function startTicker()
{
	// Define run time values
	theCurrentStory     = -1;
	theCurrentLength    = 0;
	// Locate base objects
	if (document.getElementById) {	
		    theAnchorObject     = document.getElementById("tickerAnchor");
			runTheTicker();   	
		 }
	else {
            document.write("<style>.ticki{display:none;}.ticko{border:0px; padding:0px;}A {text-decoration:none}</style>");
            return true;
	}
}
// Ticker main run loop
function runTheTicker()
{
	var myTimeout;  
	// Go for the next story data block
	if(theCurrentLength == 0)
	{
		theCurrentStory++;
		theCurrentStory      = theCurrentStory % theItemCount;
		theStorySummary      = theSummaries[theCurrentStory].replace(/&quot;/g,'"');		
		theTargetLink        = theSiteLinks[theCurrentStory];
		theAnchorObject.href = theTargetLink;
		thePrefix 	     = "<span class=\"tickls\">" + theLeadString + "</span>";
	}
	// Stuff the current ticker text into the anchor
	theAnchorObject.innerHTML = thePrefix + 
	theStorySummary.substring(0,theCurrentLength) + whatWidget();
	// Modify the length for the substring and define the timer
	if(theCurrentLength != theStorySummary.length)
	{
		theCurrentLength++;
		myTimeout = theCharacterTimeout;
	}
	else
	{
		theCurrentLength = 0;
		myTimeout = theStoryTimeout;
	}
	// Call up the next cycle of the ticker
	setTimeout("runTheTicker()", myTimeout);
}
// Widget generator
function whatWidget()
{
	if(theCurrentLength == theStorySummary.length)
	{
		return theWidgetNone;
	}

	if((theCurrentLength % 2) == 1)
	{
		return theWidgetOne;
	}
	else
	{
		return theWidgetTwo;
	}
}




	var theCharacterTimeout = 50;
	var theStoryTimeout     = 5000;
	var theWidgetOne        = "_";
	var theWidgetTwo        = "-";
	var theWidgetNone       = "";
	var theLeadString       = "";

//	var theSummaries = new Array();
//	var theSiteLinks = new Array();

	//var theItemCount = 1;
	

//		theSummaries[0] = " America's newest AVAs effective Feb 16: Covelo (CA) and Rattlesnake Hills (WA)";
//		theSiteLinks[0] = "http://www.appellationamerica.com";
	
//		theSummaries[1] = " TTB petitioned by winemakers/growers to approve seven new sub-appellations within larger Lodi";
//		theSiteLinks[1] = "http://www.appellationamerica.com";
	
//		theSummaries[2] = " Minnesota receives its first recognized viticultural area, the 'Alexandria Lakes AVA'";
//		theSiteLinks[2] = "http://www.appellationamerica.com";
	
//		theSummaries[3] = " Attention wine writers: register now and have your new work shown on the Writers' Billboard";
//		theSiteLinks[3] = "http://www.appellationamerica.com";
	
	var theItemCount = theSummaries.length;
	startTicker();