Investments and Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended																		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	May 22, 2013 Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Equity Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Equity Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Equity Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Equity Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Equity Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Equity Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Warrant [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member] New Valley LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Warrant [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member] New Valley LLC [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Warrant [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member] New Valley LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Corporate Debt Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Corporate Debt Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Corporate Debt Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Corporate Debt Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Corporate Debt Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage-backed Securities, Issued by US Government Sponsored Enterprises [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage-backed Securities, Issued by US Government Sponsored Enterprises [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage-backed Securities, Issued by US Government Sponsored Enterprises [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage-backed Securities, Issued by US Government Sponsored Enterprises [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage-backed Securities, Issued by US Government Sponsored Enterprises [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Asset-backed Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Asset-backed Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Asset-backed Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Asset-backed Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Asset-backed Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commodity Index Linked Notes [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commodity Index Linked Notes [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commodity Index Linked Notes [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Commodity Index Linked Notes [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Income Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Convertible Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Convertible Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Variable Interest 7.5% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member] Convertible Debt [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 Variable Interest 7.5% Senior Convertible Debentures [Member] Convertible Debt [Member]
Assets:
Money market funds				$ 130,733	$ 372,718	$ 130,733	$ 372,718	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Certificates of deposit				2,961	2,240	0	0	2,961	2,240	0	0
Bonds				5,337	6,306	5,337	6,306	0	0	0	0
Investment securities available for sale	172,534	69,984			69,984		69,107		877		0		118,474	69,984	118,474	117,737	737	0				13,990	13,990	0	13,990	0	29,923	29,923	6,497	23,426	0	495	495	0	495	0	6,822	6,822	0	6,822	0	2,081	2,081	0	2,081	0	749	0	749	0	54,060
Bonds available for sale																																																				54,060	6,497	47,563	0
Warrants				1,935	769	0	0	0	0	1,935	769
Total				313,500	452,017	260,304	448,131	51,261	3,117	1,935	769
Liabilities:
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt				112,062	172,128	0	0	0	0	112,062	172,128
Investment in equity securities, shares held												240,000									1,000,000
Investment owned at cost																			1,758	717
Changes in fair value, gain (loss)																			1,041	(1,174)
Fair value of derivatives embedded within covertible debt	19,128	0																																																						112,062	172,128
Income (charges) from embedded derivatives	18,935	(7,476)	7,984
Nonrecurring nonfinancial assets subject to fair value measurements	$ 0	$ 0
Interest rate effective percentage																																																										7.50%	7.50%