//extension to address ASP.NET default long ID naming
jQuery.extend(
{
    clientID: function(id) {
        return jQuery("[id$='" + id + "']");
    }
}
);

//extension to check for dynamically created elements
jQuery.extend(
{
    elementExists: function(id) {
        return !((jQuery.clientID(id).val() == undefined) && (jQuery.clientID('_' + id).val() == undefined));
    }
}
);