Note 14. Employee Stock Option and Retirement Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2012

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block]

	2012			2011			2010
At August 31,	Number of Shares	Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Number of Shares	Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Number of Shares	Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share
Outstanding at fiscal year end	6,083	$	64.76	6,132	$	57.28	6,451	$  47.73
Exercisable at fiscal year end	2,858	$	48.44	2,643	$	38.99	3,331	$  34.49

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, by Exercise Price Range [Table Text Block]

					Outstanding						Exercisable
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share				Number Outstanding	Weighted Average Remaining Years of Contractual Life		Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Aggregate Intrinsic Value		Number Exercisable		Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
$	14.97	–	$39.99	1,048	2.08	$	28.47	$	66,865		977	$	27.94	$	62,882
$	40.00	–	$59.99	936	1.52	$	49.56	$	39,985		910	$	49.72	$	38,719
$	60.00	–	$66.46	1,585	3.77	$	65.55	$	42,347		799	$	66.03	$	20,952
$	66.47	–	$89.99	994	4.81	$	71.12	$	21,033		157	$	74.30	$	2,816
$	90.00	–	$103.30	1,520	9.24	$	94.17	$	(2,887	)	15	$	98.88	$	(102	)
				6,083	4.67	$	64.76	$	167,343		2,858	$	48.44	$	125,267

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights Award Activity [Table Text Block]

	Number Outstanding			Weighted Average  Exercise Price Per Share
Balance at August 31, 2009		7,553		$	39.51
Granted – non performance-based		329			63.42
Granted – performance-based		1,721			66.91
Granted – non-employee Directors grant		19			66.81
Exercised		(1,980	)		25.77
Forfeited*		(1,191	)		64.47
Balance at August 31, 2010		6,451		$	47.73
Granted – non performance-based		91			89.45
Granted – performance-based		892			89.39
Granted – non-employee Directors grant		15			95.05
Exercised		(1,209	)		32.08
Forfeited		(108	)		66.55
Balance at August 31, 2011		6,132		$	57.28
Granted – non performance-based		540			93.96
Granted – performance-based		907			93.80
Granted – non-employee Directors grant		21			87.26
Exercised		(731	)		35.96
Forfeited**		(786	)		87.37
Balance at August 31, 2012		6,083		$	64.76

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block]

	Number Outstanding			Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Award
Balance at August 31, 2010		261		$	61.65
Granted (restricted stock and stock units)		154		$	87.55
Vested		-		$	-
Canceled/forfeited		(8	)	$	69.41
Balance at August 31, 2011		407		$	71.31
Granted (restricted stock and stock units)		-		$	-
Vested*		(14	)	$	69.02
Canceled/forfeited		(10	)	$	77.13
Balance at August 31, 2012		383		$	71.34

Schedule of Share Based Awards Available For Grant [Table Text Block]

	Share-based Awards Available for Grant under Employee Stock Option Plans			Share-based Awards Available for Grant under Non-Employee Stock Option Plans
Balance at August 31, 2009		4,124			181
Granted – non performance-based options		(329	)		-
Granted – performance-based options		(1,721	)		-
Granted – non-employee Directors grant		-			(19	)
Restricted stock awards granted*		(667	)		-
Share-based awards canceled/forfeited		1,204			-
Share-based awards expired**		(395	)		-
Balance at August 31, 2010		2,216			162
Amendment to the 2004 Stock Option and Award Plan to increase the number of shares available for issuance***		4,000			-
Granted – non performance-based options		(91	)		-
Granted – performance-based options		(892	)		-
Granted – non-employee Directors grant		-			(15	)
Restricted stock awards granted*		(386	)		-
Share-based awards canceled/forfeited		130			-
Balance at August 31, 2011		4,977			147
Granted – non performance-based options		(540	)		-
Granted – performance-based options		(907	)		-
Granted – non-employee Directors grant		-			(21	)
Restricted stock awards granted*		-			-
Share-based awards canceled/forfeited		810			-
Balance at August 31, 2012		4,340			126

Performance Shares [Member]

ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationVestingPercentageAndRelatedExpensesTableTextBlock

Vesting Percentage	Total Unamortized Stock-based Compensation Expense at August 31, 2012		Cumulative Catch-up Adjustment*		Average Remaining Quarterly Expense to be Recognized
0%	$	0	$	0	$	0
20%	$	2,726	$	914	$	164
60%	$	8,178	$	2,742	$	492
100%	$	13,630	$	4,570	$	820

July 2012 Performance Based Option Grant Review [Member]

ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationVestingPercentageAndRelatedExpensesTableTextBlock

Vesting Percentage	Cumulative Catch-up Adjustment*			Remaining Expense to be Recognized
0%	$	(84	)	$	0
20%	$	0		$	1,516
40%	$	136		$	3,064
60%	$	200		$	4,600
80%	$	257		$	6,143
100%	$	330		$	7,670

Other Performace-Based Options [Member]

ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationVestingPercentageAndRelatedExpensesTableTextBlock

Vesting Percentage	Cumulative Catch-up Adjustment*		Remaining Expense to be Recognized
0%	$	0	$	0
50%	$	3,380	$	4,370
100%	$	8,474	$	7,026