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 getAbsoluteLeft(objectId) {
	// Get an object left position from the upper left viewport corner
	// Tested with relative and nested objects
	var o = $(objectId);
	var oLeft = o.offsetLeft ;           // Get left position from the parent object
	while(o.offsetParent!=null) {   // Parse the parent hierarchy up to the document element
		oParent = o.offsetParent;    // Get parent object reference
		oLeft += oParent.offsetLeft; // Add parent left position
		o = oParent;
	}
	// Return left postion
	return oLeft;
}

function getAbsoluteTop(objectId) {
	// Get an object top position from the upper left viewport corner
	// Tested with relative and nested objects
	var o = $(objectId);
	var oTop = o.offsetTop;            // Get top position from the parent object
	while(o.offsetParent!=null) { // Parse the parent hierarchy up to the document element
		oParent = o.offsetParent;  // Get parent object reference
		oTop += oParent.offsetTop; // Add parent top position
		o = oParent;
	}
	// Return top position
	return oTop;
}