function getElementsByClassName(searchClass,node,tag) {
        var classElements = new Array();
        if ( node == null )
                node = document;
        if ( tag == null )
                tag = '*';
        var els = node.getElementsByTagName(tag);
        var elsLen = els.length;
        var pattern = new RegExp("(^|\\s)"+searchClass+"(\\s|$)");
        for (i = 0, j = 0; i < elsLen; i++) {
                if ( pattern.test(els[i].className) ) {
                        classElements[j] = els[i];
                        j++;
                }
        }
        return classElements;
}

var navigating = true;

function do_my_ul_thing(){
  if (navigating == false){
  alert('yes! the cursor is now really away from the list!');
  }
}

function do_the_li_thing(){
//alert('Hello, you are on a list item');
navigating = true;
//now dont worry abount the "onMouseOut" from the ul..
}

function showFlags(){
  div = 'flags-overlay';
  if (navigating == false){
    document.getElementById(div).style.display='none';
  }else{
    if (document.getElementById(div)){
      var element = document.getElementById(div).style.display;
      if(element == 'none'){
        document.getElementById(div).style.display='block';
        navigating = true;
      }else{
        document.getElementById(div).style.display='none';
        navigating = true;
      }
    }
  }
}