function slideSwitch() {
            var $active = $('#sideslideshow IMG.active');

            if ($active.length == 0) $active = $('#sideslideshow IMG:last');

        

            // uncomment the 3 lines below to pull the images in random order

            var $sibs  = $active.siblings();
            var rndNum = Math.floor(Math.random() * $sibs.length );
            var $next  = $( $sibs[ rndNum ] );


            $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);
        });