Fair Value Measurements and Auction Rate Securities (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Fair Value Measurements and Auction Rate Securities [Abstract]

Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis

The following table presents the auction rate securities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) for the interim periods presented (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2012		2011

Balance as of January 1	$	1,956	$	2,001
Total gains (realized or unrealized):
Recognized gains included in earnings ⁽¹⁾	—		9
Settlements	—		(35		)
Balance as of March 31	$	1,956	$	1,975

(1) Total realized gains on redemptions or partial redemptions at par of auction rate securities for the periods presented.

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of assets, including [financial] instruments measured at fair value that are classified in stockholders' equity, if any, by class that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis. The disclosures contemplated herein include the fair value measurements at the reporting date by the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements in their entirety fall, segregating fair value measurements using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2), and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3).

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