slice-example.js

function formatUrl(linkUrl) {
	if (linkUrl[0] == "/") {
		var append1 = "http://";
		
		var originalUrl = linkUrl;
		var newUrl = linkUrl.replace("//", append1); // this doesn't actually change linkUrl
		
		if (originalUrl !== newUrl) {
		  console.log("linkUrl: ", linkUrl);
		  console.log("originalUrl: ", originalUrl);
		  console.log("newUrl: ", newUrl);
		}
		return linkUrl;
	} else {
		return linkUrl;
	}
};

formatUrl("//google.com");
formatUrl("http://google.com");