i = 0;

function createTicker(){
	$("#ticker-area").children("hide");
	var tickerLIs = $("#ticker-area > div");
	tickerItems = new Array();
	tickerLIs.each(function(x, v) {
		tickerItems.push( v );
	});
	rotateTicker();
}

function rotateTicker(){
	$(tickerItems[i]).hide();
	i = nextTicker();
	tickerText = tickerItems[i];
	d = $(tickerText).html().length * 50;
	$(tickerText).slideDown("slow");
	var t = setTimeout( "rotateTicker()", d );
}

function nextTicker() {
	return Math.floor(Math.random() * tickerItems.length);
}