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INCOME TAXES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
15. SUBSEQUENT EVENT [Abstract]  
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]
INCOME TAXES

Our effective tax rate, which represents our tax provision as a percentage of loss before tax, was 3% and 15%, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011.  Our provision for income taxes for the 2012 period increased by approximately $0.9 million from the 2011 period, primarily as a result of changes in the jurisdictional mix of earnings, changes in our transfer pricing strategy and overall lower profitability of the business.  During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2012, there was a net discrete tax benefit of approximately $0.1 million which is primarily comprised of a $3.8 million benefit for a refund claim related to a previously accrued Canadian withholding tax liability and a $0.7 million benefit for a release of a tax reserve, partially offset by a $2.0 million withholding tax liability on a Canadian dividend, a $1.4 million tax provision associated with an Irish income tax audit, a $0.5 million tax provision associated with a change in the Company's indefinite reinvestment assertion with respect to its Canadian subsidiary, and the establishment of a valuation allowance against certain foreign deferred tax assets of $0.4 million.  By comparison, during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2011 (Revised), there were no significant discrete items that impacted the tax provision.  No benefit is provided for losses generated in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions, including Ireland, due to the full valuation allowance on the respective deferred tax assets.

We have significant net deferred tax assets which are primarily a result of tax credits and operating loss carryforwards.  The realization of the net deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of sufficient future taxable income in the applicable tax jurisdictions.   We regularly review our deferred tax assets for recoverability with consideration for such factors as historical losses, projected future taxable income, the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary differences, and tax planning strategies.  ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, requires us to record a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.  Based on our level of deferred tax assets at September 30, 2012 and our level of historical U.S. and certain foreign losses, we have determined that the uncertainty regarding the realization of these assets is sufficient to warrant the need for a full valuation allowance against our U.S. net deferred tax assets and certain foreign deferred tax assets.

We file in multiple tax jurisdictions and from time to time are subject to audit in certain tax jurisdictions, but we believe that we are adequately reserved for these exposures.  ASC Topic 740 requires that a tax position must be more likely than not to be sustained before being recognized in the financial statements.  It also requires the accrual of interest and penalties as applicable on unrecognized tax positions.  At September 30, 2012, our unrecognized tax benefits and related accrued interest and penalties totaled $13.9 million, of which $0.1 million would affect our effective tax rate if recognized. At December 31, 2011 (Revised), our unrecognized tax benefits and related accrued interest and penalties totaled $12.9 million, of which $0.9 million would affect our effective tax rate if recognized.  The increase in our unrecognized tax benefits since December 31, 2011 (Revised) was the result of a $1.7 million increase related to uncertain tax positions embedded in our domestic tax loss carryforwards.  This increase did not have an impact on the effective tax rate because we had previously maintained a full valuation allowance on the tax loss carryforwards.  This increase was partially offset by a decrease of $0.6 million related to a reserve release resulting from the closure of a tax examination during the quarter ended March 31, 2012 and a decrease of $0.1 million related to a reserve release resulting from the expiration of the statute of limitations on a foreign tax reserve during the quarter ended June 30, 2012.