function $(element) {
  if (arguments.length > 1) {
    for (var i = 0, elements = [], length = arguments.length; i < length; i++)
      elements.push($(arguments[i]));
    return elements;
  }
  if (typeof element == 'string')
    element = document.getElementById(element);
  return element;
}

function $F( element ){
	var element =  $( element );
	if( element.type == "select-one" ){
		value = element.options[element.selectedIndex].value;
		return value;
	}
	return element.value;	
}

function $S( element, value ){
	var element =  $( element );
	if( element.type == "select-one" ){
		for (var i=0; i<element.options.length; i++){
	    	if( element.options[i].value == value)
	    		element.options[i].selected = true;
		}
	}else if(element.type == "checkbox"){
		if( value == 1 || value == true )
			element.checked = true;
		else
			element.checked = false;
	}else{
		element.value = value;
	}
}


function $GET(name){
	get_string = document.location.search.replace( /%20/g, ' ' );         
	return_value = '';
 
	do { //This loop is made to catch all instances of any get variable.
   		name_index = get_string.indexOf(name + '=');
    
    	if(name_index != -1){
      		get_string = get_string.substr(name_index + name.length + 1, get_string.length - name_index);
      
      		end_of_value = get_string.indexOf('&');
      		if(end_of_value != -1)                
        		value = get_string.substr(0, end_of_value);                
      		else                
        		value = get_string;                
        
      		if(return_value == '' || value == '')
         		return_value += value;
      		else
         		return_value += ', ' + value;
      		}
    } while(name_index != -1)
    
 	//Restores all the blank spaces.
 	space = return_value.indexOf('+');
 	while(space != -1){ 
    	return_value = return_value.substr(0, space) + ' ' + 
      	return_value.substr(space + 1, return_value.length);
					 
      	space = return_value.indexOf('+');
 	}
  
	return(return_value);        
}