function getCountdownText()
{
  var output = '' ;

  var now = new Date() ;
  var nominations_begin = new Date(2005,4,2,0,00,00) ;
  var nominations_end   = new Date(2005,5,3,0,00,00) ;
  var voting_begins     = new Date(2005,5,27,0,00,00) ;
  var voting_ends       = new Date(2005,7,1,0,00,00) ;
  var winners_announced = new Date(2005,7,15,0,00,00) ;

  var days_left = 0 ;
 
  if ( now.getTime() < nominations_begin.getTime() )
  {
    // output = " " ;
    days_left = getDaysLeft(now,nominations_begin) ;
	days_left++ ;
    if ( days_left > 1 )
	  output = days_left + " days until nominations" ;
	// else if ( days_left == 1 )
	  // output = days_left + " day until nominations" ;
	else if ( days_left == 1 )
	  output = "Start nominating tomorrow" ;
  }
  else if ( now.getTime() >= nominations_begin.getTime() && now.getTime() < nominations_end.getTime() )
  {
    days_left = getDaysLeft(now,nominations_end) ;
	days_left++ ;
    if ( days_left > 1 )
	  output = days_left + " days left to nominate" ;
	// else if ( days_left == 1 )
	  // output = days_left + " day left to nominate" ;
	else if ( days_left == 1 )
	  output = "Last chance to nominate" ;
  }
  else if ( now.getTime() >= nominations_end.getTime() && now.getTime() < voting_begins.getTime() )
  {
    days_left = getDaysLeft(now,voting_begins) ;
	days_left++ ;
    output = "Come back to vote between June 29 - August 3" ;
  }
  else if ( now.getTime() >= voting_begins.getTime() && now.getTime() < voting_ends.getTime() )
  {
    days_left = getDaysLeft(now,voting_ends) ;
	days_left++ ;
    if ( days_left > 1 )
	  output = days_left + " days left to vote" ;
	// else if ( days_left == 1 )
	  // output = days_left + " day left to vote" ;
	else if ( days_left == 1 )
	  output = "Last chance to vote" ;
  }
  else if ( now.getTime() >= voting_ends.getTime() && now.getTime() < winners_announced.getTime() )
  {
    days_left = getDaysLeft(now,winners_announced) ;
	days_left++ ;
    if ( days_left > 1 )
	  output = "Winners announced August 15!" ;
	// else if ( days_left == 1 )
	  // output = "1 Day Before Winners Announced" ;
	else if ( days_left == 1 )
	  output = "Winners announced August 15!" ;
  }
  else if ( now.getTime() >= winners_announced.getTime() )
  {
    output = "2005 Best Bets Readers' Choice Awards Winners" ;
  }
  
  return output.toUpperCase() ;
}

function getDaysLeft(start,end)
{
  var output = '' ;

  var second = 1*1000 ;
  var minute = 60*second ;
  var hour   = 60*minute ;
  var day    = 24*hour ;
  
  var ms = end.getTime() - start.getTime() ;
  var output = Math.floor( (ms)/day ) ;
  
  return output ;
}

function changeSpacesToPlusses( s )
{
  while ( s.indexOf(" ") != -1 )
  {
    s = s.replace(" ","+") ;
  }

  return s ;
}

var bb_countdown = changeSpacesToPlusses( getCountdownText() ) ;