LONG-TERM DEBT (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified			1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 1997 7.800% Debentures, due June 15, 2027 agreement	Oct. 31, 2011 7.800% Debentures, due June 15, 2027	Oct. 31, 2010 7.800% Debentures, due June 15, 2027	Apr. 30, 2007 6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037	Oct. 31, 2011 6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037	Oct. 31, 2010 6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037	Apr. 26, 2007 6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037	Oct. 31, 2011 Other	Oct. 31, 2010 Other
LONG-TERM DEBT
Total long-term debt	$ 227,156	$ 225,548		$ 100,000	$ 100,000		$ 123,420	$ 123,358		$ 3,736	$ 2,190
Less current portion	1,978	1,970
Long-term debt, less current portion	225,178	223,578
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued			175,000			125,000
Interest rate percentage (as a percent)							6.625%
Percentage of par value at which debt was issued (as a percent)									98.513%
Debt discount, unamortized									1,859
Total underwriting fee and direct debt issue costs									1,524
Effective interest rate (as a percent)							6.741%
Redemption value, basis points added to the treasury rate (as a percent)							0.30%
Redemption price as a percentage of the principal amount upon the occurrence of both a change of control and downgrade of rating (as a percent)							101.00%
Deferred income amount at the time of swap termination			18,710
Amount paid to terminate forward-starting interest rate swap agreements			23,688
Notional amount of terminated forward-starting interest rate swap agreements			125,000
Number of terminated forward-starting interest rate swap agreements			3
Principal payments on long-term debt in fiscal years
2012	1,978
2013	1,758
2014	0
2015	0
2016	0
Thereafter	$ 225,000