/////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  //
  // doFades() - Fade 'potters n poets...' bit in and
  //             out to amuse visitors
  //

  var fadeIntvl = 120;    // milliseconds
  var fadeDiff = Math.PI / 60
  var fadeAngle = 0;      // varies up to PI * 4
  var fadeValue = 0;
  var timer = 0;
  var first = true;

  function doFades()
    {
    var elem;           // the element to fade

    // element 1...
    fadeValue = 0;
    fadeValue = Math.sin(fadeAngle);
    fadeValue = fadeValue > 0 ? fadeValue : 0;
    elem = document.getElementById("fade1");
    elem.style.opacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.MozOpacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + fadeValue * 98 + ")";

    // element 2...
    fadeValue = 0;
    fadeValue = Math.sin(fadeAngle - Math.PI / 4);
    fadeValue = fadeValue > 0 ? fadeValue : 0;
    elem = document.getElementById("fade2");
    elem.style.opacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.MozOpacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + fadeValue * 98 + ")";

    // element 3...
    fadeValue = 0;
    fadeValue = Math.sin(fadeAngle - Math.PI * 2 / 4);
    fadeValue = fadeValue > 0 ? fadeValue : 0;
    elem = document.getElementById("fade3");
    elem.style.opacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.MozOpacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + fadeValue * 98 + ")";

    // element 4...
    fadeValue = 0;
    fadeValue = Math.sin(fadeAngle - Math.PI * 3 / 4);
    fadeValue = fadeValue > 0 ? fadeValue : 0;
    elem = document.getElementById("fade4");
    elem.style.opacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.MozOpacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + fadeValue * 98 + ")";

    // element 5...
    fadeValue = 0;
    if (!first)
      fadeValue = Math.sin(fadeAngle - Math.PI);
    fadeValue = fadeValue > 0 ? fadeValue : 0;
    elem = document.getElementById("fade5");
    elem.style.opacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.MozOpacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + fadeValue * 98 + ")";

    // element 6...
    fadeValue = 0;
    if (!first)
      fadeValue = Math.sin(fadeAngle - Math.PI * 5 / 4);
    fadeValue = fadeValue > 0 ? fadeValue : 0;
    elem = document.getElementById("fade6");
    elem.style.opacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.MozOpacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + fadeValue * 98 + ")";

    // element 7...
    fadeValue = 0;
    if (!first)
      fadeValue = Math.sin(fadeAngle - Math.PI * 6 / 4);
    fadeValue = fadeValue > 0 ?fadeValue : 0;
    elem = document.getElementById("fade7");
    elem.style.opacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.MozOpacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + fadeValue * 98 + ")";

    // element 8...
    fadeValue = 0;
    if (!first)
      fadeValue = Math.sin(fadeAngle - Math.PI * 7 / 4);
    fadeValue = fadeValue > 0 ? fadeValue : 0;
    elem = document.getElementById("fade8");
    elem.style.opacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.MozOpacity = fadeValue * 0.98;
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + fadeValue * 98 + ")";

    fadeAngle += fadeDiff;
    if (fadeAngle > Math.PI)
        first = false;
    if (fadeAngle >= Math.PI * 2)
        fadeAngle = 0.0;

    timer = setTimeout("doFades()", fadeIntvl);
    }

  // place fade elements in their correct position...
  function posnFades()
    {
    // first find posn of first fade element: fade1...
    var elem = document.getElementById("fade1");
    // find its top and left...
    var top = findPosY(elem);
    var left = findPosX(elem);

    for (i = 2; i <= 8; i++)
      {
      var id = "fade" + i;
      elem = document.getElementById(id)
      elem.style.top = top + "px";
      elem.style.left = left + "px";
      }
    }

  // functions to find the position of an element...
  function findPosX(obj)
    {
    var curleft = 0;
    if (obj.offsetParent)
      {
      while (obj.offsetParent)
        {
        curleft += obj.offsetLeft;
        obj = obj.offsetParent;
        }
      }
    else if (obj.x)
      curleft += obj.x;
    return curleft;
    }

  function findPosY(obj)
    {
    var curtop = 0;
    if (obj.offsetParent)
      {
      while (obj.offsetParent)
        {
        curtop += obj.offsetTop;
        obj = obj.offsetParent;
        }
      }
    else if (obj.y)
      curtop += obj.y;
    return curtop;
    }

  //
  // End of File //////////////////////////////////////