function set_status( status_string, status_type ) {
    //alert('in set status');
    var status_element = document.getElementById('status_display');

    // Some pages don't have a status display
    if ( status_element == null ) {
        return;
    }
    
    var color = 'red';
    if ( status_type == 'message'){
        color = 'green';
    }

    if ( is_debug == true ) {
        alert('got string ' + status_string + ' and type ' + status_type);
        alert('got ' + status_element.id);
    }

    status_element.style.color = color;
    status_element.innerHTML =  status_string;
    status_element.style.display = 'block';
};

function revealField(oElement,field) {
    aOptions = oElement.options;
    nOptions = aOptions.length;

    for (n = 0; n < nOptions; n++) {
        oOption = aOptions[n];
        if (oOption.selected && oOption.value === "other") {
            field.style.visibility = 'visible';
        } else if (oOption.selected ) {
            field.style.visibility = 'hidden';
    	}	
    }   
};