docs: function _first_split(character, string){
  
      var retlist = null;
      
      var eq_loc = string.indexOf(character);
      if( eq_loc == 0 ){
  	retlist = ['', string.substr(eq_loc +1, string.length)];
      }else if( eq_loc > 0 ){
  	var before = string.substr(0, eq_loc);
  	var after = string.substr(eq_loc +1, string.length);
  	retlist = [before, after];
      }else{
  	retlist = ['', ''];
      }
      
      return retlist;
  }