bassistance validate & jquery slider conflict

bassistance validate & jquery slider conflict

We've worked w/ b's validate for years.  It works well.
I've a new project that uses multiple sliders.
 
ISSUE:
When the page loads, validate complains:
   "Microsoft JScript runtime error: Object doesn't support this property or method"

on the html code:
   $("#editform").validate({  rules: {...
 
The sliders work properly, but the validation is disabled/non-existant.
   Without the files below, the validation works flawlessly.
   With/Without the slider script (enrolltime.js) makes no difference.
   Without the validation html, the sliders work flawlessly.
   With both, validation complains/stops working,  and the sliders keep on working flawlessly.
  
 
 
It seems to be an issue with one of the following files (because it happens even without any slider js):
 
<link rel="stylesheet" href=" http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.1/themes/base/jquery-ui.css" type="text/css" media="all" />
 
PROCESS OF ELIMINATION - (all with same results):
Originally we were using jquery 1.2.6 and b's validate 1.2.1 which have worked great.
We updated to jquery 1.4.2 and b's validate 1.7.
We tried excluding each of the above files.
 
Both the sliders and validation are needed.
I always try to produce validated UIs.
Much to my c hagrin, the sliders will win over validation.
 
 
Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
 
PJ