INVESTMENTS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Short-term investments [Abstract]
Corporate obligations, minimum purchased maturities threshold (in months)	3M
Corporate obligations, maximum purchased maturities threshold (in years)	1Y
Trading securities [Abstract]
Mutual funds	$ 13,426	$ 11,770
Equity and other investments	1,679	1,872
Total non-current investments	15,105	13,642
Trading securities cost (in excess of) or below market value	$ (264)	$ (685)
Maximum ownership interests in various entities recorded under the cost method (in hundredths)	20.00%

The maximum purchased maturities threshold (in years), of corporate obligations classified as short-term investments.

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- Definition

The minimum purchased maturities threshold (in months), of corporate obligations classified as short-term investments.

+ Details

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- Definition

Equity and other investments, at cost. Equity investments primarily include ownership interests in various entities of less than 20%, which are recorded under the cost method of accounting.

+ Details

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- Definition

The maximum ownership interests in various entities, which are recorded under the cost method of accounting and are included in equity investments.

+ Details

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- Definition

Equity and fixed income mutual funds that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them after an extended period of time (i.e. longer than one operating cycle).

+ Details

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- Definition

This element represents the net excess or deficiency of the fair value of an investment (security, contract) over or under its cost (face amount, notional amount), respectively, which excess value or deficiency has not been recognized in earnings of the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)

-Number AAG-INV

-Section Glossary

-IssueDate 2008-05-01

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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- Definition

The total amount of investments that are intended to be held for an extended period of time (longer than one operating cycle).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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- Details

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- Details

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