// cookie manipulation functions
  var cookieHolder = document.cookie;

  function getCookie(name) { // use: getCookie("name");
    var index = cookieHolder.indexOf(name + "=");
    if (index == -1) return null;
    index = cookieHolder.indexOf("=", index) + 1;
    var endstr = cookieHolder.indexOf(";", index);
    if (endstr == -1) endstr = cookieHolder.length;
    return unescape(cookieHolder.substring(index, endstr));
  }
  var expires = 28; // days till cookie expires
  var today = new Date();
  var expiry = new Date(today.getTime() + expires * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);
	
  function setCookie(name, value) { // use: setCookie("name", value);
    if (value != null && value != "")
      document.cookie=name + "=" + escape(value) + "; expires=" + expiry.toGMTString();
    cookieHolder = document.cookie; // update cookieHolder
  }