a lousy way to simulate columnCoun

https://github.com/gryzzly/CSS-Multi-column-Layout-Module-Polyfill

HTML

<ul>
  <li>Lorem</li>
  <li>ipsum</li>
  <li>dolor</li>
  <li>sit</li>
  <li>amet</li>
  <li>consectetuer
    <div>
      test
    </div>
    <div>
      test
    </div>
    <div>
      test
    </div>
  </li>
  <li>Aliquam</li>
  <li>tincidunt</li>
  <li>mauris</li>
  <li>eu</li>
  <li>risus</li>
</ul>

JavaScript

(function($){    
  // from modernizr 
  function columnCountSupported() {
    var elem = document.createElement('ch'),
        elemStyle = document.createElement('ch').style,
        domPrefixes = 'Webkit Moz O ms Khtml'.split(' '),
        prop = 'columnCount',
        uc_prop = prop.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + prop.substr(1),
        props   = (prop + ' ' + domPrefixes.join(uc_prop + ' ') + uc_prop).split(' ');
    
    for ( var i in props ) {
        if ( elemStyle[ props[i] ] !== undefined ) {
            return true;
        }
    }
    
    return false;
  }

  $.fn.columnizeList = function(settings){
    
    settings = $.extend($.fn.columnizeList.defaults, settings);
    
    // for testing purposes we can omit support check
    //if (!columnCountSupported()) {  
    if (true) {
      return this.each(function() {
        var $list = $(this),
            // we create the clone of our list in order to test height/width
            $listClone = $list.clone(),
            $items = $list.children('li'),
            itemsPerCol = Math.ceil($items.length / settings.columnCount),
            columnWidth,
            columnHeight,
            itemHeight = 0,
            widthCounter = 0;
            
        // hide the clone from the viewport
        $listClone.css({
          position:'absolute',
          left:'-4999px'
        });

        // append the clone to the body, so it has dimensions
        $('body').append($listClone);

        heightCounter = itemHeight = $listClone.find('li').first().outerHeight();
        columnHeight = itemsPerCol * itemHeight;
        columnWidth =  Math.floor(100 / settings.columnCount);

        $items.each(function(i) {
          var $item = $(this);

          // new column
          if (i > 0 && i % itemsPerCol == 0) {
            widthCounter += columnWidth;
            $item.css('margin-top', -columnHeight);
          }
          if (widthCounter > 0) {
            $item.css('margin-left', widthCounter+'%');
         ...