(function($)
{
	$.fn.initTicker = function()
	{
		var currentTickerItem = 0;
		var tickerInterval;
		initTicker();
		
		function initTicker()
		{
			// Loop through all news items
			$('#ticker li').each(function(index)
			{
				// Set the opacity of each item to 0
				// except for the first
				if (index == 0) { $(this).css('display', 'block'); }
				if (index != 0) { $(this).css({opacity: 0, display: 'none'}); }
				
				$(this).css({position: 'absolute', 'line-height': '25px' });
				
				// Clear the timer when on mouse over of an item
				$('a',this).mouseover(function()
				{
					stopTimer();
				// Restart the timer on mouse out
				}).mouseout(function()
				{
					startTimer();
				});
			});
			
			//  Next Button
			$('#btnTickerNext').click(function()
			{
				nextTickerItem();
				resetTimer();
				return false;
			});
			
			// Previous Button
			$('#btnTickerPrev').click(function()
			{
				prevTickerItem();
				resetTimer();
				return false;
			});
			
			startTimer();
		}
		
		function stopTimer()	{ clearInterval(tickerInterval); }
		function startTimer()	{ tickerInterval = setInterval(nextTickerItem, 5000); }
		
		function resetTimer()
		{
			stopTimer();
			startTimer();
		}
		
		function nextTickerItem()
		{
			var prevValue = currentTickerItem;
			if (currentTickerItem < $('#ticker li').length - 1)
			{
				currentTickerItem++;
			}
			else if (currentTickerItem == $('#ticker li').length - 1)
			{
				currentTickerItem = 0;
			}
			
			$('#ticker li').eq(prevValue).animate({opacity: 0}, 1000, function(){ return new function(){$('#ticker li').eq(prevValue).css({display: 'none'});};});
			$('#ticker li').eq(currentTickerItem).css({display: 'block'}).animate({opacity: 1}, 1000, function(){ return new function(){$('#ticker li').eq(currentTickerItem).css({display: 'block'});};});
		}
		
		function prevTickerItem()
		{	
			var prevValue = currentTickerItem;		
			if (currentTickerItem > 0)
			{
				currentTickerItem--;
			}
			else if (currentTickerItem == 0)
			{
				currentTickerItem = $('#ticker li').length - 1;
			}			
			$('#ticker li').eq(prevValue).animate({opacity: 0}, 1000, function(){ return new function(){$('#ticker li').eq(prevValue).css({display: 'none'});};});
			$('#ticker li').eq(currentTickerItem).css({display: 'block'}).animate({opacity: 1}, 1000, function(){ return new function(){$('#ticker li').eq(currentTickerItem).css({display: 'block'});};});
		}
	};
})(jQuery);