function initTicker() {
	if ($$("ul#tickerItems li").length == 0) return false;
	
	// hide tickerItems ul
	$("tickerItems").addClass("hide");
	
	// show tickerText div
	$("tickerText").removeClass("hide");
	
	tick(0);
}

function tick(item) {
	// get items
	var items = $$("ul#tickerItems li");

	if (item == items.length) {
		// reset to first item if end of list has been reached
		item = 0;
	}
	
	// get item anchor
	var anchor = items[item].getChildren("a");
	var title = anchor.get("text").toString();
	var url = anchor.getProperty("href");
	var target = anchor.getProperty("target");
	
	// set item parts in tickerText
	anchor = $("tickerText").getChildren("a");
	anchor.setProperties({
		href: url,
		title: "View full article - " + title,
		target: target
	});
	
	type(item, title, 0);
}

function type(item, text, cursor) {
	var tickerText = $("tickerText").getChildren("a");

	// "type" character
	if (cursor == 0) {
		tickerText.set("text", text.charAt(cursor));
	} else {
		tickerText.appendText(text.charAt(cursor));
	}
	
	// increment cursor
	cursor++;
	
	if (cursor == text.length) {
		// tick
		(function(){ tick(item + 1); }).delay(5000);
	} else {
		// pause and loop
		(function(){ type(item, text, cursor); }).delay(50);
	}
}