INCOME TAXES (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of (provision for) benefit from income taxes and the effective tax rates

The following table presents the provision for income taxes and the effective tax rates:

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2012			September 30, 2011			September 30, 2012			September 30, 2011
	(in thousands, except for percentages)
Income before income taxes	$	27,551		$	139,909		$	56,762		$	333,948
Provision for income taxes	(5,915		)	(23,203		)	(13,985		)	(51,819		)
Effective tax rate	21.47		%	16.58		%	24.64		%	15.52		%