function removeElement(id) {
	//console.info("here is " + id);
	//document.getElementById(id).style.display = "none";
	document.getElementById(id).innerHTML = "";
}

function alterElement(id,attributeType,changeTo) {
	if (attributeType == "class") {
		attributeType = "className";
		var existingClass = document.getElementById(id).className;
		// get rid of existing visibility setting is this is new visibility
		if (changeTo == "hidden" || changeTo == "visible") {
			existingClass = existingClass.replace("hidden", "");
			existingClass = existingClass.replace("visible", "");
			console.info("after replace = " + existingClass);
		}
		changeTo = existingClass + " " + changeTo;
	}
	document.getElementById(id)[attributeType] = changeTo;
}