//dimScreen()
	//by Brandon Goldman
	jQuery.extend({
		//dims the screen
		dimScreen: function(speed, opacity, yposition, callback) {
		if(jQuery('#__dimScreen').size() > 0) return;

		if(typeof speed == 'function') {
		callback = speed;
		speed = null;
		}

		if(typeof opacity == 'function') {
		callback = opacity;
		opacity = null;
		}

		if(speed < 1) {
		var placeholder = opacity;
		opacity = speed;
		speed = placeholder;
		}

		if(opacity >= 1) {
		var placeholder = speed;
		speed = opacity;
		opacity = placeholder;
		}

		speed = (speed > 0) ? speed : 500;
		opacity = (opacity > 0) ? opacity : 0.5;
		return jQuery('<div></div>').attr({
		id: '__dimScreen'
		,fade_opacity: opacity
		,speed: speed
		}).css({
		background: '#000'
		,height: $(window).height() + 'px'
		,left: '0px'
		,opacity: 0
		,position: 'absolute'
		,top: yposition+'px'
		,width: $(window).width() + 'px'
		,zIndex: 999
		}).appendTo(document.body).fadeTo(speed, opacity, callback);
		},

		//stops current dimming of the screen
		dimScreenStop: function(callback) {
		var x = jQuery('#__dimScreen');
		var opacity = x.attr('fade_opacity');
		var speed = x.attr('speed');
		x.fadeOut(speed, function() {
		x.remove();
		if(typeof callback == 'function') callback();
		});
		}
	});