Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statements of Operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 257,606	[1]	$ 260,378	[1]
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	200,181	[1]	205,177	[1]
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	23,979		23,725
Management fee expense	0		0
Operating (loss) income	33,446		31,476
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(26,252)		(24,928)
Changes in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	(21,057)		(575)
Gain on extinguishment of debt	2		0
Gain on sale of investment securities available for sale	0		13,035
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments	0		4,136
Gain on sales of townhome	0		3,135
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Management fee income	0		0
Other, net	(70)		76
(Loss) income before provision for income taxes	(11,182)		32,022
Income tax (expense) benefit	3,492		(12,649)
Net (loss) income	(7,690)		19,373
Comprehensive (loss) income	(12,033)		14,850
Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	2,863		4,904
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	2,863		4,904
Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	(114)		763
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	(114)		763
Parent/Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0		0
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	0		0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	6,261		6,330
Management fee expense	0		0
Operating (loss) income	(6,261)		(6,330)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(24,909)		(24,486)
Changes in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	(21,057)		(575)
Gain on extinguishment of debt	2
Gain on sale of investment securities available for sale			0
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments			4,136
Gain on sales of townhome			0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	24,618		33,980
Management fee income	2,291		2,208
Other, net	(97)		66
(Loss) income before provision for income taxes	(25,527)		9,762
Income tax (expense) benefit	17,837		9,611
Net (loss) income	(7,690)		19,373
Comprehensive (loss) income	(12,033)		14,850
Parent/Issuer [Member] | Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	0		0
Parent/Issuer [Member] | Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	(114)		763
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	(114)		763
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	257,606		260,378
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	200,181		205,177
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	18,204		17,552
Management fee expense	2,291		2,208
Operating (loss) income	36,930		35,441
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(1,336)		(433)
Changes in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Gain on extinguishment of debt	0
Gain on sale of investment securities available for sale			13,035
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments			0
Gain on sales of townhome			0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Management fee income	0		0
Other, net	27		10
(Loss) income before provision for income taxes	35,621		48,053
Income tax (expense) benefit	(13,233)		(18,985)
Net (loss) income	22,388		29,068
Comprehensive (loss) income	21,764		24,631
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member] | Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	0		0
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member] | Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	0		0
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0		0
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	0		0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	(486)		(157)
Management fee expense	0		0
Operating (loss) income	486		157
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(7)		(9)
Changes in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Gain on extinguishment of debt	0
Gain on sale of investment securities available for sale			0
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments			0
Gain on sales of townhome			3,135
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Management fee income	0		0
Other, net	0		0
(Loss) income before provision for income taxes	3,342		8,187
Income tax (expense) benefit	(1,112)		(3,275)
Net (loss) income	2,230		4,912
Comprehensive (loss) income	2,230		4,912
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors [Member] | Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	2,863		4,904
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	2,863		4,904
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors [Member] | Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	0		0
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0		0
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold	0		0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	0		0
Management fee expense	(2,291)		(2,208)
Operating (loss) income	2,291		2,208
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	0		0
Changes in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Gain on extinguishment of debt	0
Gain on sale of investment securities available for sale			0
Gain on liquidation of long-term investments			0
Gain on sales of townhome			0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	(24,618)		(33,980)
Management fee income	(2,291)		(2,208)
Other, net	0		0
(Loss) income before provision for income taxes	(24,618)		(33,980)
Income tax (expense) benefit	0		0
Net (loss) income	(24,618)		(33,980)
Comprehensive (loss) income	(23,994)		(29,543)
Consolidating Adjustments [Member] | Estate [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	0		0
Consolidating Adjustments [Member] | Long Term Investment [Member]
Other income (expenses):
Equity income from non-consolidated real estate businesses	0		0
Equity (loss) income on long-term investments	$ 0		$ 0

[1] Revenues and Cost of goods sold include excise taxes of $121,925 and $127,634, respectively.