Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Accounting Policies

NOTE 2.     ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Significant Accounting Policies

The significant accounting policies used in preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 are consistent with those discussed in Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued amended accounting guidance for goodwill in order to simplify how companies test goodwill for impairment. The amendments permit a company to first assess the qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. The more-likely-than-not threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent. If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, a company determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. The amendments are effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted. We do not expect the adoption of this accounting pronouncement to have a material effect on our financial statements when implemented.

In June 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for presentation of comprehensive income. Under the amended guidance, a company may present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In either case, a company is required to present each component of net income along with total net income, each component of other comprehensive income along with a total for other comprehensive income, and a total amount for comprehensive income. Regardless of choice in presentation, of which we are currently evaluating, a company is required to present on the face of the financial statements reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income in the statement(s) where the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income are presented. For public companies, the amendment is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, and shall be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. Other than a change in presentation, the implementation of this accounting pronouncement is not expected to have a material impact on our financial statements when implemented.

In May 2011, the FASB issued authoritative guidance that amends the existing requirements for fair value measurement and disclosure. Among other things, the guidance expands the disclosure requirements around fair value measurements categorized in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy and requires disclosure of the level in the fair value hierarchy of items that are not measured at fair value in the statement of financial position but whose fair value must be disclosed. It also clarifies and expands upon existing requirements for measurement of the fair value of financial assets and liabilities as well as instruments classified in shareholders' equity. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not expect the adoption of the guidance to have a material impact on our financial statements when implemented.

There are no other new accounting pronouncements adopted or enacted during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 that had, or are expected to have, a material impact on our financial statements.