// 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);
	}