How cast interval to minutes as number?

[Andreas <maps(dot)on(at)gmx(dot)net>]

Hi,

I have a column with timestamps  --> some_ts  .
I'd like to calculate the amount of time between this timestamp and NOW().

select   some_ts - NOW()   from some_table;

This results in a column of type  interval.

How would I get this interval converted into e.g. minutes.
I need the whole value converted not just the 0-59 minutes part.
Like  a difference of exactly 1 day = 24*60 minutes rather than 0 
minutes if I just take the minute-part.

Seconds would be fine, too.


select EXTRACT (EPOCH FROM INTERVAL some_ts - NOW()) from ....

gets me a syntax error

Help?

Regards
Andreas