/**
  * Create/Read/Delete Cookies - based on code from PPK
  * http://www.quirksmode.org/js/cookies.html
  */
  var cookie = function(){
    return{
      /*
      * @param{String}  name   The cookie name
      * @param{String}  value  The value to store
      * @param{Integer} days   The number of days to store the value
      */
      create: function(name, value, days){
        if (days){
          var date = new Date();
          date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
          var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
        }
        else var expires = "";
        document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
      },

      /*
      * @param{String}  name   The cookie name
      */
      read: function(name){
        var nameEQ = name + "=";
        var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
        for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++){
          var c = ca[i];
          while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
          if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
        }
        return null;
      },

      /*
      * @param{String}  name   The cookie name
      */
      erase: function(name){
        cookie.create(name,"",-1);
      }
    }
  }(); // end COOKIE