function slide(navigation_id, time, multiplier)   
{   
    // creates the target paths   
    var list_elements = navigation_id + " .highlight-element";   
    //var link_elements = list_elements + " a";   
       
    // initiates the timer used for the sliding animation   
    var timer = 0;   
       
 
    var j=0;
    while(j<$(list_elements).length){
    	timer = (timer*multiplier + time);
    	anim($(list_elements).get(j),timer);
    	j++;
    }
    /*
    var i = $(list_elements).length-2;
    while(i >= 0){
    	timer = (timer*multiplier + time);
    	anim($(list_elements).get(i),time);
        i = i-1
    }
     */
    // creates the hover-slide effect for all link elements            
    $(list_elements).each(function(i)   
    {
    	$(this).imghover({suffix: '_hover'});
    });   
}
function anim(obj,timer){
    $(obj)
    .animate({opacity: 0.6}, timer)
    .animate({opacity: 0.4}, timer/3)
    .animate({opacity: 0.6}, timer/3)
    .animate({opacity: 1}, timer);
}