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;}</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;
    }
}