diff --git a/js/Runtime.js b/js/Runtime.js
index 00b7a38..0b8defb 100644
--- a/js/Runtime.js
+++ b/js/Runtime.js
@@ -176,6 +176,22 @@ Runtime.prototype.spriteNamed = function(n) {
     });
     return selected_sprite;
 }
+
+Runtime.prototype.getTimeString = function(which) {
+    // Return local time properties.
+    var now = new Date();
+    switch (which) {
+        case 'hour': return now.getHours();
+        case 'minute': return now.getMinutes();
+        case 'second': return now.getSeconds();
+        case 'year': return now.getFullYear(); // four digit year (e.g. 2012)
+        case 'month': return now.getMonth() + 1; // 1-12
+        case 'date': return now.getDate(); // 1-31
+        case 'day of week': return now.getDay() + 1; // 1-7, where 1 is Sunday
+    }
+    return ''; // shouldn't happen
+}
+
   
 // Reassigns z-indices for layer functions
 Runtime.prototype.reassignZ = function(target, move) {
diff --git a/js/primitives/SensingPrims.js b/js/primitives/SensingPrims.js
index 0529081..49ec242 100644
--- a/js/primitives/SensingPrims.js
+++ b/js/primitives/SensingPrims.js
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ SensingPrims.prototype.addPrimsTo = function(primTable) {
     primTable['distanceTo:']  = this.primDistanceTo;
 
     primTable['getAttribute:of:'] = this.primGetAttribute;
+
+    primTable['timeAndDate']  = function(b){ return runtime.getTimeString(interp.arg(b, 0)); };
 }
   
 SensingPrims.prototype.primTouching = function(b) {
@@ -124,9 +126,9 @@ var stageColorHitTest = function(target, color) {
   
 var stageColorByColorHitTest = function(target, myColor, otherColor) {
     var threshold_acceptable = function(a, b, c, x, y, z) {
-        diff_a = Math.abs(a-x);
-        diff_b = Math.abs(b-y);
-        diff_c = Math.abs(c-z);
+        var diff_a = Math.abs(a-x);
+        var diff_b = Math.abs(b-y);
+        var diff_c = Math.abs(c-z);
         if (diff_a + diff_b + diff_c < 100) {
             return true;
         }
@@ -154,7 +156,7 @@ var stageColorByColorHitTest = function(target, myColor, otherColor) {
     var hitCanvas = document.createElement('canvas');
     hitCanvas.width = 480;
     hitCanvas.height = 360;
-    hitCtx = hitCanvas.getContext('2d');
+    var hitCtx = hitCanvas.getContext('2d');
     $.each(runtime.sprites, function(i, sprite) {
         if (sprite != target)
             sprite.stamp(hitCtx, 100);