meep Meep Mix - DJ Turbulence
(00:27) C-17 brengt Roadrunner voor Trump naar Nederland
(01:50) Locaties Apaches voor NAVO-top zijn NIET geheim
(04:04) Leader
(04:37) Boeing ba...
2025-06-1630 min
Meep Meep NationRunners Win Big Against North TexasWe discuss the win against UNT, our record setting day on offense, and preview the Temple game!
2024-11-2143 minMeep Meep NationRoadrunners Pull Off Upset Against #25 MemphisWe discuss the win, the new black uniforms, bowl projections, and preview the UNT game!
2024-11-1427 minMeep Meep NationRoadrunners Blow 28 Point Lead in Loss to TulsaWe discuss the loss, Owen's record-setting day, and more!
2024-10-3143 minMeep Meep NationRoadrunners Get Much Needed Win Against FAUWe discuss the win, mounting injuries, and preview the Tulsa game.
2024-10-2436 minMeep Meep NationUTSA's Tough Loss to Rice, Injuries Mounting & FAU Game PreviewWe discuss the loss, continued offensive struggles, and a preview for the FAU game.
2024-10-1933 minMeep Meep NationRunners Drop to 0-1 in AAC | Can Offense Turn it Around?We discuss the ECU game, UTSA's offensive struggles, outlook for rest of season, and more!
2024-10-0839 minMeep Meep NationUTSA Falls to TXST | Texas PreviewDavid and Kelechi talk about the big loss and preview the upcoming game with the Longhorns.
2024-09-1428 minMeep Meep Nation2024 Football Season Preview w/ David & KelechiDavid & Kelechi discuss the upcoming season, the depth chart, and more.
2024-08-3030 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesSocial Security and Election 2024In this episode, I look at both the Democratic and Republican Party platform sections on Social Security. After all, the Trust Fund for the Old Age portion of the program is projected to run out by 2035, and the entire Baby Boom generation is Social Security eligible at this point… seems like this is something they should be addressing. The answer will surprise nobody (they don’t want to touch it at all, except perhaps to boost benefits.) The actuaries, as usual, are ignored.Episode LinksDemocratic Party PlatformParty platform pagePDF...
2024-08-3032 min
Tech Can't Save UsOptimizing Urban Transportation with Mobility as a Service with Guillermo Campoamor, Founder & CEO of MeepIn this week’s episode of Tech Can’t Save Us, hosts Paul David and Maya Dharampal-Hornby are joined by Guillermo Campoamor, Founder & CEO of Meep.
Meep provides companies and cities with the data and intelligence tools they need to achieve more efficient, sustainable trips for everyone. Within the app, Meep offers multimodal route planning, visualisations of transportation options, and connection with a single, centralized payment system in order to facilitate seamless and accessible travel.
Tune into this episode now to hear Guillermo outline the future of urban transformation, the importance of user experience (both physically and d...
2024-07-1842 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesThe Problem of Pain and DrugsThis one is dark, so you’ve been warned. In my post last week on drug overdoses, I noted the great increase in drug overdose deaths during the pandemic, and I address the issue of drug addiction and its relationship with physical pain. Sometimes, there are no good choices. Episode Links (Updated)Matt Bivens, M.D. piece:Drug Overdose Death StatsDashboard of U.S. Population Mortality — Opioid DeathsSOA Research page: U.S. Population Mortality Observations – Updated with 2021 ExperienceHistorical ItemsLaudanum: is a tinctu...
2024-05-1455 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesWho Survives to 2098?Back in December, somebody asked me how many people alive now would be alive in 75 years. The answer: about 15% (for the U.S.). This is not a trivial question — it relates to questions of political decision-making for the long-term, such as public finance. In this episode, I look at the survivorship for 10 years, 25 years, 50 years, and 75 years, and think through what this means.Graphs and spreadsheet below.Episode Links, Graphs, and MoreData and AssumptionsPopulation EstimateReleased 11 April 2024: 2023 Population Estimates by Age and SexSocial Security Mo...
2024-04-2930 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesFive Decades of MeepI’ve got five decades on me now, and five pieces of advice/themes to share:* Be a good animal* The universe is stranger and more wonderful than you can imagine* Never pay retail!* You can try anything once OR Risk is Opportunity* It’s not about you (or me)Episode LinksBe a Good Animal2015 LinkedIn: Best Advice: Be a Good AnimalBattling Cognitive Bias, reprint in 2018Thank you for reading STUMP - Meep on public finance, pens...
2024-04-2244 minMeep Meep NationSpring Ball with Kelechi NwachukuWe talk spring football, the transfer portal, and pro day with former UTSA safety Kelechi Nwachuku.
2024-04-0938 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesRetirement Age, Life Expectancy, and Social SecurityThat life expectancy was around 64 when Social Security was started is misleading. That is also irrelevant for making decisions for making Social Security sustainable now. The parameters involved are more complex: we need to look at life expectancy age 65, the size of the working population compared to the retired population, and how many children are coming to add to that working population. Decisions must be made within the next decade — raise taxes, cut benefits, or some combination. People will not be happy.Episode LinksPrior STUMP posts related:On Li...
2024-03-1932 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesClassics on LeadershipI reach back to a two-parter I wrote in 2012 for the Stepping Stone, the newsletter for the Leadership and Personal Development interest section of the Society of Actuaries. My argument: read the classics — they’re chock full of stories relevant to leadership. Episode LinksThe original articles:Part 1: Leadership Books - the ClassicsPart 2: The Classics, Part 2Project Gutenberg LinksPlutarch: Lives of the noble Grecians and Romans by PlutarchThe Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Complete by SuetoniusThe History of the Pelo...
2024-02-2537 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesPresidents Day 2024: Financial State of the CitiesLet’s look at the 2024 Financial State of the Cities, the annual report from Truth in Accounting. This one is based on the reports coming from FY2022, so there is a lag, as you can tell. I focus specifically on New York City, the city coming in dead last, as well as a coming development in “machine-readable” data for state and local financial reporting.Episode LinksTruth in Accounting’s FSOC 2024PDF: https://www.truthinaccounting.org/library/doclib/Financial-State-of-the-Cities-2024.pdfA few graphsA couple “random” towns I didn’t tal...
2024-02-1943 min2024-02-1257 min
Overthinking It PodcastEpisode 815: Meep MeepSupport Overthinking It by becoming a member for $5/month!
Ben Adams joins Peter Fenzel, Mark Lee, and Matthew Wrather as they overthink the unfolding story about Warner Bros.’s decision not to release Coyote Vs. Acme, how it has been narrativized online, and how it is in some ways the perfect encapsulation of what makes the Coyote/Roadrunner stories unique.
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Further Reading
“The Final Days of ‘Coyote vs. Acme’: Offers, Rejections and a Roadrunner Race Against Time | Exclusive” from The Wrap
The 9 Coyote Rule...
2024-02-1200 min
Greetings EarthlingsMeep Meep Warehouse Techno Playlist - RTDF Exclusive Mix by DJ EncounterMeep Meep Warehouse Techno Playlist - RTDF Exclusive Mix by DJ Encounter
2024-02-071h 35Meep Meep NationInterview with College Football Campus Tour's Michael BarkerInterview with College Football Campus Tour's Michael Barker
2024-02-031h 05
STUMP - Death and TaxesAcademia - Dealing with Writing in the Age of ChatGPTIn which I give some advice as to what composition teachers should do, given that students can just go to chatGPT and ask it to generate an essay on whatever. The tool is being used, and I think there are intelligent ways to use it for composition.Episode LinksPrior episode in referring to ChatGPT use in academic papersGuillaume CabanacTwitter feed: Guillaume Cabanac ⟨here and elsewhere⟩He retweeted: https://twitter.com/clementFFF/status/1745193183988871357https://twitter.com/gcabanac/stat...
2024-01-1731 minMeep Meep NationUTSA Football Takes Down Rice | Open Season on Roster and Coaching Staff? | UTSA Basketball | Meep Meep Nation 008UTSA Football Takes Down Rice | Open Season on Roster and Coaching Staff? | UTSA Basketball | Meep Meep Nation 008
2023-11-161h 05
STUMP - Death and TaxesMovember 2023 - Current Status and TrendsLooking at my Movember 2023 fundraiser, its current progress, and concerns over how cancer screening and treatment may have been interrupted during the pandemic. Episode LinksMovember FundraiserHere are the places you can donate to the Movember Foundation, which supports men’s health, specifically focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s mental health:* Mary Pat Campbell’s MoSpace – a place to donate at Movember itself* My Movember Facebook fundraiser – my officially linked fundraiser, if this works better for youAnd here’s a QR code if that work...
2023-11-1218 minMeep Meep NationA Look Back at the UTSA Soccer Season | Interview with Head Coach Derek Pittman | Icebreaker with UTSA Soccer Player Mia Krusinski | Meep Meep Nation 007Great episode for you today as we sit down with UTSA Soccer Head Coach Derek Pittman.
We also sit down with UTSA Soccer Goalkeeper and Meep Meep Nation Athlete Mia Krusinski for a quick icebreaker!
2023-11-0649 minMeep Meep NationPOSTGAME SHOW | UTSA Football Defeats North Texas in Denton | Meep Meep Nation 006Meep Meep Nation Postgame Show | UTSA Football Defeats North Texas in Denton
Sorry for cutting it short y'all! Ran into technical difficulties where we weren't able to hear each other. Will have it fixed by next stream!
2023-11-0512 minMeep Meep NationMAILBAG | Is This the BEST Football UTSA Can Play? | Meep Meep Nation 005
Thank you to everyone who submitted a question for this weeks mailbag!
2023-11-0132 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesThe Shape of U.S. Mortality, 1900-2018Spurred on the untimely death of Matthew Perry (from the cast of Friends, not the 19th century U.S. naval commander), I look back at the history of U.S. mortality trends in a longer trend and how much they’ve improved, and how middle-aged men dying (possibly) of a heart attack would have been very common in the 1950s… but then I end on a happy note. Seriously.Episode LinksMortality Trends in the United States, 1900–2018Childhood death ratesChildren's Death Rates Prior Posts* 2023: Toddler and Teen T...
2023-10-3028 minMeep Meep NationUTSA Football Takes Care of ECU on Homecoming | UNT Preview | UTSA Soccer | UTSA Volleyball | Meep Meep Nation 004UTSA Football Takes Care of ECU on Homecoming | UNT Preview | UTSA Soccer | UTSA Volleyball | Meep Meep Nation 004
2023-10-3029 minMeep Meep NationUTSA Football gets First Win in AAC | UAB Preview | College Basketball |Mailbag Questions | Meep Meep Nation 003
It's October! Get your "Pink Out" Gear the UTSA Soccer Game on October 22nd. https://meep-meep-nation.creator-spring.com/
2023-10-1355 minMeep Meep NationUTSA Football Begins AAC Conference Play | Temple Preview | Mailbag Questions | Meep Meep Nation 002
UTSA didn't start the season the way many expected. With AAC Play around the corner, they have an opportunity to change that.
We look back at the season so far and onward to how UTSA will still be a force to be reckoned with in the American Athletic Conference this season and beyond.
Jeremy, Caleb and Christian preview this week's opponent Temple (2-3, 0-1)
Injuries, Listener Questions and More!
It's October! Get your "Pink Out" Gear the UTSA Soccer Game on October 22nd.
2023-10-031h 26
STUMP - Death and TaxesIndia's Pension Crisis is Everybody's CrisisIn which I take Amit Varma’s podcast The Seen and the Unseen’s episode 347: India’s Pension Crisis, which he talks with guests Ajay Shah and Renuka Sane. In 2004, India switched from a traditional defined benefit plan for its public pensions to a defined contribution plan… and opened it up to the general population as well. In theory, at least. Evidently, in recent years, it has been running into political trouble. The issues in India’s retirement system woes are similar to the ones seen internationally.Episode LinksThe Seen and the Unseen wit...
2023-09-3030 minMeep Meep NationUTSA Falls to Army, Eddie Lee Marburger Shines with Frank Harris Out | Meep Meep Nation 001Welcome to Episode 1 of the New Meep Meep Nation Podcast!
2023-09-1942 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesFight Against Excess Mortality: the Insurance Collaboration to Save LivesI describe the concept behind the group Insurance Collaboration to Save Lives, in which the financial interests of insurance companies (specifically, life insurance companies) align with helping people to live longer, sometimes with some relatively simple interventions to improve health outcomes. There are upcoming conferences and talks (some free!) so check out the show notes.Episode LinksInsurance Collaboration to Save Liveshttps://www.insurancecollaborationtosavelives.org/Upcoming eventsSociety of Insurance Research 2023 Annual ConferenceDate(s): September 10th-12th, 2023Where: The...
2023-09-0922 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesTalking Tech: On Early (and Late) Adoption of TechIn which I explain why I dodged buying a smartphone until two weeks ago (and why I finally bought one), my perspective on using technology, and some apps in AI I have been using lately (and ones I am seeking). Also — Substack has implemented a podcast transcription feature - check it out!Episode LinksCross-written lettersWikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossed_letterA crossed letter is a manuscript letter which contains two separate sets of writing, one written over the other at right-angles.[1][2] This was do...
2023-09-0229 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesBuilding Bridges to STEM CareersI talk about BEAM (Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics), an educational non-profit currently based in NYC and LA focused on providing a program to help underserved students enter advanced study in mathematics. I have a personal connection to the founder Dan Zaharapol through Canada/USA Mathcamp, back when he was a student and I was staff. BEAM has a 10-year strategic growth plan and is also seeking people for two key roles.Episode LinksBEAM: Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics: beammath.orgPositions availableLinkedIn post from founder Daniel Zaharapol
2023-08-0326 min
Podcasts – Traveling the VortexEpisode 552 – Meep! Meep!This time we review the Doctor Who comic, The Star Beast and Big Finish's The Comic Strip Adaptations - "Doctor Who and the Star Beast". The post Episode 552 – Meep! Meep! appeared first on Traveling the Vortex.
2023-06-261h 14
STUMP - Death and TaxesLightning Strike DeathsLightning strike deaths have decreased by over 80% from 1968 to 2022! Thanks to lots of changes, but primarily because of improved weather forecasting. Alas, they still occur, as was just reported from Texas, but we can thank technological change for this benefit.Episode LinksSubstack post link (this post)Lightning Strike DeathsGraph of Lightning strike death countsGraph of Lightning strike death locationsBy S.fever - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74366934Story from Texas6-year-old boy...
2023-06-1727 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesFailure, Sunk Costs, and Candace WheelerIt’s graduation season around here, so I tell my own story of a failure to get a degree — which includes how I found inspiration in an exhibit at the Met Museum of Art in 2001 to help me decide to make a big change in my life and move onto something else. It’s a weird piece of advice for grads, I know, but hey — give people something different. I talk about sunk costs, opportunity cost, and constrained optimization as well.Episode LinksCandace WheelerThe Stepping Stone, August 2016: “Leadership Inspiration: Candace Wheeler— Bringing Bea...
2023-06-1028 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesDanger! Fire, Hurricanes, Drowning, and MoreIn response to two other podcasts, I talk about some concrete risks that people have dealt with through history, but I think people may not fear as much as they should anymore. Fear (the emotional reaction to risk) and danger (the rational assessment of risk) can guide you, but it helps for you to take a broad look at the environment.Episode LinksCrossing Thin Ice podcast - look for Episode 8, 24 Apr 2023, Fear v. DangerResearch Insights SOA podcast - look for 26 Apr 2023, 16th Annual Survey of Emerging Risks Key Findings...
2023-04-2823 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesChoices Have Consequences: Retirement PolicyTalking about the upcoming theme for posts this week: CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES…. for retirement policy. The big choices: retirement age, the shape of benefits (COLAs, taxable?, etc), and more… but there was a choice made before all these that influenced how all of these will turn out: total fertility rate.Episode LinksSTUMP, April 14: The French Continue to Protest Over Retirement Age ChangesI have a Google news alert on “retirement age” that emails me weekly, and every week this year it’s been full of headlines about French protests over raising the retirement...
2023-04-1715 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesPublic Finance and DataIn a recent federal bill passed at the end of 2022, the Financial Data Transparency Act is supposedly bringing us more accessible public financial information. Will it bring better public finance decisions? I am skeptical, to understate the situation — but I am looking forward to more accessible info! Jumping off from a recent episode of the Public Money Pod.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode NotesPu...
2023-03-3024 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesKidney Disease Deaths, the IBM PCjr, and My Aunt PatToday, I gave a talk to the Iowa Actuaries Club, pointing out that one of the worrying death trends during 2020-2022 in the U.S. has been increasing kidney disease deaths. This reminds me of when my Aunt Pat had me teach her how to use IBM computers in the mid-1980s (though she had been working there since the 1970s), and I aided at a Kidney Foundation summer camp, which is actually related to the teach-Aunt-Pat-to-use-computers project.…and why didn’t my dad, the electrical engineer who worked at IBM, teach Aunt Pat instead of the 11-yea...
2023-03-2327 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesDon't Use ChatGPT for Numbers (Right Now)I originally meant to talk about Japan’s demographic problem, but I decided to talk about chatGPT instead because of a footnote on an article on Japan. Ain’t that the way. So I think through how technology has changed the corporate workplace over the last 50 years….and how awful chatGPT is (currently) at doing quantitative work. Because that’s not what it’s for.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode...
2023-03-0820 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesDoing the Math on Social Security and MedicareIn which I review recent back-and-forth over Congressional Budget Office and Social Security Trustees projections of Social Security and Medicare solvency, as well as comments over tax increases and/or benefit cuts to shift to sustainability. Because nobody is really disputing that the programs as currently constituted are going to be able to last longer than a decade as-is.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksSocial...
2023-02-2837 min
Alamo AudibleAround the Bird Bath: Episode 2 - Interview with Ray and Josh of Meep Meep Apparel We're proud to launch our new branding for Around the Bird Bath! Our baseball podcast episodes will now feature its own artwork and intro music. Hope you guys enjoy! This episode Dan is joined by two special guests -- Ray and Josh of Meep Meep Apparel, a proud Patreon Board of Trustees member! Dan connects with Ray and Josh to learn more about their baseball careers at UTSA, their experience launching Meep Meep Apparel, and how they see NIL impacting UTSA, recent rule changes in the MLB, and much more!
2023-02-241h 04
STUMP - Death and TaxesAsh Wednesday 2023: More on Years of Life LostIn which I discuss the mortality measure years of life lost (YLL), aspects of this measure, what it is used for, and why I don’t like it. That said, I will be using YLL in addition to my preferred measures — crude death rate and age-adjusted death rate — in upcoming mortality posts.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksYears of Life Lost: An Exploration, U.S., 2018-2022...
2023-02-2335 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesChicago Mayoral Race: Good Luck Dealing With the PensionsIn this episode, I commiserate with the poor sucker who wins the Chicago mayoral race, and has to deal with the pension disaster coming their way. Also, RIP for Laurence Msall, who had been President of the Civic Federation of Chicago for 21 years and died too young. STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksLaurence MsallStatement on the Passing of Civic Federation President Laurence...
2023-02-0621 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMore on COVID as a top cause of death for childrenIn this episode, I respond to a JAMA Open Network article on COVID being the 8th top cause of death for children and “young people” from yesterday (yes, I did a post on it already) to explain more what annoyed me so much. The moral: when you do mortality analyses, you need to separate your babies from the kids, and the young adults from the kids as well. Also, picking the worst mortality period from the past isn’t necessarily going to influence action in the future.Oh, and pools are dangerous to little kids. (But th...
2023-02-0126 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesRetirement Age - Protests in France, But Choices Must be MadeLast week, there were protests across France against higher retirement ages — from 62 to 64. I discuss the trade-offs being made, what is the “real” retirement age in the United States’ Social Security, and that time is running out on making this decision.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksAssociated Press: France: Over 1 million march against raising retirement age At least 1.1 million people protested on the streets...
2023-01-2319 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesThe Micawber Principle Even Applies to Public FinanceLet’s consider a core principle of finance, as announced by fictional character Wilkins Micawber of David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens: “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen [shillings] and six [pence], result happiness.Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six [pence], result misery.” In short: if you continually spend more than you bring in, you will surely come to grief. This core concept applies to public finance as it does to personal finance, and we will be seeing this in our journey during 2023. Come along with me!...
2023-01-1722 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesPodcast Look at 2022 Excess MortalityIn this episode, I talk through my most recent post on 2022 U.S. mortality by adult age groups, split out into three major groupings (seniors, middle-aged, young adults). Links below.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksFull PopulationThe 2022-only graph for the whole population (including kids, but they barely add to the rate):The full graph going back to 2020:...
2023-01-1028 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesHappy New Year from STUMP! Two Ideas...I have two ideas for 2023: learn more (and fail more); get more sleep! I’m always doing the first and never tie it to the new year — I’m always failing at the second (what can I say). I did sleep most of New Years’ Day 2023 away, so at least I have that going for me….STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksMike Shedlock at Mish Talk:
2023-01-0217 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesA Very Special STUMP Holiday EpisodeHave a Happy Holiday surprise! Meep regales you with a few Christmas/Winter song parodies in lieu of a normal STUMP podcast. Lyrics are below, by Meep (and some by Stu).Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Parody Lyrics(with links for the technical terms, especially the sumo)On the 1st day of Christmas, STUMP podcast gave to me…....
2022-12-2605 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMore on Correlating COVID Vax Status with Traffic RiskI continue to rant about that correlation paper on COVID “vaccine hesitancy” and traffic risk. I leave the statistical critiques to others (and I drop the links below and to my prior post), but the correlation can be rock solid and the conclusion still be completely off. Be careful of the over-interpretation of correlative studies.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksThe paper in question:CO...
2022-12-2130 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesCentral States Teamsters -- some backstory on their bailoutIn this episode, I give some background on the players in the Central States Teamsters bailout — the PBGC, ERISA, the prior attempts at fixing multiemployer plans, why multiemployer plans got into trouble compared to single employer plans - and more!STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksCurrent EventsDec 10, 2022: Central States Teamsters Pension Fund finally gets its bailout money, as planned -- no...
2022-12-1430 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesChaucer on AdviceIn this episode of STUMP Death & Taxes, I look to The Tale of Melibee from the Canterbury Tales, and how Chaucer's advice on how to choose advisors is still useful 600+ years later. STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksAugust 2015 Stepping Stone: Chaucer on Choosing AdvisorsOctober 2015 LinkedIn: Take Some Advice from Chaucer... On Taking Advice* Don't ask for advice if...
2022-12-0717 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMovember 2022: Men and SuicideIn this episode, I talk about the bad trends for men and death by suicide in the U.S., the sex gap in suicide, and the importance of looking after mental health. I’m fundraising for men’s mental health, as well as prostate cancer, with my fundraising for Movember in 2022 - check out my links below!STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksFor Givi...
2022-11-2817 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesFTX, Dickens, and Business FraudIn this episode, I look at FTX through the lens of two Dickens novels: Martin Chuzzlewit and Little Dorrit. Wait, don’t go! I swear, it’s more interesting than it sounds. Heh. Charles Dickens knew business fraud and the boom-and-bust of the Victorian London business scene, capturing it very well in his novels. The base motives at the heart of these schemes keep rolling on.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
2022-11-2124 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMovember and Prostate Cancer Mortality TrendsIn this episode, I talk about my Movember fundraiser, the long-term trend for U.S. prostate cancer mortality trends (up, down, then sideways), and Stu’s own experience with advanced prostate cancer. STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksMy Movember fundraiser* Mary Pat Campbell’s MoSpace – a place to donate at Movember itself* My Movember Facebook fundraiser – my officially linked fundraiser, if this wor...
2022-11-1632 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesSocial Security PoliticsIn this episode, I talk about two odd last-minute campaign pitches from the White House to bolster the Democratic Party's chances in the 2022 elections. The first was a boast about 2022 COLAs being the highest in a decade (actually, the highest in 40 years), and the second has to do with Republicans going to cut Social Security benefits. 'The first is an odd claim, as it highlights recent inflation. The second may be true but seems unlikely, as most politicians of any party have avoided doing anything about Social Security unless they’re forced to. But as the Tr...
2022-11-0715 min
STUMP - Death and Taxes2021 Provisional U.S. Population MortalityIn this episode, I talk about a recent report I wrote for the Society of Actuaries, on provisional data from the CDC on U.S. mortality in 2021, also placing it in context of 1999-2020 finalized mortality data, the three major mortality metrics used, and differences by age and sex in trend.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode LinksReport LinkAs I write this, the...
2022-11-0130 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesGeeking Out: Life Insurance and Mortality Experience StudiesIn which I talk about how insurance companies (and especially life reinsurance companies) investigate mortality trends in their own business, and why individual life insurance and group life insurance differs. Yep, it’s wonky! There are differences due to age ranges in the business, sex ratios, geographic coverage, and all sorts of reasons — check it out!STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Related linksSociety of Actuaries Experience Stud...
2022-10-2528 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesLiability-Driven Investment: Definitions and JargonI talk about the term “liability-driven investment” (or LDI). It’s been blamed for some trouble in the United Kingdom lately during their interest rate run-up, but no such trouble has occurred in the United States as interest rates have also run up over here. It turns out, LDI is a term that can mean many different things which can differ depending on different jurisdictions and different goals.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or pai...
2022-10-1818 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesPolitical Risk and Public Pension InvestmentsIn which I look at recent news where some politicians announce they’re dumping an asset manager for the public pensions over political concerns, note some comments on ESG in public pensions, and then point out that politicians aren’t fiduciaries for public pensions.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Links from the podcastChief Investment Officer: 10 Oct 2022: Louisiana Divests Nearly $800 Million from BlackRock to P...
2022-10-1329 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesThere is no such thing as risk-freeIn which I tell some stories of transforming and valuing risk — and the mistake of marking it zero, when the risk is most definitely not zero. Telling the story of Long-Term Capital Management, lifecycle mutual funds versus money market funds, and more.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Related LinksLong Term Capital ManagementInvestopedia articleWhen Russia defaulted on its debt in...
2022-10-0422 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesA Jump in Interest Rates But No Restraint from Government....YetThe Federal Reserve hikes interest rates, the stock market takes a dive, the new British PM announces new policy, the pound takes a dive, and people notice that maybe the bills are starting to come due. JUST KIDDING! The politicians are still partying with current money, future money, and nonexistent money. Huzzah! STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Related LinksEffective Federal Funds Rate, 2000-now:FOMC...
2022-09-2722 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesGeeking Out Over TerminologyIn which I promote Dominic Lee’s new site Maverick Actuary, but also look at how we geeks can be more effective in communicating with the non-geeks.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode linksMaverick Actuary:I highly recommend The Maverick Actuary’s Podcast which can be found on his website: https://www.maverickactuary.com/podcastIt’s also on major podcast services:S...
2022-09-2025 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesBack to Taxachusetts?In which I look at the Pioneer Institute’s campaign against a ballot proposal to amend the Massachusetts state constitution, and to wander down the route other northeastern states have trod: ever-increasing tax rates on high-income residents, driving them to lower-tax climes.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode Links:Wall Street Journal Op-Ed - Don’t Make Massachusetts ‘Taxachusetts’ Again by Jim StergiosUnl...
2022-09-1318 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesAdvice on the CDC 2021 Life Expectancy ReportIn which I give advice to those currently living as to how to consider the effects of COVID on their life expectancy (short version: yes, COVID may have had an effect; no, the CDC report provides no information on that score) and advice to the CDC to stop using period life expectancy as a metric in following population mortality trends.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode Links
2022-09-0619 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesStudent loan reduction: short-term and long-term effectsIn this episode, I talk about the potential taxability of student loan forgiveness (for state income tax), but more about the long-term public finance problem. Those seeing a small bailout now will be expected to pay for a larger problem in just a decade.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Related Links:Tax Foundation: List of States That Might Tax Student Loan Debt Cancellation Dwindles, originally posted August 25, 2022...
2022-08-3116 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesPublic Pensions, ESG, DeSantis, and The Catholic ChurchSTUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode Links:July 27, 2022 Press Release: Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Initiatives to Protect Floridians from ESG Financial FraudGovernor DeSantis’ proposed legislation for the 2023 Legislative Session will:Prohibit big banks, credit card companies and money transmitters from discriminating against customers for their religious, political, or social beliefs.Prohibit State Board of Administration (SBA) fund managers from considering ESG factors wh...
2022-08-2428 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesLooking at Recent Mortality Increases -- and Expectations for the FutureLooking at where the highest relative increases occurred in mortality in 2021 in the U.S. (age 40-44), the causes that drove it (different for different age groups), and thinking about how that may influence future mortality trends.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Related LinksKey graph of relative change in mortalityGen X Trend:Millennial Trend:Links to posts on key...
2022-08-1523 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesExpertise, Definitions, and CredibilitySTUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Related Links2017: Friday Trumpery: The Murder-Suicide of Expertise [H]ere are the hallmarks of why “experts” are not being trusted:* The experts are not all that expert (well-credentialed, but deeply ignorant)* The experts lack intellectual humility – they hold onto wrong claims far past reasonability as a result, and make overconfident pronouncements* The experts are intell...
2022-08-0223 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMillennial Massacre OverviewSTUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Podcast Links and NotesMain post:Twitter thread:Interesting responses from others:The picture:Now Scotland:Some prior posts on drug overdoses:Top causes of death:GoActuary thread on mortality trends:https://community.goactuary.com/t/mortality-trends-non-pandemic/1388 Get full access to...
2022-07-2627 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMBTA and Pension Obligation BondsSTUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Related Links:Press Release from the Pioneer Institute in June: Study Finds Pension Obligation Bonds Could Worsen T Retirement Fund’s Financial WoesA new study published by Pioneer Institute finds that issuing pension obligation bonds (POBs) to refinance $360 million of the MBTA Retirement Fund’s (MBTARF’s) $1.3 billion unfunded pension liability would only compound the T’s already serious financia...
2022-07-1919 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesKen Griffin and Citadel Leave IllinoisPodcast Related LinksMark Glennon at Wirepoints on Ken Griffin: The Illinois Political Establishment’s Shameful Response To The Departure Of Ken Griffin And CitadelOn a wall in Ken Griffin’s office at Citadel in Chicago, I’m told by people who worked there, hangs a thank you note from a six-year old. Like many kids that age, he was enthralled by prehistoric creatures so he wrote to thank Griffin for funding Evolving Planet, a permanent wing in Chicago’s Field Museum.The six-year old was my son, who asked if he co...
2022-06-2813 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesPension Obligation BondsRelated LinksRecent post on Providence, Rhode Island POBs:Older STUMP posts on POBs:2018: Illinois Idiocy: Digesting the Presentation of the Mega Pension Obligation Bond Idea https://stump.marypat.org/article/906/illinois-idiocy-let-s-run-some-scenarios-on-a-gargantuan-pobThat was an idea of issuing a $100+ billion POB to cover the ginormous unfunded pension liabilities of Illinois. They didn’t do it.2015: Why are Pension Obligation Bonds OF THE DEVIL? A Lesson from the Dollar Auction http://stump.marypat.org/article/191/why-are-pension-obligation-bonds-of-the-devil-a-lesson-from-the-dollar-auctionThe dollar auction is a truly evil g...
2022-06-2016 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesSocial Security Trust Fund Running Out(please excuse the audio bobbles - I tried to edit them all out, but I missed a few. It was a software problem in processing the file.)Related LinksCNBC: Social Security fund will be able to pay benefits one year longer than expected, Treasury saysOASI Trust Fund History: 1937-2021 - I will write more about this history another timeA quick graph of the ups and downs:Every time those dots dip below the heavy bold line, the Trust Fund shrank. You can see the trouble of...
2022-06-1312 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesElon Musk, Fertility, and Decreasing PopulationsEpisode linksElon Musk tweets:The Total Fertility Rate graph:Musk’s followup:Musk has had 8 children, one of who died in infancy. Six of the children with his first wife. He had no children with his second wife (also divorced). And two children with ex-girlfriend. Census population change estimatesThis won’t embed on substack, alas. I will simply show you a few screenshots and you have to go over there for the interactivity.Here is the Census link:Ho...
2022-05-3020 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesDon't perpetrate financial fraud in spreadsheetsRelated LinksThe twitter thread starts here:Key tweets:From the legal filing:Next tweet:Image again:SEC press release of the fine:https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-84Defendants reduced losses under a market crash scenario in one risk report sent to investors from negative 42.1505489755747% to negative 4.1505489755747% -- by simply dropping the single digit 2. In another example, defendants “smoothed” performance data sent to investors by reducing losses on one day from negative 18.2607085709004% to negative 9.2607085709004% -- this time by cu...
2022-05-2417 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesDon't sell insurance to the MafiaRelated LinksCBS News: Human skeletal remains found at drought-stricken Lake Mead days after body discovered in barrelAstral Codex Ten: Every Bay Area House Party“War insurance?”“Yeah. We pay out if there’s a war.”“Isn’t that massively correlated risk?”“Yeah. The idea is, we sell war insurance to companies who do badly if there’s a war - tourist attractions and the like. Then we sell the same amount of peace insurance to military contractors. As long as we get the probabilities and costs right, we make...
2022-05-0915 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesThe sumo giant-killersThank you for reading STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more. This post is public so feel free to share it.Related links:DOSUKOI Sumo Salon — Giant-killers! available streaming for free until May 30, 2022The Enho v Tochinoshin bout I referred to (I was exaggerating about kicking his legs in the air):Hakkeyoi!A few sumo-related posts on STUMP: Get full access to STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more at marypatcampbell.substack.com/subscribe
2022-05-0418 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesDeath, taxes, and entitlementsThank you for reading STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more. This post is public so feel free to share it.Episode LinksFinancial Times Piece: Baby bust: economic stimulus helps births rebound from coronavirus pandemic (because of difficulties linking, it goes to excerpt I captured at my Actuarial News website)The number of births in advanced economies has largely rebounded to levels before the coronavirus pandemic, a Financial Times analysis shows, a recovery that experts say was partly because of stimulus policies deployed to mitigate...
2022-04-2615 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesWho Wants to Live Forever?Related Links:History of TIAA(-CREF): Wikipedia articleMethusaleh Foundation: https://www.mfoundation.org/Me talking about omega in December 2018:Living to 100 Symposium: A research symposium from the Society of Actuariesand, of course…. Get full access to STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more at marypatcampbell.substack.com/subscribe
2022-04-1914 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesTax Week and the NY State BudgetLinks from the podcastDies IraeWikipedia article: Dies IraeVerdi’s Requiem Dies Irae from the Met OperaAren’t you glad I don’t use that version?Mozart Dies Irae:I said this was “sweeter” than Verdi, but that’s just relative. It’s still terrifying in its own way.NY State BudgetGov. Hochul Press Release: Governor Hochul Announces Highlights of Historic FY 2023 New York State BudgetEmpire State for Public Policy press release: Spend, Spend, Spend: Empire...
2022-04-1116 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesDeath and DataSorry for the delay - I was having trouble uploading the audio file.References in the recording:The Provisional CDC WONDER Database can be found here: https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10-provisional.htmlASOP 23: Data Quality http://www.actuarialstandardsboard.org/asops/data-quality/The time I discussed data quality 2 years ago:(Actuaries! Listen to the podcast and watch the video! Read ASOP 23! Between the three should be 50 minutes… one credit of CE! Of professionalism! For free!)Stories on the geneticists changing the gene names because of Excel in Au...
2022-04-0624 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesIncome taxes and wealth taxesLet’s look at the current proposal (but not too long, our faces might melt).Reason: Biden Is Trying To Pass a Wealth Tax—Again. It Could Be Unconstitutional.Now, like a sequel to a movie that wasn't any good the first time around, a variation of the Biden-Wyden wealth tax is back for another try in the president's latest budget. This time around, the White House is trying to sell it using slick language. The New York Times reports that a White House document described the tax, aimed at those with assets of more than $...
2022-03-2908 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesInterest Rates and SumoFirst, thanks to FRED, Japan’s 10-year government bond yields versus U.S. 10-year Treasury bond yields.Ugh. Yeah, you can see those negative interest rates in Japan. For 10-year government bonds.Sumo!Natto Sumo YouTube Channel - main way I watch the bouts.Video of one day of matches:NHK World — one of their Sumopedia videos, on gold star victoriesTwo Facebook groups on Sumo: SumoSumoSumo (very active, and my fave sumo group) and NHK World’s Grand Sumo group (not ve...
2022-03-2216 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesDeath the Dickensian WayIn this episode, I discuss the many deaths in Dickens's novels. There are very many deaths in quite a variety.STUMP - Meep on public finance, pensions, mortality and more is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Episode Links:I have not checked the following chart from Dear Mr. Dickens for accuracy, but a graphical representation of various named character deaths in Dickens novels:As you can see, Bleak House is the dying-est novels for named characters.
2022-03-1517 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMeep starts her taxesIn the audio podcast I talk about why I didn’t start preparing my tax returns until yesterday (when I usually have them done by now). I also discuss the advance child tax credit payments during 2021, and the battle for the SALT cap removal. I hope it fails, as a wise man once said.A related recent-ish story from CNBC:Families are struggling again after just 2 months without child tax credit paymentsIt’s been two months since families with eligible children stopped getting advance child tax credit payments in December.
2022-03-0810 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesMemorial and Yuri DmitrievRelated links:Video from today — Memorial live stream against war:Memorial International:https://www.memo.ru/en-us/memorial/mission-and-statute/The Dmitriev Affair:https://dmitrievaffair.com/Dmitriev Affair Links:28 February 2022: MEMORIAL APPEAL AGAINST CLOSURE FAILS31 December 2021: “THE MAIN THING IS TO PASS ON WHAT WE KNOW”Excerpts from Dmitriev’s translated letter in 31 Dec 2021 post:“It’s rare to find a family that did not suffer at the hands of the Bolshevik-Communist regime and mine is no exception.”Emphasis added:
2022-02-2809 min
STUMP - Death and TaxesPresident's Day - Calvin CoolidgeTranscript: [this is an experiment using Dragon Speak and my own editing][Dies Irae chant intro]Hello and welcome to STUMP — death and taxes This is Mary Pat Campbell, also known as meep, the MP portion of STUMP. The STU part — That's the silent partner, and for today, Presidents' Day, I want to celebrate “Silent Cal” that is President Coolidge from 100 years ago. Yes, I know Presidents' Day is about Washington and Lincoln and it got squished together in one holiday. But when you name it Presidents' Day, then I'm gonn...
2022-02-2112 min
Catexplorer PodcastCatexploring coaching call for new catexplorers in urban areas with Eunice & MeepA catexploring coaching call with Eunice and Meep.
Meep is a relatively new catexplorer, who lives in an apartment and started catexploring in an urban area. Not only do we learn about Meep, we also share ideas on harness training, how to start catexploring if you live in an apartment, what to do on those bad days of catexploring and so much more.
See the show notes here: https://catexplorer.co/podcast-entries/catexploring-coaching-call-for-new-catexplorers-in-urban-areas-with-eunice-meep
To find out how to leave a review see here: https://catexplorer.co/podcast-entries/how-to-leave-a-review-for-the-catexplorer-podcast
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2020-11-2650 min
Text Before CallingText Before Calling EP-023- Meep-Meep Culpa -- Meep-Meep Culpa - With Guest Sam Posco - Music By; Daren Sprawls,: Ghostislandproductions.net
2016-07-1500 min
WICR PodcastsMEEP!On this podcast, Jared talks with Cory Carleton and Travis Brant the bassist and drummer respectively for the band Meep! Meep! is a musical exploration in various styles of jazz. Their new album Los Ritmos was released back in November. Jared and the guys talk about their new album, their strange song titles and the stories behind how those songs came out and also the writing and development process of the album.
2014-11-2400 min