//<!--
function opacity(id, opacStart, opacEnd, millisec) 
    { 
    try {
        
        var speed = Math.round(millisec / 100); 
        var timer = 0; 

        //determine the direction for the blending, if start and end are the same nothing happens 
        if(opacStart > opacEnd) { 
            for(i = opacStart; i >= opacEnd; i--) { 
                setTimeout("changeOpac(" + i + ",'" + id + "')",(timer * speed)); 
                timer++; 
            } 
        } else if(opacStart < opacEnd) { 
            for(i = opacStart; i <= opacEnd; i++) 
                { 
                setTimeout("changeOpac(" + i + ",'" + id + "')",(timer * speed)); 
                timer++; 
                } 
            } 
        }
        catch (ex)
            { }
    } 

    //change the opacity for different browsers 
    function changeOpac(opacity, id) 
        { 
        try
            {
            var object = document.getElementById(id).style; 
            object.opacity = (opacity / 100); 
            object.MozOpacity = (opacity / 100); 
            object.KhtmlOpacity = (opacity / 100); 
            object.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + opacity + ")"; 
            }
        catch (ex)
            { }
        } 
                
    function fadePicture (pictureToFade, backgroundPicture, fadeSpeed, newImageUrl)
        {
        try
            {
            var newImage = document.getElementById(pictureToFade) ;
            var oldImage = document.getElementById(backgroundPicture) ;

            oldImage.src= newImage.src ;
            newImage.src= newImageUrl ;

            changeOpac (0, pictureToFade) ;
            opacity(pictureToFade, 0, 100, fadeSpeed);
            }
        catch (ex)
            { }

        }
//-->