/// name - name of the cookie
///	value - value of the cookie
/// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current session)
/// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling document)
/// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of calling document)
/// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a secure transmission
///  * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
///  * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) 
{
  var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
      ((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
      ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
      ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
      ((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
  document.cookie = curCookie;
}


/// name - name of the desired cookie
/// return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does not exist
function getCookie(name) 
{
  var dc = document.cookie;
  var prefix = name + "=";
  var begin = dc.indexOf("; " + prefix);
  if (begin == -1) 
  {
    begin = dc.indexOf(prefix);
    if (begin != 0) return null;
  } 
  else
    begin += 2;
  var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin);
  if (end == -1)
    end = dc.length;
  return unescape(dc.substring(begin + prefix.length, end));
}


/// name - name of the cookie
/// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
/// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create cookie)
///  path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit argument proceeds
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain)
{
  if (getCookie(name)) 
  {
    document.cookie = name + "=" +
    ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
    ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
    "; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
  }
}

/// date - any instance of the Date object
/// * hand all instances of the Date object to this function for "repairs"
function fixDate(date) 
{
  var base = new Date(0);
  var skew = base.getTime();
  if (skew > 0)
    date.setTime(date.getTime() - skew);
}