$.extend({
  getUrlVars: function(varstring){
    var vars = [], hash;
    var hashes = varstring.slice(varstring.indexOf('?') + 1).split('&');
    for(var i = 0; i < hashes.length; i++)
    {
      hash = hashes[i].split('=');
      vars.push(hash[0]);
      vars[hash[0]] = hash[1];
    }
    return vars;
  },
  getUrlVar: function(varstring, name){
    return $.getUrlVars(varstring)[name];
  }
});