When the company's business model works, it works beautifully -- the insurance side of it is large, relatively steady, and potentially quite profitable. At times when the more up-and-down investments and Ventures are doing well, Markel's overall fundamentals can really jump. In leaner periods, the relatively steady insurance operations may serve to compensate. An attempt to streamline the business already seems to be having an effect on the company's fundamentals. While we can't categorize conglomerate Mark ...