window.addEvent('domready', function(){
    
    /* preload images */
    $$('a.preload').each(function(e){
    	var bg = $(e).getStyle('backgroundImage').replace('url(', '').replace(')', '').replace('_off', '');
    	
    	var image = new Image(400, 150);
		image.src = bg;
    });
    
    /* all external links now open in new window */
    $$('a.external').each(function(e){
	    e.addEvent('click', function(ev){
		    ev = new Event(ev).stop();
		    window.open(e.getProperty('href'), '_blank');
	    });
    });
    
});