function elem(tag, attribs, text) { // string, object, string
	var el = null;
	var iebug = false;
	if(tag.toLowerCase()=='img' && typeof attribs.src != 'undefined')
		try {el = document.createElement("<img src='"+attribs.src+"'>"); iebug=true; }
		catch(e) { el = document.createElement(tag); }
	else el = document.createElement(tag);
	if(!el) return null;
	
	if(attribs) for(var i in attribs) {
		if(iebug && i.toLowerCase()=='src') continue;
		el.setAttribute(i, attribs[i]);
	}
	if(text) el.innerHTML = text;
	return el;
}

function stripHTML(str, limit, trailer) {
	var div = elem("div", {'class':'hideMe'});
	document.body.appendChild(div);
	div.innerHTML = str;
	var txt = div.textContent || div.innerText;
	document.body.removeChild(div);
	if(limit && limit > 0) txt = txt.slice(0, limit) + ((trailer && txt.length > limit) ? trailer : "");
	return txt;
}