function createTicker(){
    // put all list elements within #ticker-area into array
    var tickerLIs = $("#ticker-area ul").children();
    tickerItems = new Array();
    tickerLIs.each(function(el) {
        tickerItems.push( jQuery(this).html() );
    });
    i = 0
    rotateTicker();
}

function rotateTicker(){
    if( i == tickerItems.length ){
        i = 0;
    }
    tickerText = tickerItems[i];
    c = 0;
    typetext();
    setTimeout( "rotateTicker()", 5000 );
    i++;
}

var isInTag = false;
function typetext() {	
    var thisChar = tickerText.substr(c, 1);
    if( thisChar == '<' ){
        isInTag = true;
    }
    if( thisChar == '>' ){
        isInTag = false;
    }
    $('#ticker-area').html("&nbsp;" + tickerText.substr(0, c++));
    if(c < tickerText.length+1)
        if( isInTag ){
            typetext();
        }else{
            setTimeout("typetext()", 28);
        }
    else {
        c = 1;
        tickerText = "";
    }
}