/**
  * helperFuncs.js: contains functions of general use for a website
  * author: Ivan Carrazco
  * update 16 Feb 2010: new function - setCopyrightYear() by Ivan Carrazco
  */


  /**
    * setFontSize( size ):
    * param: size - String input in using the following format //d{1, 50}pt/
    */
  function setFontSize(size) {
    document.body.style.fontSize = size;
  }

  function setCopyrightYear( y1 ) {
    var date = new Date()
    var currYear = date.getFullYear();
    if( y1 != null && y1 < currYear )
      return " " + y1 + ", " + currYear + " ";
    else
      return " " + currYear + " ";
  }

function normalizeHeight( parentElem ) {
    var jKids = $(parentElem).children( "div" );
    var max = 0;

    (function(jContainer) {
      var length = jContainer.length;
      for( var i = 0; i < length; i++ ) {
        var tmp = $(jContainer).get(i);
        if( $(tmp).height() > max ){
          max = $(tmp).height();
        }
      }
    })(jKids);
    $(jKids).each( function( index ) { $(this).height( max ); } );