Form Name: news
Textarea Name: text

//works in IE
function format_sel(v) {
  var str = document.selection.createRange().text;
  document.news.text.focus();
  var sel = document.selection.createRange();
  sel.text = "<" + v + ">" + str + "</" + v + ">";
  return;
}

//Doesn't work in IE and Firefox
function format_sel(v) {
  var str = document.getSelection();
  document.news.text.focus();
  var sel = document.getSelection();
  sel.text = "<" + v + ">" + str + "</" + v + ">";
  return;
}