//set a cookie
	function setCookie (name, value, expires) {
	  document.cookie = name + "=" + escape(value) + "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() +  "; path=/";
	}

	// Returns the value of the named cookie.
	function getCookie(name) {
	  var search;
	  search = name + "=";
	  offset = document.cookie.indexOf(search) ;
	  if (offset != -1) {
	    offset += search.length;
	    end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", offset);
	    if (end == -1)
	      end = document.cookie.length;
	    return unescape(document.cookie.substring(offset, end));
	  }
	  else
	    return "";
	}

	// Delete the named cookie.
	function deleteCookie(name) {
	  var expdate = new Date();
	  expdate.setTime(expdate.getTime() - (86400 * 1000 * 1));
	  setCookie(name, "", expdate);
	}