String.prototype.trim = function() { return this.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, ""); };

	function $() {
		var objElementsArray = new Array();
		for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i++) {
			var objElement = arguments[i];
			if (typeof objElement == 'string')
				objElement = document.getElementById(objElement);
			if (arguments.length == 1)
				return objElement;
			objElementsArray.push(objElement);
		}
		
		return objElementsArray;
	}

    function cStr(a) {
        return (a == null ? '' : (a == window.undefined) ? '' : '' + a);
    }

    function isNull(a) {
        return (a == null);
    }

    function isThere(a) {
        return ((a == null) ? false : (a == window.undefined) ? false : true);
    }

    function isFieldBlank(a) {
    	var tmp = a.value;
    	tmp = cStr(tmp.trim());
        return (tmp.length <= 0);
    }

    function isBlank(a) {
    	var tmp = a;
    	tmp = cStr(tmp.trim());
        return (tmp.length <= 0);
    }