<!--
// Ticker startup
function startTicker()
{
	// Define run time values
	theCurrentStory     = -1;
	theCurrentLength    = 0;
	// Locate base objects
	if (document.getElementById) {	
		    theAnchorObject     = document.getElementById("tickerAnchor");
			runTheTicker();   	
		 }
	else {
            document.write("<style>.ticki{display:none;}.ticko{border:0px; padding:0px;}</style>");
            return true;
	}
}
// Ticker main run loop
function runTheTicker() {
	var myTimeout;  
	
	// Go for the next story data block
	if(theCurrentLength == 0) {
		theCurrentStory++;
		theCurrentStory      = theCurrentStory % theItemCount;
		theStorySummary      = theSummaries[theCurrentStory].replace(/&quot;/g,'"');		
		theTargetLink        = theSiteLinks[theCurrentStory];
		theAnchorObject.href = theTargetLink;
		thePrefix            = "<span class=\"tickls\">" + theLeadString + "</span>";
	}

	//only display  special chars after the full char is printed.
	if (theStorySummary.substring(theCurrentLength,theCurrentLength+1) == "&") {
		do {
		   theCurrentLength++;
		}
		while(theStorySummary.substring(theCurrentLength,theCurrentLength+1) != ";")
	}

	// Stuff the current ticker text into the anchor
	theAnchorObject.innerHTML = thePrefix + 
	theStorySummary.substring(0,theCurrentLength) + whatWidget();
	// Modify the length for the substring and define the timer
	if(theCurrentLength != theStorySummary.length) {
		theCurrentLength++;
		myTimeout = theCharacterTimeout;
	} else {
		theCurrentLength = 0;
		myTimeout = theStoryTimeout;
	}
	// Call up the next cycle of the ticker
	setTimeout("runTheTicker()", myTimeout);
}
// Widget generator
function whatWidget()
{
	if(theCurrentLength == theStorySummary.length)
	{
		return theWidgetNone;
	}

	if((theCurrentLength % 2) == 1)
	{
		return theWidgetOne;
	}
	else
	{
		return theWidgetTwo;
	}
}

// -->
