BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Reconciliations of Earnings from Continuing Operations to Adjusted Operating Profit) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014
Earnings from continuing operations	$ 72,543	$ 99,131	$ 117,606
Income taxes	12,647	46,844	47,351
Interest expense	62,231	77,760	77,037
Discounts on sales of accounts receivable	1,700	2,400	3,900
Continuing operations
Discounts on sales of accounts receivable	1,687	1,547	3,835
Adjusted operating profit (loss) from continuing operations	$ 149,108	$ 225,282	$ 245,829

It represents non-GAAP financial measures of adjusted operating profit (loss) from continuing operations.

No definition available.

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- Definition

A gain (loss) realized on a transfer, accounted for as a sale, of all or a portion of financial assets in which the transferor surrenders control and receives consideration other than a beneficial interest in the assets transferred. Reflects the amount of sales proceeds in excess of, or deficient from, the sum of the carrying amounts of transferred financial assets plus transaction costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7,9)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

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- Definition

Amount after tax of income (loss) from continuing operations including portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 19
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68079674&loc=SL4569616-111683

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- Definition

Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a),(b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32639-109319

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Income Tax Expense (or Benefit)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515339

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- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28555-108399

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section S99
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