var  VDELAY  = 9250;
var  TDELAY  = 100;
var  TSTEPS  = 4;
var  NITEMS  = 3;

var    timerID = null;

var  newsIdx   = NITEMS - 1;
var  newsItems = new Array( "newsItem1", "newsItem2", "newsItem3" );

var  opacSteps = new Array( 0.99, 0.80, 0.50, 0.20 );

var  inTransition = TSTEPS;

function NewsTimerStart()
{
     var delay = VDELAY;

     var  newsItemC = null;
     var  newsItemN = null;

     newsItemC = document.getElementById( newsItems[ ( newsIdx     ) % NITEMS ] );
     newsItemN = document.getElementById( newsItems[ ( newsIdx + 1 ) % NITEMS ] );

     if( ( newsItemC == null ) || ( newsItemN == null ) ) return;
     
     if( inTransition >= TSTEPS )
     {  
          delay        = VDELAY; 
          inTransition = 0;

          newsItemC.style.visibility = "hidden";
         
          newsIdx = ( newsIdx + 1 ) % NITEMS;
     }
     else                         
     {  
     //     if( navigator.appName == "Microsoft Internet Explorer" )
     //     {
               //if( ( parseInt( navigator.appVersion) >= 4 ) && newsItemC.filters && newsItemN.filters )
     //          {
               //     newsItemC.filters.alpha.opacity = 100 * opacSteps[ inTransition              ];
               //     newsItemN.filters.alpha.opacity = 100 * opacSteps[ TSTEPS - inTransition - 1 ];
     //          }
     //     }
     //     else
     //     {
             //  newsItemC.style.MozOpacity = opacSteps[ inTransition              ];
             //  newsItemN.style.MozOpacity = opacSteps[ TSTEPS - inTransition - 1 ];
         
             //  newsItemC.style.opacity = opacSteps[ inTransition              ];
             //  newsItemN.style.opacity = opacSteps[ TSTEPS - inTransition - 1 ];
      //    }
         
          if( inTransition == 0 ) newsItemN.style.visibility = "visible";

          delay = TDELAY;
          inTransition++;
     }

     timerID = self.setTimeout( "NewsTimerStart()", delay );
}


function NewsTimerStop()
{
     if( timerID != null ) clearTimeout( timerID );
}