code: function(el) {
        var newDOM = document.createElement(el.tagName);
        _.each(el.attributes, function(attrib) {
          newDOM.setAttribute(attrib.name, attrib.value);
        });
        return newDOM;
      }
docs: Produces a copy of the element tag with attributes but with no contents
  @param el {Element} the DOM element to be copied
  @return {Element} a shallow copy of the element with no children but with attributes
  @method copyTopElement