var headlines;
var currentHeadline;
function PrepareNewsRoll()
{
  var newsPanel = document.getElementById('featurednews');
  if(newsPanel != null)
  {
    headlines = newsPanel.getElementsByTagName('span');
    if(headlines.length > 0)
    {
      currentHeadline = 0;
      fadeInNewsItem(0);    
    }
  }
  
}

function fadeInNewsItem()
{
  var newsPanel = document.getElementById('featurednews');
  if(newsPanel != null)
  {
    headlines = newsPanel.getElementsByTagName('span');
    if(headlines.length > 0)
    {
      new Effect.Appear(headlines[currentHeadline]);
      window.setTimeout('fadeOutNewsItem()', 8000);
    }
  }
  
}

function fadeOutNewsItem()
{
  var newsPanel = document.getElementById('featurednews');
  if(newsPanel != null)
  {
    headlines = newsPanel.getElementsByTagName('span');
    if(headlines.length > 0)
    {
      
      new Effect.Fade(headlines[currentHeadline], {duration: 1});
      currentHeadline = (++currentHeadline) % (headlines.length) ;
      window.setTimeout('fadeInNewsItem()', 1000);
    }
  }
}

window.onload = PrepareNewsRoll;