LONG-TERM DEBT (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified			1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 1997 7.800% Debentures, due June 15, 2027 Item	Oct. 31, 2012 7.800% Debentures, due June 15, 2027	Oct. 31, 2011 7.800% Debentures, due June 15, 2027	Apr. 30, 2007 6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037	Oct. 31, 2012 6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037	Oct. 31, 2011 6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037	Apr. 26, 2007 6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037	Oct. 31, 2012 Other	Oct. 31, 2011 Other
LONG-TERM DEBT
Total long-term debt	$ 225,340	$ 227,156		$ 100,000	$ 100,000		$ 123,482	$ 123,420		$ 1,858	$ 3,736
Less current portion	1,858	1,978
Long-term debt, less current portion	223,482	225,178
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued			175,000			125,000
Interest rate percentage				7.80%			6.625%		6.625%
Percentage of par value at which debt was issued									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%
Number of terminated forward-starting interest rate swap agreements			3
Notional amount of terminated forward-starting interest rate swap agreements			125,000
Amount paid to terminate forward-starting interest rate swap agreements			23,688
Deferred income amount at the time of swap termination			18,710
Other assets, excess termination fees over deferred income	2,310
Principal payments on long-term debt in fiscal years
2013	1,858
After 2017	$ 225,000