/**** FUNCTIONS FOR FADING NEWS ITEMS **********************/
var news_i=0;
var newsholdtime = 6000;

function newsHold(dur){
	setTimeout('newsFade()',dur);
}

function newsFade(){
	$("#newsitem").fadeOut(500, function(){nextNewsItem();});
}

function nextNewsItem(){
	
		$("#newsitem").attr("src",newsItems[news_i]);
	//test to make sure we have more than 1 item
	if(newsItems.length > 1){
		$("#newsitem").fadeIn(200, function(){newsHold(newsholdtime);});
		if(news_i < newsItems.length-1){news_i++;}else{news_i = 0;}
	}
}

/**** INIT FUNCTIONS **************************************/
// $(document).ready(function() {
   	//initialize the news items
//	nextNewsItem();
// });