function getURLVar(urlVarName) {
	//divide the URL in half at the '?' 
	var urlHalves = String(document.location).split('?');
	var urlVarValue = '';
	if(urlHalves[1]){	
		//load all the name/value pairs into an array 
		var urlVars = urlHalves[1].split('&');
		//loop over the list, and find the specified url variable 
		for(i=0; i<=(urlVars.length); i++){
			if(urlVars[i]){
				//load the name/value pair into an array 
				var urlVarPair = urlVars[i].split('=');
				if (urlVarPair[0] && urlVarPair[0] == urlVarName.toLowerCase()) {
					//I found a variable that matches, load it's value into the return variable 
					urlVarValue = urlVarPair[1];
				}
			}
		}
	}
	return urlVarValue;   
}