<!--
nereidFadeObjects  =  new  Object(); 
nereidFadeTimers  =  new  Object(); 

function  nereidFade(object,  destOp,  rate,  delta){ 
if  (!document.all) 
return 
        if  (object  !=  "[object]"){    //do  this  so  I  can  take  a  string  too 
                setTimeout("nereidFade("+object+","+destOp+","+rate+","+delta+")",0); 
                return; 
        } 
                 
        clearTimeout(nereidFadeTimers[object.sourceIndex]); 
         
        diff  =  destOp-object.filters.alpha.opacity; 
        direction  =  1; 
        if  (object.filters.alpha.opacity  >  destOp){ 
                direction  =  -1; 
        } 
        delta=Math.min(direction*diff,delta); 
        object.filters.alpha.opacity+=direction*delta; 

        if  (object.filters.alpha.opacity  !=  destOp){ 
                nereidFadeObjects[object.sourceIndex]=object; 
                nereidFadeTimers[object.sourceIndex]=setTimeout("nereidFade(nereidFadeObjects["+object.sourceIndex+"],"+destOp+","+rate+","+delta+")",rate); 
        } 
} 
//-->