Date.parseFormattedString = function (string) {
  var regexp = '([0-9]{1,2})/(([0-9]{1,2})/(([0-9]{4})( ([0-9]{1,2}):([0-9]{2})? *)?)?)?';
  var d = string.match(new RegExp(regexp, "i"));
  if (d==null) return Date.parse(string); // at least give javascript a crack at it.
  var offset = 0;