function launchWindow(id) 
{

            //Get the screen height and width
            var maskHeight = $(document).height();
            var maskWidth = $(window).width();

            //Set heigth and width to mask to fill up the whole screen
            $('#splashmask').css({ 'width': maskWidth, 'height': maskHeight });

            //transition effect		
            $('#splashmask').fadeIn(1000);
            $('#splashmask').fadeTo("slow", 0.8);

            //Get the window height and width
            var winH = $(window).height();
            var winW = $(window).width();

            //Set the popup window to center
            $(id).css('top', winH / 2 - $(id).height());
            $(id).css('left', winW / 2 - $(id).width() / 2);

            //transition effect
            $(id).fadeIn(2000);
}