nereidFadeObjects  =  new  Object();
nereidFadeTimers  =  new  Object();
function  nereidFade(object,  destOp,  rate,  delta){
if  (!document.all)
return
        if  (object  !=  "[object]"){    file://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);
        }
}