function slideSwitch() {
   var $active = $('#slideshow IMG.active');
  
   if ( $active.length == 0 ) $active = $('#slideshow IMG:last');
  
   // use this to pull the images in the order they appear in the markup
   var $next = $active.next().length ? $active.next()
   : $('#slideshow IMG:first');
  
  
  
   $active.addClass('last-active');
  
   $next.css({opacity: 0.0})
   .addClass('active')
   .animate({opacity: 1.0}, 1000, function() {
   $active.removeClass('active last-active');
   });
  }
  
  $(function() {
   setInterval( "slideSwitch()", 5000 );
  });