var timerId;

function NewsItem(img,imgAlt){
	this.img=img;
	this.imgAlt=imgAlt;
	//preload image
	this.pic = new Image(284,198)
	this.pic.src=this.img;
}

function SetNewsChanger(currItem,init,hover){
	clearTimeout(timerId);
	items = NewsItems.length
	
	for(i=0;i<NewsItems.length;i++){
		$('news' + i).className='';
	}
	$('news' + currItem).className='active';
	
	if (init){
		$('newsStoryImage').innerHTML='<img src="' + NewsItems[currItem].img + '" alt="' + NewsItems[currItem].imgAlt + '" style="position:relative;top:0;left:0;height:189px;width:284px;" id="oldImage" />';
	}else{
		$('newsStoryImage').innerHTML='<img src="' + NewsItems[currItem].img + '" alt="' + NewsItems[currItem].imgAlt + '" style="position:relative;top:0;left:0;z-index:1;height:189px;width:284px;" id="oldImage" /> <img src="' + $('oldImage').src + '" style="position:relative;top:-199;left:0;z-index:2;height:189px;width:284px;" id="fadeImage" />';
		$('fadeImage').fade('out');
	}
	if(!hover){
		startTimer(currItem);
	}
}

function startTimer(currItem){
	
	if(currItem < NewsItems.length - 1){
		nextItem = currItem + 1
	}else{
		nextItem = 0
	}
	timerId = setTimeout("SetNewsChanger(nextItem,false,false)", 6000);
}