Income Taxes (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010
Reconciliation of Company's effective tax rate from federal statutory rate
Federal tax benefit provision at statutory rate	$ 1,361	$ 289	$ (15,625)	$ (37,701)
State taxes net of federal benefit	126	(948)	(1,451)	(3,501)
Reversal of tax provisions due to expiration of statutes and settlements	(16,933)	(40,460)	(19,273)	(40,460)
Reversal of accrual for uncertain tax position	(12,873)		(30,827)
Valuation allowance - recognized		17,408	18,791	52,423
Valuation allowance - reversed	(10,846)	(13,685)	(23,123)	(37,736)
Accrued interest on anticipated tax assessments	1,174	(1,797)	2,799	966
Increase in unrecognized tax benefit		13,000		13,000
Other	(229)	(286)	(686)	(858)
Tax benefit	$ (38,220)	$ (26,479)	$ (69,395)	$ (53,867)
Federal tax benefit provision at statutory rate, percentage	35.00%	35.00%	(35.00%)	(35.00%)
State taxes net of federal benefit, percentage	3.20%	(114.90%)	(3.30%)	(3.30%)
Reversal of tax provisions due to expiration of statutes and settlements, percentage	(435.50%)	(4904.30%)	(43.20%)	(37.60%)
Reversal of accrual for uncertain tax position, percentage	(331.10%)		(69.00%)
Valuation allowance - recognized, percentage		2110.10%	42.10%	48.70%
Valuation allowance - reversed, percentage	(279.00%)	(1658.80%)	(51.80%)	(35.00%)
Accrued interest on anticipated tax assessments, percentage	30.20%	(217.80%)	6.30%	0.90%
Increase in unrecognized tax benefit, percentage		1575.80%		12.10%
Other, percentage	(5.90%)	(34.70%)	(1.50%)	(0.80%)
Tax benefit, percentage	(983.00%)	(3209.60%)	(155.40%)	(50.00%)

Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Accrued interest on anticipated tax assessments.

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Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Increase in unrecognized tax benefit.

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Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Reversal of tax provisions due to expiration of statutes and settlements.

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Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation Valuation allowance reversed.

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Income Tax Reconciliation Accrued interest on anticipated tax assessments.

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Income Tax Reconciliation Change In Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance reversed.

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Income Tax Reconciliation Reversal of tax provisions due to expiration of statutes and settlements.

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Reversal of accrual for uncertain tax position.

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Reversal of accrual for uncertain tax position percentage.

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A ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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The domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable under enacted tax laws to the Company's pretax income from continuing operations for the period. The "statutory" tax rate shall be the regular tax rate if there are alternative tax systems.

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The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to changes in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets.

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The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to all other items not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.

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The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the state and local income tax expense (benefit), net of the federal tax benefit (expense) thereon, recorded during the period.

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The sum of the current income tax expense (benefit) and the deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 45
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The portion of the difference between total income tax expense (benefit) as reported in the Income Statement and the expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to changes in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets in the period.

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The amount of income tax expense (benefit) for the period computed by applying the domestic federal statutory tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations.

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The sum of other amounts reflected in the reconciliation of the statutory tax provision (benefit) to the actual tax provision (benefit).

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The portion of the difference, between total income tax expense (benefit) as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations, that is attributable to state and local income tax expense (benefit).

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Subparagraph 1
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The net amount of all increases and decreases in unrecognized tax benefits for the period.

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-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)
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