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Income Taxes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Income Taxes [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
Note 13. Income Taxes

We account for income taxes in accordance with ASC topic 740, Income Taxes ("ASC 740") which requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be recognized using enacted tax rates for the effect of temporary differences between the book and tax bases of recorded assets and liabilities. ASC 740 also requires that deferred tax assets be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that a portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.  We recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. As of September 30, 2012, we do not have any gross unrecognized tax benefits, nor any accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions. As a result of the implementation of ASC 740 on January 1, 2007, we identified $16.4 million in liability for unrecognized tax benefits. Of this amount, none was accounted for as a reduction to the January 1, 2007 balance of retained earnings. The amount decreased the tax loss carry-forwards in the U.S. which are fully offset by a valuation allowance. We file income tax returns in the U.S. federal, various states and foreign jurisdictions. We have substantially concluded all U.S. federal and state income tax matters through December 31, 2008. Provision for (benefit from) income taxes for three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011 were mostly related to our China subsidiary and our China joint venture operations. The income tax benefit recorded in the three months ended September 30, 2012 is the result of some refunds received by one of China join ventures and the refund of some previously paid U.S. based state income taxes. We have made a tax election in China whereby certain minimum foreign withholding taxes are treated as an expense and not a tax credit. Besides the state tax liabilities, no Federal income tax expense has been provided for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011 due to the valuation allowance being available.