function y2k(number) { return (number < 1000) ? number + 1900 : number; }

function isDate(strdate) {
// checks if date passed is valid
    first = strdate.indexOf('/',1);
    secound = strdate.indexOf('/',first+1);
    third = strdate.indexOf('/',secound+1);
    var year = strdate.substring(strdate.lastIndexOf("/")+1);
    var month = strdate.substring(first+1,secound);
    var day = strdate.substring(0,first);
    var test = new Date(year,month-1,day);
    if ( (y2k(test.getYear()) == year) &&
         (month == test.getMonth()+1) &&
         (day == test.getDate()) )
        return true;
    else
        return false;
}

function beforeToday(datetest){
// checks if date is before today
	var today = new Date();
	if (datetest < today) 
		return true;
	else
		return false;
}