$(document).ready(function()
{

	//$("#col_2").height($("#col_1").height()); // Make the 'News' column the same height as the main column
	
	height_col_1 = $("#col_1").height();
	height_col_2 = $("#col_2").height();
	
	if (height_col_1 < height_col_2) {
		$("#col_1").height($("#col_2").height());
	}
	else {
		$("#col_2").height($("#col_1").height());
	}

	var first = 0;
	var speed = 700;
	var pause = 3500;
	
		function removeFirst(){
			first = $('ul#news_ticker li:first').html();
			$('ul#news_ticker li:first')
			.animate({opacity: 0}, speed)
			.fadeOut('slow', function() {$(this).remove();});
			addLast(first);
		}
		
		function addLast(first){
			last = '<li style="display:none">'+first+'</li>';
			$('ul#news_ticker').append(last)
			$('ul#news_ticker li:last')
			.animate({opacity: 1}, speed)
			.fadeIn('slow')
		}
	
	interval = setInterval(removeFirst, pause);

});