function opacity_ex(id, opacStart, opacEnd, millisec, timeoffset) {
	//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 + timeoffset));
			timer++;
		}
	} else if(opacStart < opacEnd) {
		for(i = opacStart; i <= opacEnd; i++) {
			setTimeout("changeOpac(" + i + ",'" + id + "')",(timer * speed + timeoffset));
			timer++;
		}
	}
}

//change the opacity for different browsers
function changeOpac(opacity, id) {
	var object = document.getElementById(id).style; 
	object.opacity = (opacity / 101);
	object.MozOpacity = (opacity / 101);
	object.KhtmlOpacity = (opacity / 100);
	object.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + opacity + ")";
}

//alles auf unsichtbar setzen
function blendout(id) {
	var object = document.getElementById(id).style; 
	object.opacity = (0);
	object.MozOpacity = (0);
	object.KhtmlOpacity = (0);
	object.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + opacity + ")";
}

// gap is in millisecs
function delay(gap){ 
var then, now; then=new Date().getTime(); 
now=then; 
while((now-then)<gap) 
{now=new Date().getTime();}

}