function hideItems() {
	new Effect.Fade('featured_content',{duration: 1.0, from: 1, to: .01, delay: 2.0, afterFinish:function(){listItems1()}});
}

function showItems() {
	new Effect.Appear('featured_content',{duration: 1.0, from: .01, to: 1, delay: 1.0, afterFinish:function(){listItems2()}});
}

var xmlHttp;

function listItems1() {
	xmlHttp=GetXmlHttpObject();
	
	if (xmlHttp==null) {
		$('featured_content').innerHTML = '<p>Browser does not support HTTP Request</p>';
		alert ('Browser does not support HTTP Request');
		return;
	}
	var url='http://www.papalartifacts.com/_rand_items.php';
	url=url+'?sid='+Math.random();
	xmlHttp.onreadystatechange=stateChangedItemList;
	xmlHttp.open('GET',url,true);
	xmlHttp.send(null);
	
	setTimeout('showItems();',1000);
}

function listItems2() {
	setTimeout('hideItems();',12000);
}

function stateChangedItemList() { 
	if (xmlHttp.readyState==4 || xmlHttp.readyState=='complete') {
		if (xmlHttp.status == 200) {
			$('featured_content').innerHTML = xmlHttp.responseText;
		}
	} 
}

function GetXmlHttpObject() {
	var xmlHttp=null;
	try {
		// Firefox, Opera 8.0+, Safari
		xmlHttp=new XMLHttpRequest();
	}
	catch (e) {
		//Internet Explorer
		try {
			xmlHttp=new ActiveXObject('Msxml2.XMLHTTP');
		}
		catch (e) {
			xmlHttp=new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.XMLHTTP');
		}
	}
	return xmlHttp;
}

Event.observe(window,'load',function() { setTimeout('hideItems();',12000) });