Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2014	Feb. 28, 2013
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 1,173	$ 1,024
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	297	316
Bad debt expense	58	5
Change in inventory reserve	22	(62)
Gain on sale of real estate property	(535)	(540)
Net loss on trading securities	57	119
(Increase) decrease:
Trade accounts receivable	(1,144)	5
Inventory	128	(1,218)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	139	24
Deferred tax asset	(43)	450
Increase (decrease):
Trade accounts payable	(128)	(165)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(198)	344
Deposit liability	(24)	(27)
Liabilities of discontinued operations	(102)	(74)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(300)	201
Investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	(405)	(123)
Sale (purchase) of marketable securities, trading	921	(579)
Proceeds from securities sold short	1,576	724
Change in restricted cash	(1,576)	(724)
Proceeds from sale of property	1,139	650
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	1,655	(52)
Financing activities:
Net borrowings on revolving credit facility	186	734
Preferred stock dividend	(38)	(38)
Bank overdraft	6	(111)
Payments on long-term debt	(124)	(1,512)
Payments on long-term debt - real estate held for sale	(362)	(92)
Net cash used in financing activities	(332)	(1,019)
Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	139	156
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,162	(714)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	1,507	2,568
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	212	339
Cash paid for taxes	674	196
Non-cash investing activities:
Transfer of real estate properties held for leasing, net to assets held for sale	7,206	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	2,669	1,854
Non-cash financing activities:
Transfer of long-term debt to liabilities of assets held for sale	$ 4,917	$ 0