Adding background image to links cause tab problems

[johkar]

If you add a background image to a link, the spinning Microsoft logo
stops spinning in IE 6 after you click the link and move the mouse off
it. Most people never notice this, but in applications where there is
a slight delay before going to the next page, the logo stops spinning
and the progress bar stops working if you mouse off the link. I am
using the "sliding doors" technique to add rounded corners to tabs. I
have been unable to find a solution. Thoughts?

http://alistapart.com/articles/slidingdoors2/

<style type="text/css">
#header {
float:left;
width:100%;
background:#369 url("bg.gif") repeat-x bottom;
font-size:85%;
line-height:normal;
}
#header ul {
margin:0;
padding:10px 10px 0;
list-style:none;
}
#header li {
float:left;
background:url("right.gif") no-repeat right top;
margin:0;
padding:0 5px 0 0;
}
#header a {
float:left;
display:block;
background:url("left.gif") no-repeat left top;
padding:5px 7px 4px 20px;
text-decoration:none;
font-weight:bold;
color:#9cf;
}
/* Commented Backslash Hack
hides rule from IE5-Mac \*/
#header a {float:none;}
/* End IE5-Mac hack */
#header a:hover {
color:#fff;
}
#header #current {
background-image:url("right_on.gif");
}
#header #current a {
background-image:url("left_on.gif");
color:#333;
padding-bottom:5px;
}
</style>
<div id="header">
<ul>
<li><a href="http://google.com">Google</a></li>
<li><a href="http://yahoo.com">Yahoo</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
I did find a 2004 post to this group that received no replies. The
delayed link examples aren't too representative of the problem.

http://groups.google.com/group/comp....cd58a006fbb023