function startTicker()
{
// Define run time values
theCurrentStory = -1;
theCurrentLength = 0;

// Locate base objects
if(document.getElementById)
{
theAnchorObject = document.getElementById("tickerAnchor");
runTheTicker();
}
else
{
document.write("Javascript is turned off in your browser");
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(/"/g,'"');
theTargetLink = theSiteLinks[theCurrentStory];
theAnchorObject.href = theTargetLink;
}

// Stuff the current ticker text into the anchor
theAnchorObject.innerHTML = theStorySummary.substring(0,theCurrentLength) + ((theCurrentLength == theStorySummary.length) ? "" : "_");

// 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);
}