var ticker = {
  // milliseconds, 2000 = 2secs
  DELAY: '',
  timerId: '',
  currentPointer: '',
  maxPointer: '',

  runme: function(delay) {
    // initialize - get all the ids with "newsticker" in it
    ticker.DELAY = delay;
    newsArray = document.getElementsByClassName('newsticker', $('newstickers'))
    $('news1').style.display = '';

    // now cycle through the news items by fading one by one
    ticker.timerId = window.setTimeout("ticker.nextNews(1,"+ newsArray.length+ ");",ticker.DELAY);
  },

  nextNews: function(current, max) {
    // Effect.Fade('news' + current);
    $('news'+ current).style.display = 'none';

    // reset the counter if we have to
    if (current == max)
      current = 1;
    else
      current++;

    Effect.Appear('news' + current);

    // call myself again in 2 seconds
    ticker.timerId = window.setTimeout("ticker.nextNews(" + current + "," + max + ");",ticker.DELAY);
    ticker.currentPointer = current;
    ticker.maxPointer = max;
  },

  holdUpNews: function() {
    window.clearTimeout(ticker.timerId);
  },

  resumeNews: function() {
    timerId = window.setTimeout("ticker.nextNews(" + ticker.currentPointer + "," + ticker.maxPointer + ");",ticker.DELAY);
  }
}