Income Taxes - Narrative (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2014	Aug. 31, 2013	Aug. 31, 2012
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Domestic	$ 1,200,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000	$ 1,400,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense	0	200,000	200,000
Operating Loss Carryforwards	247,800,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Subject to Expiration	152,100,000
Change in valuation allowance for deferred tax asset	39,900,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued	0	600,000
Current assets
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross, Current	86,500,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent		2,600,000
Net deferred tax assets		39,300,000
Foreign tax credit
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Tax credit carryforward, amount	5,600,000
Alternative Minimum Tax Credit [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Tax credit carryforward, amount	5,600,000
General business tax credit carryforward
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Tax credit carryforward, amount	18,500,000
NCRA [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards	63,400,000	88,100,000
Change in valuation allowance for deferred tax asset	$ 8,000,000