diff --git a/examples/editing-methods.js b/examples/editing-methods.js
index 6c139a276d..9ed961eaf9 100644
--- a/examples/editing-methods.js
+++ b/examples/editing-methods.js
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ var draw = new OpenLayers.Control.DrawFeature(
 map.addControl(draw);
 draw.activate();
 
+$ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
+
 // handle clicks on method links
 $("insertXY").onclick = function() {
     var values = parseInput(
diff --git a/examples/game-accel-ball.html b/examples/game-accel-ball.html
index 40bb02d791..a622768bd2 100644
--- a/examples/game-accel-ball.html
+++ b/examples/game-accel-ball.html
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
             vlayer.drawFeature(feature);
         }
         function init() {
+            var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
             map = new OpenLayers.Map( 'map', 
                 {
                  'maxExtent': new OpenLayers.Bounds(0, 0, $("map").clientWidth, $("map").clientHeight), 
diff --git a/examples/geolocation.js b/examples/geolocation.js
index 1afc12d997..acde5faae5 100644
--- a/examples/geolocation.js
+++ b/examples/geolocation.js
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ geolocate.events.register("locationupdated",geolocate,function(e) {
 geolocate.events.register("locationfailed",this,function() {
     OpenLayers.Console.log('Location detection failed');
 });
-
+var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
 $('locate').onclick = function() {
     vector.removeAllFeatures();
     geolocate.deactivate();
diff --git a/examples/getfeatureinfo-control.html b/examples/getfeatureinfo-control.html
index cb0bec10e4..2dcdf3c58d 100644
--- a/examples/getfeatureinfo-control.html
+++ b/examples/getfeatureinfo-control.html
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
     </style>
     <script defer="defer" type="text/javascript">
     OpenLayers.ProxyHost = "proxy.cgi?url=";
-    
+    var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
     var map, infocontrols, water, highlightlayer;
     
     function load() {
diff --git a/examples/select-feature.html b/examples/select-feature.html
index 00325a4d7c..2b8aef69fa 100644
--- a/examples/select-feature.html
+++ b/examples/select-feature.html
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
     <script src="../lib/OpenLayers.js"></script>
     <script type="text/javascript">
         var map, drawControls;
+        
+        var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
+        
         OpenLayers.Feature.Vector.style['default']['strokeWidth'] = '2';
         function init(){
             map = new OpenLayers.Map('map');
diff --git a/examples/snap-split.html b/examples/snap-split.html
index 95b9fa38d6..1f7a30b962 100644
--- a/examples/snap-split.html
+++ b/examples/snap-split.html
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
     <script type="text/javascript">
 
         OpenLayers.Feature.Vector.style['default']['strokeWidth'] = '2';
+        
+        var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
 
         function init() {
             initMap();
diff --git a/examples/snapping.html b/examples/snapping.html
index 6c735fe3fc..2b830dbb8d 100644
--- a/examples/snapping.html
+++ b/examples/snapping.html
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
     <script src="../lib/OpenLayers.js"></script>
     <script type="text/javascript">
         OpenLayers.Feature.Vector.style['default']['strokeWidth'] = '2';
+        
+        var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
 
         function init() {
             initMap();
diff --git a/examples/strategy-cluster-extended.js b/examples/strategy-cluster-extended.js
index 70928c4492..62d8119748 100644
--- a/examples/strategy-cluster-extended.js
+++ b/examples/strategy-cluster-extended.js
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ OpenLayers.Strategy.RuleCluster = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Strategy.Cluster,
 // global variables
 var map, vectorlayer, features, stylemap, select;
 
+var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
+
 // wrap the instanciation code in an anonymous function that gets executed
 // immeadeately
 (function(){
diff --git a/examples/strategy-cluster-threshold.html b/examples/strategy-cluster-threshold.html
index 31c79ce776..8546939c13 100644
--- a/examples/strategy-cluster-threshold.html
+++ b/examples/strategy-cluster-threshold.html
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
         </style>
         <script src="../lib/OpenLayers.js"></script>
         <script type="text/javascript">
+            var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
 
             // create a semi-random grid of features to be clustered
             var dx = 3;
diff --git a/examples/strategy-cluster.html b/examples/strategy-cluster.html
index bebbfddc82..70beedefd3 100644
--- a/examples/strategy-cluster.html
+++ b/examples/strategy-cluster.html
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@
         <script src="Jugl.js"></script>
         <script src="animator.js"></script>
         <script type="text/javascript">
+            var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
+        
             var map, template;
             OpenLayers.ProxyHost = (window.location.host == "localhost") ?
                 "/cgi-bin/proxy.cgi?url=" : "proxy.cgi?url=";
diff --git a/examples/tilecache.html b/examples/tilecache.html
index cf9db618f7..82f3a55deb 100644
--- a/examples/tilecache.html
+++ b/examples/tilecache.html
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     <script type="text/javascript">
         var map, layer;
         function init(){
-            map = new OpenLayers.Map( $('map'), {
+            map = new OpenLayers.Map( 'map', {
                 resolutions: [0.087890625, 0.0439453125, 0.02197265625, 0.010986328125]
             });
             layer = new OpenLayers.Layer.TileCache("TileCache Layer",
diff --git a/examples/using-proj4js.js b/examples/using-proj4js.js
index 85232fae3e..1790970860 100644
--- a/examples/using-proj4js.js
+++ b/examples/using-proj4js.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 var map, vector;
+var $ = OpenLayers.Util.getElement;
+
 function init(){
     map = new OpenLayers.Map('map', {
         projection: 'EPSG:31467',