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


function getElementsByClass(searchClass,node,tag) {
// http://www.dustindiaz.com/top-ten-javascript/
// 2007.12.04
//
	var classElements = new Array();
	if ( node == null )
		node = document;
	if ( tag == null )
		tag = '*';
	var els = node.getElementsByTagName(tag);
	var elsLen = els.length;
	var pattern = new RegExp('(^|\\\\s)'+searchClass+'(\\\\s|$)');
	for (i = 0, j = 0; i < elsLen; i++) {
		if ( pattern.test(els[i].className) ) {
			classElements[j] = els[i];
			j++;
		}
	}
	return classElements;
}

function getEvent(e)
{ // 2008.02.25

 if (!e) var e = window.event;
 
 if((!e.target) && (e.srcElement))
    e.target = e.srcElement;
    
 return e;
}


function random()
{//in very rare case... 2^62 or so.. random might return 1.
 //we want 0 up to (but not inlcuding) 1
 do 
 {
 var r = Math.random()
 }
 while(r >= 1);

return r;
}