//compare current time to see if it is after the start date
				function AfterStartDate (year, month, day, hour, minute, startYear, startMonth, startDay, startHour, startMinute)
				{
						var afterStartDate = false;
						if (year > startYear)
						{
							afterStartDate = true;
						}
						else if (year == startYear)
						{
							if (month > startMonth)
							{
								afterStartDate = true;
							}
							else if (month == startMonth)
							{
								if (day > startDay)
								{
									afterStartDate = true;
								}
								else if (day == startDay)
								{
									if (hour > startHour)
									{
										afterStartDate = true;
									}
									else if (hour == startHour)
									{
										if (minute >= startMinute)
										{
											afterStartDate = true;
										}
									}
								}
							}
						}
						return afterStartDate;
				}  //end of function
				
				//compare current time to see if it is before the end date
				function BeforeEndDate (year, month, day, hour, minute, endYear, endMonth, endDay, endHour, endMinute)  //pass in current 
				{
						var beforeEndDate = false;
						if (year < endYear)
						{
							beforeEndDate = true;
						}
						else if (year == endYear)
						{
							if (month < endMonth)
							{
								beforeEndDate = true;
							}
							else if (month == endMonth)
							{
								if (day < endDay)
								{
									beforeEndDate = true;
								}
								else if (day == endDay)
								{
									if (hour < endHour)
									{
										beforeEndDate = true;
									}
									else if (hour == endHour)
									{
										if (minute <= endMinute)
										{
											beforeEndDate = true;
										}
									}
								}
							}
						}
						return beforeEndDate;
				}  //end of function