var _intNextBlurbId =2;
var _spanCurrentBlurb;
var _spanNextBlurb;
var _intOpacity;

function fadeOutBlurb() {
   if(_spanCurrentBlurb && _spanNextBlurb) {
      //reduce current blurb's opacity & re-launch
      if(_intOpacity > 0) {
         setOpacity(_spanCurrentBlurb,_intOpacity--);
         setTimeout("fadeOutBlurb()",150);
      }
      //hide current blurb, swap in next blurb, & launch fadeInBlurb
      else {
         _spanCurrentBlurb.style.display ="none";
         _spanCurrentBlurb =_spanNextBlurb;
         _intOpacity =1;
         setTimeout("fadeInBlurb()",150);
      }
   }
}



function fadeInBlurb() {
   //init 1st blurb
   if(!_intOpacity) {
      _intOpacity =1;
      _intNextBlurbId =2;
      _spanCurrentBlurb =document.getElementById("divBlurb1");
   }

   //increase current blurb's opacity & re-launch
   if(_intOpacity < 10) {
      _spanCurrentBlurb.style.display ="inline";
      setOpacity(_spanCurrentBlurb,_intOpacity++);
      setTimeout("fadeInBlurb()",150);
   }
   //get next blurb & set fadeOutBlurb to launch
   else {
      _spanNextBlurb =document.getElementById("divBlurb" +_intNextBlurbId++);

      if(!_spanNextBlurb) {
         _spanNextBlurb =document.getElementById("divBlurb1");
         _intNextBlurbId =2;
      }
      setTimeout("fadeOutBlurb()",6500);
   }
}



//NOTE!!! OPACITY DOES NOT WORK IN IE UNLESS THE SURROUNDING ELEMENT HAS A WIDTH OR HEIGHT EXPLICITLY SET!
function setOpacity(node, intOpacity) {  //intOpacity ranges from 0-10
   node.style.opacity = intOpacity/10;
   node.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity=' + intOpacity*10 + ')';
}