Income Taxes (Notes)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]

Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

INCOME TAXES:

In first half2011, our effective tax rate was approximately 35.5% based on the statutory federal tax rate net of discrete federal and foreign taxes. During first half2010, our effective tax rate was approximately 35.2% based on the statutory federal tax rate net of discrete foreign taxes.

During first half2011 and first half2010, we paid approximately $4.8 million and $16.5 million, respectively, of foreign source withholding tax. We previously accrued approximately $2.9 million of the first half2011 foreign source withholding payments and established a corresponding deferred tax asset representing the associated foreign tax credit that we expect to utilize to offset future U.S. federal income taxes.

Our future book tax expense may also be affected by charges associated with any share-based tax shortfalls that may occur. However, we cannot predict if, when or to what extent this will affect our future tax expense. If, in the course of future tax planning, we identify tax saving opportunities that entail amending prior year returns in order to avail ourselves fully of credits that we previously considered unavailable to us, we will recognize the benefit of the credits in the period in which they are both identified and quantified, thereby reducing the book tax expense in that period.