function showMsg( step )  /* ng for netscape */
{ if( step-- ==0 )	return true;// without setting timeout
  window.status = (step % 2) ?   "                New " : "-<=#=>- New  -<=#=>- " + key;  
	window.setTimeout( "showMsg(" + step + ")" ,800   ); // come back to me 
	return true;
}

// key and version are defined in xxx.js invoked just before calling isItNew or viewing
// isItNew might be in the index.html and viewing in the detail.html
function isItNew() {           // if key value < version say "its new"
  var firstChar, lastChar;
  var cookieS = document.cookie;    // make it a string 

  firstChar  = cookieS.indexOf(key); 
  if(firstChar > -1 ) {                  // key not found ~= new
    firstChar += key.length + 1;
    lastChar=cookieS.indexOf(";", firstChar); if(lastChar == -1) lastChar=cookieS.length; 
                                                    // no ending ; so must be last n=v pair
    if ( cookieS.substring(firstChar, lastChar) >= version ) return false; 
                     }
    document.write(
     ' <img src=/pics/newspin.gif alt="NEW" title="NEW" > ');
  showMsg(20);       
  return  true;
}  	

function viewing(){
  var expDate = (new Date((new Date()).getTime() + 4368*3600000)).toGMTString(); 
  document.cookie = key+"="+version+";path=/;expires="+expDate  ;
return ;
}