Is management candid with the shareholders?

I like to buy things I can understand. I do a lot of research on things.

The most important investment you can make is in yourself... nobody can tax it or take it away from you.

None of this means, however, that a business or stock is an intelligent purchase simply because it is unpopular; a contrarian approach is just as foolish as a follow-the-crowd strategy. What's required is thinking rather than polling. Unfortunately, Bertrand Russell's observation about life in general applies with unusual force in the financial world: "Most men would rather die than think. Many do."

I look at everything. That's my job. I really do, every day. I think about everything.

Do what you would do for free, having passion for what you do is the most important thing.

We set no volume goals in our insurance business generally-and certainly not in reinsurance-as virtually any volume can be achieved if profitability standards are ignored.