pageOnLoad = function() {
	$('#news-ticker').ticker();
}

$.fn.ticker = function() {
	var childIndex = 0;
	var children = this.children().hide();	
	function showChild() {
		//alert("showing child " + childIndex);
		var charIndex = 0;
		var currChild = $(children[childIndex]);
		var currChildText = $(currChild).children('p').text();
		var currLink = $(currChild).children('a').attr('href');
		$(currChild).show().children('p').empty();
		tickerInterval = setInterval(addChar, 50);
		function addChar() {
			//alert("adding char " + currChildText.charAt(charIndex - 1));
			$(currChild).children('p').text($(currChild).children('p').text() + currChildText.charAt(charIndex - 1));
			charIndex++;
			if(charIndex > currChildText.length) {
				clearInterval(tickerInterval);
				$(currChild).children('a').attr('href', currLink);
				setTimeout(showNextChild, 4000);
			}
			function showNextChild() {
				currChild.animate({opacity: 'hide'}, 'slow', showChild);
				childIndex++;
				if(childIndex >= children.length) {
					childIndex = 0;
				}
			}
		}
	}
	showChild();
};