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');

    // 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');
        });
}

$(document).ready(function () {
    setInterval("slideSwitch()", 5000);
});