function $A() {
  if(window.ActiveXObject) {
    return new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
  } else if(window.XMLHttpRequest) {
    return new XMLHttpRequest();
  } else {
    return null;
  }
}

function t(tagName) {
  return document.getElementsByTagName(tagName);
}

function ce(tagName) {
  return document.createElement(tagName);
}

function empty() {
  return false;
}

function $(id) {
  return document.getElementById(id);
}

function sp(value) {
  if(value == "") return 0;
  return parseFloat(value.substring(0, value.length - 2));
}

function p$(name) {
  return eval("window.parent." + name);
}

function mf() {
  return p$("map");
}

function sf() {
  return p$("list");
}

function hf() {
  return p$("header");
}

function ff() {
  return p$("scene");
}

function $p(id) {
  window.parent.document.getElementById(id);
}

function mfz() {
  return mf().zoom;
}

function trim(str) {
  while(str.charAt(0) == " ")
    str = str.substring(1);
  return str;
}

function openNew(url) {
  var f = "width=800,height=600,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,top=100,left=100";
  return window.open(url, '', f);
}