function start_slideshow(key, total, delay) 
{	
	// start interval loop
    setTimeout(switch_slides(key, 0, total, delay), delay);
}

function switch_slides(key, frame, total, delay) {
    return (function() {
		// alert('frame: '+frame+' | total: '+total);
        $(key + frame).hide();
        
		if (frame == (total)-1) 
		{
			frame = 0; 
		} 
		else 
		{ 
			frame = frame + 1; 
		}
		
		// Element.show(key + frame);
		$(key + frame).show();
        // setTimeout("Effect.Appear('" + key + frame + "');", 850);
        setTimeout(switch_slides(key, frame, total, delay), delay);
    })
}