function prepare_bottom_panel() {
	
	// get the combined height of main-col
	
	top_panel_div = document.getElementById("top-panel");
	bottom_panel_div = document.getElementById("bottom-panel");
	
	top_panel_height = top_panel_div.offsetHeight;
	bottom_panel_height = bottom_panel_div.offsetHeight;
	
	combined_height = top_panel_height + bottom_panel_height;		
	
	left_col_height = 529;		
	
	// alert(top_panel_height + " + " + bottom_panel_height + " = " + combined_height);
	
	// if height is less than minimum sidebar height, add abs. pos. css to bottom-panel
	
	if (combined_height < left_col_height) {
	
		// alert("true");

		bottom_panel_div.style.position = "absolute";
		bottom_panel_div.style.bottom = "0";
	
	}
	
}