function opacity(id, opacStart, opacEnd, millisec) {
		
			    //speed for each frame
			    var speed = Math.round(millisec / 100);
			    var timer = 0;
				document.getElementById(id).style.display = '';
			
			    //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) {
		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) {
		}
	}