var dc = document.cookie // workaround for a bug that results in a performance hit if document.cookie is accessed repeatedly

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

function getCookies(name) {
	var cookieName = name + "=";
	if (dc.length > 0) {
		begin = dc.indexOf(cookieName);
		if (begin != -1) {
			begin += cookieName.length;
			end = dc.indexOf(';',begin);
			if (end == -1) end = dc.length;
			return unescape(dc.substring(begin,end));
		}
	}
	return null;
}