//make the two start page columns have equal heights
jQuery.noConflict();
  jQuery(document).ready(function(){
  var left_height = jQuery('#start_center_content').height(); 
var right_height = jQuery('#start_left').height(); 
 
  if(right_height > left_height) { 
	jQuery('#start_center_content').height(right_height); 
  } 
  else { 
    jQuery('#start_left').height(left_height);
	jQuery('#news_events').height(left_height-56); 
  } 
});