function opacity(id, opacStart, opacEnd, millisec) {
	            //speed for each frame
	            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++;
		            }
	            }
            }

            //change the opacity for different browsers
            function changeOpac(opacity, id) {
	            var object = document.getElementById(id).style; 
	            object.opacity = (opacity / 100);
	            object.MozOpacity = (opacity / 100);
	            object.KhtmlOpacity = (opacity / 100);
	            object.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + opacity + ")";
            }

            function shiftOpacity(id, millisec) {
	            //if an element is invisible, make it visible, else make it ivisible
	            if(document.getElementById(id).style.opacity == 0) {
		            opacity(id, 0, 100, millisec);
	            } else {
		            opacity(id, 100, 0, millisec);
	            }
            }

            function blendimage(divid, imageid, imagefile, millisec) {
	            var speed = Math.round(millisec / 100);
	            var timer = 0;
            	
	            //set the current image as background
	            document.getElementById(divid).style.backgroundImage = "url(" + document.getElementById(imageid).src + ")";
            	
	            //make image transparent
	            changeOpac(0, imageid);
            	
	            //make new image
	            document.getElementById(imageid).src = imagefile;

	            //fade in image
	            for(i = 0; i <= 100; i++) {
		            setTimeout("changeOpac(" + i + ",'" + imageid + "')",(timer * speed));
		            timer++;
	            }
            }

            function currentOpac(id, opacEnd, millisec) {
	            //standard opacity is 100
	            var currentOpac = 100;
            	
	            //if the element has an opacity set, get it
	            if(document.getElementById(id).style.opacity < 100) {
		            currentOpac = document.getElementById(id).style.opacity * 100;
	            }

	            //call for the function that changes the opacity
	            opacity(id, currentOpac, opacEnd, millisec)
            }