Is there a simple way to know the starting value of a select?
<select>
  <option value='1' selected>one</option>
  <option value='2' >Two</option>

$("select option[selected]").val()

$('select').find('option[selected]').val();

$('select').each(function(){
  $(this).data('originalValue',$(this).val());
});

var def = $("select > option").filter(function () {
    return this.defaultSelected;
});