(function ($) {

  $.fn.crossfade = function (startOptions, endOptions) {
    var defaults = {
      'start' : {
        'type' : 'mouseenter',
        'delay' : 1000,
        'callback' : null,
        'condition' : function () { return true; }
      },

      'end' : {
        'type' : 'mouseleave',
        'delay' : 1000,
        'callback' : null,
        'condition' : function () { return true; }
      }
    };

    if (typeof options == 'number') {
      options = {
        'start' : { 'delay' : options },
        'end' : { 'delay' : options }
      };
    }

    var settings = {};
    settings.start = $.extend({}, defaults.start, startOptions);
    settings.end = $.extend({}, defaults.end, endOptions);

    // return this;
    return this.each(function (i) { 
      var $$ = $(this);
      var targetImage = $$.css('backgroundImage').replace(/^url|[\(\)"']/g, '');
      var hiddenImage = $$.wrap('<span style="position: relative;"></span>')
        .parent()
        .prepend('<img>')
        .find(':first-child')
        .attr('src', targetImage);

      // CSS tweaks to position the starting image correctly
      if ($.browser.msie || $.browser.mozilla) {
// alert(this.offsetTop);
        $$.css({
          'position' : 'absolute', 
          'left' : 0,
          'background' : '',
          'top' : ($.browser.msie) ? 0 : this.offsetTop
        });
      } else if ($.browser.opera && $.browser.version < 9.5) {
        // opera < 9.5 has a render bug - so this is required to get around it
        // we can't apply the 'top' : 0 separately because Mozilla strips
        // the style set originally somehow...
        $$.css({
          'position' : 'absolute', 
          'left' : 0,
          'background' : '',
          'top' : "0"
        });
      } else {
        $$.css({
          'position' : 'absolute', 
          'left' : 0,
          'background' : ''
        });
      }
      
      if (settings.start.type) {
        $$.bind(settings.start.type, function () {
          if (settings.start.condition.call(this)) {
            $(this).stop().animate({
              opacity: 0
            }, settings.start.delay);
          }
          if (settings.start.callback) return settings.start.callback.call(this);
        });
      }
      
      if (settings.end.type) {
        $$.bind(settings.end.type, function () {
          if (settings.end.condition.call(this)) {
            $(this).stop().animate({
              opacity: 1
            }, settings.end.delay);
          }
          if (settings.end.callback) return settings.end.callback.call(this);
        });
      }
    });
  };
  
})(jQuery);