function slideSwitch(slideID,slideItem,random) {

	var visible = $('#'+slideID+' '+slideItem+'.visible');

	if ( visible.length == 0 ) visible = $('#'+slideID+' '+slideItem+':last');

	var $next =  visible.next().length ? visible.next()
		: $('#'+slideID+' '+slideItem+':first');

	if (random == 'random') {
		var $sibs  = visible.siblings();
		var rndNum = Math.floor(Math.random() * $sibs.length );
		var $next  = $( $sibs[ rndNum ] );
	}

	visible.addClass('last-visible')
		.animate({opacity : 0.0}, 1000);

	$next.css({opacity: '0.0'})
		.addClass('visible')
		.animate({opacity: '1.0'}, 2000, function() {
			visible.removeClass('visible last-visible');
		});
}