2020

Question 1

Does the risk of ASCVD(atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease) increase with age?

Answer 1

Yes. Given 140/90 BP and LDL cholesterol of 3.4mmol/L, the risk of ASCVD is 5.3% at 50, 11.8% at 60, and 22.6% at 70.

Question 2

What are healthy cholesterol levels?

Answer 2

LDL < 100. 130 =high, 160 = very high. HDL <40 very bad. 40-60 = bad, >60 = good

Question 3

What was the impact of the spanish flu?

Answer 3

700k people in US died. (2M deaths in 2020 US population). 5% of world population in 1918, or 50-100M people.
50% of death toll for spanish flu was prime age, 20’s to 30’s, the better the immune response the worse the fluid and debris in the lungs.
20M people died in India, largest number.
Started in small military base in Kansas.
Petered out on its own, virus’ mutate to less lethal forms over time.

Question 4

What is the GRU?

Answer 4

The military intelligence wing of the Armed forces of the Russian Federation. Largest intelligence service in Russia. Reports to Russian Military command as opposed to FSB (federal security service - internal, think FBI), SVR (foreign intelligence service-external, think CIA), FSO (Federal Protective Service - High Ranking Official Protection - Internal, think Secret Service) .

Question 5

Define Apoplectic

Answer 5

Overcome with anger

Question 6

Define Trenchant

Answer 6

Vigorous or incisive in expression or style

Question 7

Define Incisive

Answer 7

Intelligently analytical and clear thinking

Question 8

What is option gamma

Answer 8

The rate of change of it’s delta from a move in the underlying price.
As the underlying price moves, the price of the option adjusts by the delta. As the price moves away from the strike price, ie either more in or out of the money, the gamma decreases as the delta gravitates toward 1 or 0.
In high volatility environments, gamma is more evenly distributed across different strike prices. In a low volatility environment with little price moves expected, the gamma is concentrated on the strike price closest to at the money.

Question 9

What is the impact of Bernie Sanders policies on economy if elected?

Answer 9

24% decline in Real GDP
Real Wages down 50% after taxes
Employment would fall 16%
Less healthcare, less childcare, less energy, and less value added in the university sector as the result of reduced economic performance and associated decline in spending/investing capital.

Question 10

Statistics on Coronavirus - Mortality rate, transmission rate, demographics.

Answer 10

Max mortality = 2%, likely closer to 1% as some have mild symptoms. Transmission rate = 2.2%

Question 11

Under what scenarios can article 5 of NATO drafted in 1948 be invoked?

Answer 11

If any of the parties are attacked on their own soil.
In 1952, drafted additional article 6 to suggest Turkey (and Greece) and all their territory including their forces in the meditteranean are protected.
Can only invoke article 5 only if the NATO country attacked was not attacked in self defence, meaning the country is attacked in a lawful counterattack from an initial attack by the NATO country as per the UN.
Article 4 allows for a member state to request consultations if a members interests are at risk outside of the member state.

Question 12

Who is Guy Fieri?

Answer 12

Food Network guy with frosted tips. Opened two restaurants in Boston closet to Boston Common, Boston Kithchen+ Bar (burgers wings, small bits) and Chicken Guy! (fast casual fresh chicken tenders).

Question 13

Life expectency profile throughout history

Answer 13

1550-1850’s pretty stable, started to climb with advent of sanitary controls for drinking water and hand cleansing in late 1800’s, and then skyrocketed with antibiotics.

Question 14

Opt In vs. Opt Out programs for organ donors in Europe

Answer 14

Opt in programs have 12% participation (German), Opt Out have 99% participation (Austria)

Question 15

What are the two types of dividends, what are the associated tax rates, and how can you avoid dividend reinvestment taxes?

Answer 15

Types of dividends -
Qualified (standard dividends that receive capital gains tax (15% <425k, 20%>425 income)
Unqualified (dividends from REITS etc. taxed at income tax levels)
Avoid dividend reinvestment tax by investing in dividend stocks in tax deffered or tax free accounts, IRA/401k.

Question 16

What is steeplechase?

Answer 16

Originally a distance horse race with obstacles primarily in Ireland.
Also an athletic 3000M race combining running, hurdles, and long jump.

Question 17

Why is the current model broken in real estate?

Answer 17

Buy side agent incentives in wrong place
Sell side incentives too small to care about price
Sucks to have people coming into your house for an extended period for showings
Sucks to wait for a long time to sell (illiquidity)
Poor pricing information (algos can do it better than agents)

Question 18

What are some companies changing real estate and how?

Answer 18

Flyhomes - Puts up cash to buy home in hot market, owner gets mortgage later
Opendoor - Market maker for less liquid areas, buys property immediately. Owns 10% market share in some areas.
Divvy - Occupant finds any house for sale, agrees to rent for 3 years. Divvy buys, rents to you, you have option to buy at end of period converting some of your rents to ownership.
Point - Owner can sell % of house to get liquidity during cash constrained periods.
Bungalow, Common, Home Share, HubHaus - Roomate/Home Share. Wework for housing.

Question 19

Define writ of certiorari

Answer 19

Rarely used, an appelate court may use a writ to hear a lower courts case at it’s discretion. Certiorari means to “be fully informed”. The Supreme Court hears most of it’s cases by writ.

Question 20

How did Keith Richards write the intro to the 1965 hit “Satisfaction”

Answer 20

In his sleep

Question 21

What did Jane Goodall find?

Answer 21

Her studies on Chimps starting in the 60’s showed:
Chimps used tools
Chimps were not vegitarians (eat small animals, baboons, and small antelope.)
Males would not take part in family life but played role in social stratification
Males would have an alpha, others would ingratiate themselves to the alpha to not get hurt

Question 22

Why is the common theory that the U.S. Software exports (services) offset Hardware imports from China wrong?

Answer 22

Hardware imports are massively higher, at around 8x software exports. R&D exports are inflated by services expensed in tax havens like Ireland.

Question 23

Define Keynsian economic theory

Answer 23

Governments should take an active role in smoothing downturns through demand stimulus including monetary and fiscal stimulus.
Based on the idea of the multiplier, that small interventions can have multiplied effects in a broad economy.

Question 24

What trajedy inspired Eric Clapton’s 1992 hit “Tears in Heaven”

Answer 24

His son accidentally fell to his death from a window in his apartment left open by a janitor.

Question 25

In ancient Egypt, how did surviving family members keep their dead ancestors alive?

Answer 25

There was an entire class of priests who would undertake the mummification rituals and pray for the dead. Keeping the dead “alive” required weekly payment to these priests.

Question 26

What percentage of UFC Revenue do it’s fighters get? How does this compare to other sports?

Answer 26

UFC = around 20%, other sports average is 50%.

Question 27

How does Remdesivir work to fight COVID-19?

Answer 27

Viruses main function is to enter into a cell, and use the cells energy to replicate their RNA, releasing more viruses. New RNA is assembled from chemical units called bases. Remdesivir looks like one of these bases, hampering with the production line of the viral DNA.

Question 28

What is a cytokene storm?

Answer 28

Over-release of immune response molecules (cytokenes) that regulate immunity and inflammation. Leads to fever, nausea. Hypercytokinemia is the accelerated life threatening version.

Question 29

What is the traditional definition of a meme?

Answer 29

Cultural elements or behaviors passed from one generation to the next.

Question 30

What are the theories as to why Neanderthals went extinct?

Answer 30

1) Violent death by homo sapiens
2) Parasites or pathogens brought by homo sapiens
3) Competitive disadvantage at scale - neanderthals lived in smaller tribes. Technological inertia, not much advancement during the Neanderthal periods.

Question 31

What was thalidomide?

Answer 31

Drug prescribed to pregnant women in the 50’s to reduce nausea. Caused thousands of babies to be born with malformed limbs.

Question 32

What is the grippe?

Answer 32

The grippe, or the grip was what influenza type illnesses were called before “influenza” in the early 20th century because of the pressure in the rib cage.

Question 33

Why does USPS Suck?

Answer 33

2006 law Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act: Set aside 5B/Year for 10 years for healthcare benefit prefunding.
Capped rates USPS could charge, capping income.
More obligations, less income as a result of congress.

Question 34

What factors cause inflation?

Answer 34

Higher production costs from raw materials or wages passed on to consumers, driving higher demand for wages.
Consumers willing to pay higher prices with too much money chasing scarce supply. Essentially credit and/or money exceed the goods that can be purchased, or put another way income/GDP growth exceeds interest rate/debt service by a substantial amount.

Question 35

What inspired the song “Sweet Caroline”

Answer 35

Neil Diamond saw a picture of Caroline Kennedy as a young child in riding gear.

Question 36

Why is big pharma production outside the U.S.?

Answer 36

Pharma production is not labor intensive, so production happens in high wage skilled countries. It’s capital intensive. U.S. Big Pharma produces in places like Ireland and Switzerland and selling into the U.S. at inflated prices. Now they are able to repatriate profits after large deductions in offshore entities and pay a much lower effective tax rate than if they were to be producing and taxed in the U.S.