Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

INCOME TAXES

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INCOME TAXES
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
INCOME TAXES
7. INCOME TAXES

We are subject to U.S. federal, state and international income taxes. We are generally no longer subject to federal, state, or international income tax examinations by tax authorities for years ending prior to December 31, 2002, with few exceptions. Due to the potential for resolution of state and foreign examinations, and the expiration of various statutes of limitations, it is reasonably possible that our gross unrecognized tax benefit balance may change within the next twelve months by a range of $0 to $8.3 million.

Effective Tax Rate.      Our effective income tax rate was 36.2% for the three months ended September 30, 2011, up from 34.4% for the same period in 2010.  The increase is due to federal and state tax benefits realized during the third quarter of 2010 that did not recur in the same period of 2011.  The effective income tax rate was 43.9% for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, up from 35.7% for the same period in 2010 with the increase primarily due to the Brazilian Transaction that occurred during the second quarter of 2011.  The impact of the Brazilian Transaction increased our effective rate 7.7% for the nine months ended September 30, 2011.  The nine month effective income tax rate also increased due to federal and state tax benefits realized in 2010.