Dear friend,

What a busy week for superlatives — bumper results, record results, cracking results, superb results, vintage results… exceptional results.

The poor old thesaurus got a real work out this week as the 2006 results season got underway — they are uniformly superb — just as we expected.

Or just as we feared.

With burly vigour, squadrons of pristine numbers bounded out and knocked analysts estimates for six, (or a home run, if you are so inclined). Our industry is basking in glory as an aura of invincibility descends. Our cup runneth over.

No wonder the guys in the shiny suits down Florida way have got it into their heads that reinsurance is one long swell profits party and have decided to take away the punch bowl before things get too crazy.

Hey, this reinsurance game looks so much fun that they might even lace the hooch with a bit of old Cuban rum and take a swig themselves. Why do the aliens have to hog the party? And what did they ever do for us anyway? They can party somewhere else.

But don’t get the cigars out just yet — there are some gatecrashers at the door — some good time girls for sure, but they can get wild if you cut them too much slack.

There names are, Andrea, Chantal, Erin, Gabrielle, Ingrid, Karen, Melissa, Olga, Rebekah, Tanya and Wendy.

It’s a crying shame, but they’ve brought some guys too – here’s the full uninvited guest-list.

Cut the music, turn up the lights, brew up some coffee!.