$(document).ready(function() {
		/* REMOVED ANIMATED OPACITY BECAUSE OF IE8 ISSUES */				   						   						   
        /*$('#mainMenu li a').append('<span class="hover"></span>');  
           // span whose opacity will animate when mouse hovers.  
             
           $('#mainMenu li a').hover(  
             function() {  
             $('.hover', this).stop().animate({  
         'opacity': 1  
         }, 200,'easeOutSine')  
            },  
         function() {  
           $('.hover', this).stop().animate({  
             'opacity': 0  
             }, 200, 'easeOutQuad')  
      
    })  */
		   $('.close a').click(  
             function() {  
             $('#sponsors').hide("slow"); 
			 }) 
         });