Income Taxes (Difference Between Actual Tax Expense And Expected Tax (Benefit) Expense) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2011	Aug. 31, 2010	Aug. 31, 2009
Income Taxes
Computed "expected" tax expense (benefit)	$ 168,416	$ 86,543	$ (351,797)
State taxes, net of federal benefit	(4,025)	(1,557)	(7,134)
Federal effect of state net operating losses and tax credits	1,337	215	454
Impact of foreign tax rates	(94,392)	(63,450)	64,637
Permanent impact of non-deductible cost	4,639	9,116	12,214
Income tax credits	(38,707)	(7,863)	39
Changes in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities	10,147	5,020	24,123
Valuation allowance	17,277	19,474	307,938
Non-deductible equity compensation	7,581	9,317	7,501
Impact of intercompany charges	12,658	25,748	19,271
Permanent impact of non-deductible goodwill			94,562
Other, net	13,298	(6,062)	(10,910)
Provision for income taxes	$ 98,229	$ 76,501	$ 160,898
Effective tax rate	20.40%	30.90%	(16.00%)

The portion of the difference between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to intercompany losses under enacted tax laws.

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A ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations.

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The sum of the current income tax expense or benefit and the deferred income tax expense or benefit pertaining to continuing operations.

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The portion of the difference between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to changes in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets in the period.

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The portion of the difference between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations, that is attributable to changes in the income tax rates under enacted tax laws in the period.

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The portion of the difference, between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations, that is attributable to total foreign income tax expense or benefit. The foreign income tax expense or benefit difference represents the income tax expense or benefit at applicable domestic statutory income tax rates applied to foreign earnings or loss for the period versus the foreign income tax expense or benefit calculated by applying the appropriate foreign tax rates.

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The amount of income tax expense or benefit for the period computed by applying the domestic federal statutory tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations.

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The sum of the differences between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement for the period and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations attributable to nondeductible expenses under enacted tax laws, or differences in the methodologies used to determine expense amounts for financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and enacted tax laws.

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The portion of the difference, between total income tax expense or benefit as reported in the Income Statement for the year/accounting period and the expected income tax expense or benefit computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations, that is attributable to all other items not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.

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