[jQuery] .load jQuery scope problem

[ajpiano]

i've posted various takes on this problem before, but after re-
encountering it today, i must enquire again.

so i'm in a function

function hey() {
        var dc = $("div.column"); // at this point, the variable "dc" has all
these different objects that seem to represent all the available
plugins

        $("div.widget").each(function(i) {
                        var dc = $("div.column"); // at this point, i get the 
same exact
thing for "dc" when i look in the debugger
                        someCode();
                        $(this).clone().load("anyURL.htm",function() {
                                var dc = $("div.column"); // at this point (in 
IE) i do NOT get
the same selection...they are missing all the objects that i think
represent the plugins.  everything called from this point starts
getting REALLY wonky...ie, can't find the plugins.  in FF, i have
similar (what i assume are) scoping issues, though they start lower in
the call stack...
                        });
                });
}

in other words -  $ is not the same as $.

has anyone encountered anything similar?  any advice?  i had band-
aid'ed the issue in firefox by doing things like
var jq = $;
$(this).load(function() {
      $.extend(jq);
});

but today i went to debug my app in IE and encountered the same
problem where it hadn't been occurring in FF.  lo and behold though,
it's the same issue of "missing plugins..."

thanks a lot.