Note 20 - Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Financial Instruments Disclosure [Text Block]

20.   FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Information on the Company’s financial instruments was as follows:

(In Thousands)

	December 31
	2012				2011
	Carrying		Fair		Carrying		Fair
	Amount		Value		Amount		Value
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	27,898	$	27,898	$	32,562	$	32,562
Restricted cash		177		177		169		169
Short-term investments		69,427		69,427		93,016		93,016
Long-term investments in available-for-sale securities		943		943		791		791
Restricted assets		10,000		10,000		-		-

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted assets reported in the consolidated balance sheets approximate their estimated fair values.  The fair values of short-term investments and long-term investments in available-for-sale securities are based on quoted market prices.

Long-term investments, except for investments in available-for-sale securities, are in privately-held companies where there is no readily determinable market value and are recorded using the cost method.  Since they entail an unreasonable high cost to obtain verifiable fair values, fair value is not presented.  The Company periodically evaluates these investments for impairment.  If it is determined that an other-than-temporary decline has occurred in the carrying value, an impairment loss is recorded in the period of decline in value.