function getUrlVars() {
    var vars = {};
    var parts = window.location.href.replace(/[?&]+([^=&]+)=([^&]*)/gi, function(m,key,value) {
        vars[key] = value;
    });
    return vars;
}

function drop_down_list()
{
  var state = $('#state').val();
    
    // Show the Loading...
    $('#loading_city_drop_down').show(); 

    // Hide the drop down
    $('#city_drop_down').hide();

    // Hide the "no cities" message (if it's the case)
    $('#no_city_drop_down').hide();
    
    $.getScript("states/"+ state.toLowerCase() +".js", function(){

        populate(document.form.city);

        
        // Hide the Loading...
        $('#loading_city_drop_down').hide();
       
        // Show the drop down
        $('#city_drop_down').show();

               
        var thecity = getUrlVars()["city"];
        document.getElementById('city_drop_down').value = unescape(thecity);

        $("li").each(function () {
            whichstate = $(this);
            statetext = $(this).text();

            if ( statetext == state ) {
                $(whichstate).addClass('selected-state');
            } else {
                $(whichstate).removeClass('selected-state');      
            }
        });   

    });
//}
}

function state_strip(state)
{
    // Show the Loading...
    $('#loading_city_drop_down').show(); 

    // Hide the drop down
    $('#city_drop_down').hide();

    // Hide the "no cities" message (if it's the case)
    $('#no_city_drop_down').hide();
    
    state = $.trim(state);      
        
    $.getScript("states/"+ state.toLowerCase() +".js", function(){

        populate(document.form.city);

        
        // Hide the Loading...
        $('#loading_city_drop_down').hide();
       
        // Show the drop down
        $('#city_drop_down').show();

               
        var thecity = getUrlVars()["city"];
        document.getElementById('city_drop_down').value = unescape(thecity);    
                
    });
//}
}