/**
 * Blinks an element for a short period of time, by superposing it with a transparent, colored overlay.
 * @param element
 * @param color
 * @param opacity
 * @return
 */
function blinkElement(element, color, opacity) {
	var overlay = $(document.createElement("div"));
	overlay.css('display', 'none');
	overlay.css('position', 'absolute');
	overlay.css('background-color', color);
	overlay.css('opacity', opacity);
	$(element).after(overlay);
	var elementOffset = element.offset();
	overlay.css("left", elementOffset.left);
	overlay.css("top", elementOffset.top);
	overlay.width(element.outerWidth());
	overlay.height(element.outerHeight());
	overlay.fadeIn(200);
	overlay.fadeOut(800);
}

/**
 *
 */
function getContextPath() {
	return $('html head link[rel=\'x-context-path\']').attr('href');
}