function $(id) {
    return document.getElementById(id);
}

/** from quirksmode simple cookie manipulation for now
 *  always assigns to '/' 
 */
function createCookie(name,value,days) {
    if (days) {
	var date = new Date();
	date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
	var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
    }
    else var expires = "";
    document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
}

function readCookie(name) {
    var nameEQ = name + "=";
    var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
    for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++) {
	var c = ca[i];
	while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
	if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
    }
    return null;
}

function eraseCookie(name) {
    createCookie(name,"",-1);
}

var HAVE_LOGGED_IN = 'haveLoggedIn';
var LOGIN_NAME = 'loginName';
var PASSWORD = 'password';