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++;
        }
    }
    //document.getElementById(id).style.visibility = "visible";
}

//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 + ")";

    if (opacity == 0) {
        document.getElementById(id).style.visibility = "visible";
        //object.display = 'none';
        //SlidDown('setting');
        //setTimeout("SlidRight('Border')", 200);
    }
}