Note 15 - Stock-Based Compensation (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended							12 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended										0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 15, 2014	Apr. 08, 2013	Jan. 15, 2013	Jan. 13, 2012	Apr. 14, 2011	Nov. 08, 2010	Feb. 09, 2010	Aug. 31, 2014	Aug. 31, 2013	Aug. 31, 2012	Dec. 16, 2008	Jan. 13, 2012 Director [Member]	Aug. 31, 2013 Performance Shares [Member] Market Metrics and Street Account [Member]	Aug. 31, 2014 Performance Shares [Member]	Aug. 31, 2013 Performance Shares [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Performance Shares [Member]	Aug. 31, 2014 Performance Based [Member] Market Metrics [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Performance Based [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Performance Based [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 Performance Based [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Performance Based [Member]	Nov. 30, 2011 Performance Based [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Nov. 30, 2011 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Aug. 31, 2014 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Aug. 31, 2013 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Non-Performance Based [Member]	Aug. 31, 2014 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	May 31, 2014 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	Aug. 31, 2013 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	May 31, 2013 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	Nov. 30, 2011 Performance and Non-Performance [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Non-Employee Directors' Stock Option Plan [Member]	Feb. 03, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Sep. 17, 2013 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Apr. 08, 2014 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Nov. 02, 2013 Restricted Stock [Member]	Dec. 23, 2013 Restricted Stock [Member]	Feb. 09, 2010 Restricted Stock [Member]	Oct. 23, 2009 Restricted Stock [Member]	Aug. 31, 2014 Restricted Stock [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock [Member]	Aug. 31, 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	Aug. 31, 2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	Aug. 31, 2014 Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	Aug. 31, 2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]	Aug. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member]
Note 15 - Stock-Based Compensation (Details) [Line Items]
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense (in Dollars)								$ 22,891,000	$ 39,951,000	$ 21,982,000			$ 18,300,000																																						$ 1,300,000	$ 1,200,000	$ 1,300,000	$ 22,900,000	$ 40,000,000	$ 22,000,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized (in Dollars)																	49,400,000																																11,300,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition																	3 years 109 days																																4 years 73 days
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs, Capitalized Amount (in Dollars)								$ 0	$ 0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross	14,424		18,781	20,976				391,478	1,674,966	1,468,513		5,244		203,000	1,011,000	907,000		165,949	36,695	1,011,510	241,546	419,593	138,902	35,508	9,367	635,308	120,847	665,551	174,000	645,000	540,000	0	0			0	0
Share-based Compensation Arrangements by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in Dollars per share)														$ 109.56	$ 92.22	$ 93.80									$ 92.55				$ 103.36	$ 92.22	$ 93.96			$ 106.03	$ 109.49			$ 92.22	$ 90.92	$ 94.84											$ 89.28	$ 80.77	$ 75.20
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in Dollars per share)	$ 27.04		$ 24.23	$ 24.79																					$ 26.69									$ 29.14	$ 31.78			$ 26.87	$ 33.11	$ 32.08				$ 85.80							$ 17.76	$ 15.79	$ 16.09
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance											500,000																														250,000										44,881
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period		26,344			29,087	62,544	17,230	204,000	132,000																																	12,264	7,744	131,702	153,972	30,144	55,572	87,758		0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value (in Dollars per share)								$ 101.95	$ 85.80																																	$ 95.45	$ 103.30		$ 102.22	$ 102.84
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans								959,000	2,459,000	825,000																																									74,889	75,281	85,487