jQuery.extend({
  getUrlVars: function() {
    var vars = [], hash;
    var hashes = window.location.href.slice(window.location.href.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(name) {
    return jQuery.getUrlVars()[name];
  },
  
  elementExists: function(element) {
    return jQuery(element).length >= 1;
  }
});