__findItemIndex__ = function (nodelist, node) {
    var ret = -1, i;
    for (i=0; i<nodelist.length; i++) {
        // compare id to each node's _id
        if (nodelist[i] === node) {
            // found it!
            ret = i;
            break;
        }
    }
    // if node is not found, default value -1 is returned
    return ret;
}
@method __findItemIndex__
     find the item index of the node
@author Jon van Noort (jon@webarcana.com.au)
@param  node : Node
@return : int