diff --git a/js/parsers/parser-date-iso8601.js b/js/parsers/parser-date-iso8601.js
index 90a01db5..fe384179 100644
--- a/js/parsers/parser-date-iso8601.js
+++ b/js/parsers/parser-date-iso8601.js
@@ -18,17 +18,17 @@
 			var result = s.match(iso8601date);
 			if (result) {
 				var date = new Date(result[1], 0, 1);
-				if (result[3]) {date.setMonth(result[3] - 1);}
-				if (result[5]) {date.setDate(result[5]);}
-				if (result[7]) {date.setHours(result[7]);}
-				if (result[8]) {date.setMinutes(result[8]);}
-				if (result[10]) {date.setSeconds(result[10]);}
-				if (result[12]) {date.setMilliseconds(Number('0.' + result[12]) * 1000);}
+				if (result[3]) { date.setMonth(result[3] - 1); }
+				if (result[5]) { date.setDate(result[5]); }
+				if (result[7]) { date.setHours(result[7]); }
+				if (result[8]) { date.setMinutes(result[8]); }
+				if (result[10]) { date.setSeconds(result[10]); }
+				if (result[12]) { date.setMilliseconds(Number('0.' + result[12]) * 1000); }
 				return date;
 			}
 			return 0;
 		},
-		type   : 'numeric'
+		type : 'numeric'
 	});
 
 })(jQuery);
diff --git a/js/parsers/parser-date-month.js b/js/parsers/parser-date-month.js
index 8445631c..68689fc2 100644
--- a/js/parsers/parser-date-month.js
+++ b/js/parsers/parser-date-month.js
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@
 ;(function($){
 "use strict";
 
-	$.tablesorter.dates = $.extend({}, $.tablesorter.dates, {
+	var ts = $.tablesorter;
+	ts.dates = $.extend({}, ts.dates, {
 		// *** modify this array to change match the language ***
 		monthCased : [ 'Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr', 'May', 'Jun', 'Jul', 'Aug', 'Sep', 'Oct', 'Nov', 'Dec' ]
 	});
-	$.tablesorter.dates.monthLower = $.tablesorter.dates.monthCased.join(',').toLocaleLowerCase().split(',');
+	ts.dates.monthLower = ts.dates.monthCased.join(',').toLocaleLowerCase().split(',');
 
-	$.tablesorter.addParser({
+	ts.addParser({
 		id: "month",
 		is: function(){
 			return false;
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@
 		format: function(s, table) {
 			var j = -1, c = table.config;
 			s = c.ignoreCase ? s.toLocaleLowerCase() : s;
-			$.each($.tablesorter.dates[ 'month' + (c.ignoreCase ? 'Lower' : 'Cased') ], function(i,v){
+			$.each(ts.dates[ 'month' + (c.ignoreCase ? 'Lower' : 'Cased') ], function(i,v){
 				if (j < 0 && s.match(v)) { j = i; }
 			});
 			// return s (original string) if there isn't a match
diff --git a/js/parsers/parser-date-two-digit-year.js b/js/parsers/parser-date-two-digit-year.js
index 91d30bf3..95fe8e49 100644
--- a/js/parsers/parser-date-two-digit-year.js
+++ b/js/parsers/parser-date-two-digit-year.js
@@ -5,22 +5,27 @@
 ;(function($){
 "use strict";
 
+	var ts = $.tablesorter,
+
 	// Make the date be within +/- range of the 2 digit year
 	// so if the current year is 2020, and the 2 digit year is 80 (2080 - 2020 > 50), it becomes 1980
 	// if the 2 digit year is 50 (2050 - 2020 < 50), then it becomes 2050.
-	var range = 50,
+	range = 50;
 
-	// ************
-	regxxxxyy = /(\d{1,2})[\/\s](\d{1,2})[\/\s](\d{2})/,
-	regyyxxxx = /(\d{2})[\/\s](\d{1,2})[\/\s](\d{1,2})/,
-	formatDate = function(s, regex, format){
+	ts.dates = $.extend({}, ts.dates, {
+		regxxxxyy: /(\d{1,2})[\/\s](\d{1,2})[\/\s](\d{2})/,
+		regyyxxxx: /(\d{2})[\/\s](\d{1,2})[\/\s](\d{1,2})/
+	});
+
+	ts.formatDate = function(s, regex, format){
 		s = s
-		// replace separators
-		.replace(/\s+/g," ").replace(/[-.,]/g, "/")
-		// reformat xx/xx/xx to mm/dd/19yy;
-		.replace(regex, format);
-		var d = new Date(s), y = d.getFullYear(),
-		now = new Date().getFullYear();
+			// replace separators
+			.replace(/\s+/g," ").replace(/[-.,]/g, "/")
+			// reformat xx/xx/xx to mm/dd/19yy;
+			.replace(regex, format);
+		var d = new Date(s),
+			y = d.getFullYear(),
+			now = new Date().getFullYear();
 		// if date > 50 years old (set range), add 100 years
 		// this will work when people start using "50" and mean "2050"
 		while (now - y > range) {
@@ -36,7 +41,7 @@
 		},
 		format: function(s) {
 			// reformat dd/mm/yy to mm/dd/19yy;
-			return formatDate(s, regxxxxyy, "$2/$1/19$3");
+			return ts.formatDate(s, ts.dates.regxxxxyy, "$2/$1/19$3");
 		},
 		type: "numeric"
 	});
@@ -48,7 +53,7 @@
 		},
 		format: function(s) {
 			// reformat mm/dd/yy to mm/dd/19yy
-			return formatDate(s, regxxxxyy, "$1/$2/19$3");
+			return ts.formatDate(s, ts.dates.regxxxxyy, "$1/$2/19$3");
 		},
 		type: "numeric"
 	});
@@ -60,7 +65,7 @@
 		},
 		format: function(s) {
 			// reformat yy/mm/dd to mm/dd/19yy
-			return formatDate(s, regyyxxxx, "$2/$3/19$1");
+			return ts.formatDate(s, ts.dates.regyyxxxx, "$2/$3/19$1");
 		},
 		type: "numeric"
 	});
diff --git a/js/parsers/parser-date-weekday.js b/js/parsers/parser-date-weekday.js
index c32ebf5e..62f4504e 100644
--- a/js/parsers/parser-date-weekday.js
+++ b/js/parsers/parser-date-weekday.js
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@
 ;(function($){
 "use strict";
 
-	$.tablesorter.dates = $.extend({}, $.tablesorter.dates, {
+	var ts = $.tablesorter;
+	ts.dates = $.extend({}, ts.dates, {
 		// *** modify this array to change match the language ***
 		weekdayCased : [ 'Sun', 'Mon', 'Tue', 'Wed', 'Thu', 'Fri', 'Sat' ]
 	});
-	$.tablesorter.dates.weekdayLower = $.tablesorter.dates.weekdayCased.join(',').toLocaleLowerCase().split(',');
+	ts.dates.weekdayLower = ts.dates.weekdayCased.join(',').toLocaleLowerCase().split(',');
 
-	$.tablesorter.addParser({
+	ts.addParser({
 		id: "weekday",
 		is: function(){
 			return false;
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@
 		format: function(s, table) {
 			var j = -1, c = table.config;
 			s = c.ignoreCase ? s.toLocaleLowerCase() : s;
-			$.each($.tablesorter.dates[ 'weekday' + (c.ignoreCase ? 'Lower' : 'Cased') ], function(i,v){
+			$.each(ts.dates[ 'weekday' + (c.ignoreCase ? 'Lower' : 'Cased') ], function(i,v){
 				if (j < 0 && s.match(v)) { j = i; }
 			});
 			// return s (original string) if there isn't a match
diff --git a/js/parsers/parser-date.js b/js/parsers/parser-date.js
index d447f9cb..52ece6c9 100644
--- a/js/parsers/parser-date.js
+++ b/js/parsers/parser-date.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 			return false;
 		},
 		format: function(s) {
-			return Date.create ? Date.create(s).getTime() || s : s;
+			return Date.create ? Date.create(s).getTime() || s : new Date(s).getTime() || s;
 		},
 		type: "numeric"
 	});
diff --git a/js/parsers/parser-feet-inch-fraction.js b/js/parsers/parser-feet-inch-fraction.js
index a88e5ff0..79fdea83 100644
--- a/js/parsers/parser-feet-inch-fraction.js
+++ b/js/parsers/parser-feet-inch-fraction.js
@@ -1,20 +1,21 @@
 /*! Distance parser
- * This parser will parser numbers like 5'10" (5 foot 10 inches)
- * and 31½ into sortable values.
- * Demo: http://jsfiddle.net/Mottie/abkNM/154/
- */
+* This parser will parser numbers like 5'10" (5 foot 10 inches)
+* and 31½ into sortable values.
+* Demo: http://jsfiddle.net/Mottie/abkNM/154/
+*/
 /*global jQuery: false */
 ;(function($){
 	"use strict";
 
-	var symbolRegex = /[\u215b\u215c\u215d\u215e\u00bc\u00bd\u00be]/g,
-	processFractions = function(n, table){
+	var ts = $.tablesorter;
+	ts.symbolRegex = /[\u215b\u215c\u215d\u215e\u00bc\u00bd\u00be]/g;
+	ts.processFractions = function(n, table) {
 		if (n) {
 			var t, p = 0;
 			n = $.trim(n.replace(/\"/,''));
 			// look for a space in the first part of the number: "10 3/4" and save the "10"
 			if (/\s/.test(n)) {
-				p = $.tablesorter.formatFloat(n.split(' ')[0], table);
+				p = ts.formatFloat(n.split(' ')[0], table);
 				// remove stuff to the left of the space
 				n = $.trim(n.substring(n.indexOf(' '), n.length));
 			}
@@ -24,8 +25,8 @@
 				// turn 3/4 into .75; make sure we don't divide by zero
 				n = p + parseInt(t[0], 10) / parseInt(t[1] || 1, 10);
 				// look for fraction symbols
-			} else if (symbolRegex.test(n)) {
-				n = p + n.replace(symbolRegex, function(m){
+			} else if (ts.symbolRegex.test(n)) {
+				n = p + n.replace(ts.symbolRegex, function(m){
 					return {
 						'\u215b' : '.125', // 1/8
 						'\u215c' : '.375', // 3/8
@@ -49,12 +50,11 @@
 		},
 		format: function(s, table) {
 			if (s === '') { return ''; }
-
 			// look for feet symbol = '
 			// very generic test to catch 1.1', 1 1/2' and 1½'
 			var d = (/^\s*\S*(\s+\S+)?\s*\'/.test(s)) ? s.split("'") : [0,s],
-			f = processFractions(d[0], table), // feet
-			i = processFractions(d[1], table); // inches
+			f = ts.processFractions(d[0], table), // feet
+			i = ts.processFractions(d[1], table); // inches
 			return (/[\'\"]/).test(s) ? parseFloat(f) + (parseFloat(i)/12 || 0) : parseFloat(f) + parseFloat(i);
 		},
 		type: 'numeric'
diff --git a/js/parsers/parser-metric.js b/js/parsers/parser-metric.js
index edddd27f..db1f85ad 100644
--- a/js/parsers/parser-metric.js
+++ b/js/parsers/parser-metric.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 			b, t,
 			// process number here to get a numerical format (us or eu)
 			n = $.tablesorter.formatFloat(s.replace(/[^\w,. \-()]/g, ""), table),
-			$t = $(table).find('thead').children().children('[data-column="' + cellIndex + '"]'),
+			$t = table.config.$headers.filter('[data-column="' + cellIndex + '"]'),
 			m = $t.data('metric');
 			if (!m) {
 				// stored values