function shownews(tab) {

  /* clear all existing tabs */
  
  var f = $$('.newstab');
	var s = '';
	for(var i=0; i<f.length; i++){
		s = f[i].id;
		if($(s).style.display != 'none') {
		  new Effect.BlindUp(s);
		
		}
	}

  /* now activate the one we want */
  
  new Effect.BlindDown($(tab), { queue: 'end' });
}


function showtab(tab) {

  /* clear all existing tabs */
 	var f = $$('.autotab');
	var s = '';
	for(var i=0; i<f.length; i++){
		s = f[i].id;
		if($(s).style.display != 'none') {
		  new Effect.BlindUp(s);
		
		}
	}

  /* now activate the one we want */
  
  new Effect.BlindDown($(tab), { queue: 'end' });
  

}

function hidetabs() {

  /* called by onLoad. blanks all but first tab. */

	var f = $$('.autotab');
	var s = '';
  if(f.length > 1) {
    for(var i=1; i<f.length; i++){
      s = f[i].id;
      $(s).style.display = 'none';
    }
	}

}

function popUp(URL, w, h) {
  w = typeof(w) != 'undefined' ? w : 900;
  h = typeof(h) != 'undefined' ? h : 600;

day = new Date();
id = day.getTime();
eval("page" + id + " = window.open(URL, '" + id + "', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=1,location=0,statusbar=1,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=" + w + ",height=" + h + "');");
}