Rugged Billionaire Simons Loved a Million

Simons or Robards? You Decide

Some people are fans of billionaire Oprah Winfrey, what with her undiscovered relatives and wispy life philosophies, while others prefer the just off the tractor, down home wisdom of Warren Buffet; people hang on the every word of both. But if we were to take to false idols, we would put James Simons up on a pedestal next to the golden calf. He has quietly turned Renaissance Technologies into a profit machine with the help of invisible mathematical elves that nobody has ever actually laid eyes upon. He also reminds us a lot of Jason Robards, another favorite of ours.

There are those who question his means and methods, having no clue as to how he generates unquestionably marvelous returns so often, but like most gods, is it our place to ask why? Or how? Of course not. We are not the government, or skeptical little Satans, or Pharisees, trying to stop the water from being turned into wine and dollars.

Dealbreaker pulls up an interview, rabbit like, out of the archives of who knows where. The interviewer--high school age, and for a high school publication--does a far better job than a professional like Charlie Rose might do, in part by letting the subject actually answer questions and without the "that's not what I am really saying" paraphrases that Rose is apt to construct when not talking over this subjects.

Someone really needs to do a comprehensive biography on this man's life, or at least a textbook on his methods.