function GetParameter(parameter) {

        // convert query string to array of individual arguments
        var query = GetQueryString();
        var arglist = query.split("&");

        // process each argument
//        for (j in arglist) { // ng since this has a value of "each" when used with prototype.js
        for (j=0; j<arglist.length; j++) {
          var equalSign = arglist[j].indexOf("=");
          var leftSide = (equalSign == -1) ? arglist[j] : arglist[j].substr(0, equalSign);
          if (leftSide == parameter) {
            var rightSide = (equalSign == -1) ? "" : arglist[j].substr(equalSign+1);
            return unescape(rightSide);
          }
        }
        return "";
      }

      function GetQueryString() {
        var url = document.location.toString();
        var questionmarkPosition = url.indexOf("?");
        return (questionmarkPosition == -1) ? "" : url.substr(questionmarkPosition+1);
      }

      function GetCookie(cookieName) {
        var cookies = document.cookie.split(";");
        for (var i=0; i<cookies.length; i++) {
          while (cookies[i].charAt(0) == " ") {
            cookies[i] = cookies[i].slice(1);
          }
          var equal = cookies[i].indexOf("=");
          if (cookies[i].substr(0,equal) == cookieName) {
            return cookies[i].substr(equal+1);
          }
        }
        return "";
      }

      function SetCookie(cookieName, cookieValue) {
        var expires = new Date();
        var today = new Date();
        expires.setTime(today.getTime() + 1000*60*60*24*365);
        document.cookie = cookieName + "=" + cookieValue + "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() +";domain=reapinfo.org;path=/";
      }

      function Set24HourCookie(cookieName, cookieValue) {
        var expires = new Date();
        var today = new Date();
        expires.setTime(today.getTime() + 1000*60*60*24);
        document.cookie = cookieName + "=" + cookieValue + "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() +";domain=reapinfo.org";
      }

      function CancelCookie(cookieName) {
        var expires = new Date();
        var today = new Date();
        expires.setTime(today.getTime() - 1000*60*60*24*365);
        document.cookie = cookieName + "=; expires=" + expires.toGMTString();
      }