/*
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;
}
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));
}
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain, secure) {
    if (getCookie(name)) {
        document.cookie = name + "=" +
        ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
        ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
		((secure) ? "; secure" : "") +
        "; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
    }
}
// date - any instance of the Date object
function fixDate(date) {
    var base = new Date(0);
    var skew = base.getTime();
    if (skew > 0) date.setTime(date.getTime() - skew);
}