///////////////////////////////
	//News fader code
	///////////////////////////////

	var iNews = 0;
	var iNewsCount = 4;		// hard count of the number of news items
	var newsColorArray = new Array("#333","#444","#555","#666","#777","#888","#999","#aaa","#bbb","#ccc","#bcd","#bcd");
	var newsColorIndex = 0;	
	var newsColorIncrement = 1;
	var newsColorInterval = 100;
	var newsInterval = 6000;

	function fadeNews() {
		if (iNewsCount > 1)	// begin the fader if there are at least two news items present
			setTimeout("fadeNewsSwitch()", newsInterval);
	}

	function fadeNewsSwitch() {

		// get the document id of the current news item
		document.getElementById("newsBox" + iNews).style.color = newsColorArray[newsColorIndex];
		// get the document id of the associated news item hyperlink
		document.getElementById("lnkTitle" + iNews).style.color = newsColorArray[newsColorIndex];

		if (newsColorIndex == 0 && newsColorIncrement < 0) {  // check if we are returning from loop
			document.getElementById("lnkTitle" + iNews).style.color = '';
			newsColorIncrement = 1;
			fadeNews();
			return;
		}
			
		if (newsColorIndex == (newsColorArray.length - 1)) {
			document.getElementById("newsBox" + iNews).style.display = "none";
			iNews++;
			// if the iNews count reaches maximum reset the count to zero
			if (iNews == iNewsCount) {
				iNews = 0;
				}
			
			document.getElementById("newsBox" + iNews).style.display = "block";
			document.getElementById("lnkTitle" + iNews).style.color = newsColorArray[newsColorIndex];
			newsColorIncrement = -1;
		}

		newsColorIndex = newsColorIndex + newsColorIncrement;
		
		setTimeout("fadeNewsSwitch()", newsColorInterval);
		
	}