function newImage(arg) {
  if (document.images) {
    rslt = new Image();
    rslt.src = arg;
    return rslt;
  }
}
function changeImages() {
  if (document.images && (preloadFlag == true)) {
    for (var i=0; i<changeImages.arguments.length; i+=2) {
      document[changeImages.arguments[i]].src = changeImages.arguments[i+1];
    }
  }
}
var preloadFlag = false;
function preloadImages() {
  if (document.images) {
		// load the standard images that are on every page
    loadimage = newImage('images/links_introon.gif');
		loadimage = newImage('images/links_historyon.gif');
		loadimage = newImage('images/links_whyon.gif');
		loadimage = newImage('images/links_menson.gif');
		loadimage = newImage('images/links_ladieson.gif');
		loadimage = newImage('images/links_accessorieson.gif');
		loadimage = newImage('images/links_contacton.gif');
		loadimage = newImage('images/links_searchon.gif');
		loadimage = newImage('images/asample.jpg');
		loadimage = newImage('images/bsample.jpg');
		loadimage = newImage('images/csample.jpg');
		loadimage = newImage('images/msample.jpg');
		loadimage = newImage('images/mssample.jpg');
		loadimage = newImage('images/rsample.jpg');
		loadimage = newImage('images/ssample.jpg');
		loadimage = newImage('images/tsample.jpg');
		// this for loop preloads any images that were sent as parameters to the preloadImages function
    for (var i=0; i<preloadImages.arguments.length; i++) {
      var paramimg = newImage(preloadImages.arguments[i]);
    }
    preloadFlag = true;
  }
}