Note 11 - Senior Notes and Credit Facilities - Senior Notes and Credit Facilities Balances (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Apr. 30, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017
Senior Secured Term Loan [Member]
Long-term Line of Credit, Total	[1],[2]	$ 73,562	$ 72,987
Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	1,091,303	1,090,636
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 9.50% 2020 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	74,456	74,350
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 2.0% 2021 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	53,076	53,058
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 5.0% 2021 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	134,638	133,732
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 10.0% 2022 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	434,855	434,543
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | The 10.5% 2024 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	394,278	394,953
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	210,408	366,250
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | The 7.0% 2019 Notes [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]		131,957
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | The 8.0% Senior Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	65,386	234,293
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | Thirteen and a Half Percent Senior Notes Due 2026 [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	101,829
Unsecured Senior Notes Excluding Senior Amortizing Notes and Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member] | Five Percent Senior Notes due 2040 [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]	43,193
Senior Amortizing Notes [Member] | The 11.0% 2017 Amortizing Note [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]		2,045
Senior Amortizing Notes [Member] | Senior Exchangeable Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Senior debt	[1],[2]		53,919
Senior Unsecured Term Loan Credit Facility [Member] | Senior Unsecured Term Loan Credit Facility Due 2027 [Member]
Long-term Line of Credit, Total	[1],[2]	131,567
Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Long-term Line of Credit, Total		$ 52,000	$ 52,000

[1] "Notes payable" on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of April 30, 2018 and October 31, 2017 consists of the total senior secured, senior and senior amortizing and senior exchangeable notes shown above, as well as accrued interest of $38.5 million and $41.8 million, respectively.

[2] Unamortized debt issuance costs at April 30, 2018 and October 31, 2017 were $16.6 million and $16.1 million, respectively.