function start_cycle_news_item(e) {
    e.show();

    var speed = 30.0; // pixels per second
    var distance_to_move = 330 + e.getHeight();
    var duration = distance_to_move / speed;

    new Effect.Move(e, { mode: 'relative', y: -distance_to_move, duration: duration, transition: Effect.Transitions.linear });

    var start_next_in = (e.getHeight() + 15) / speed;
    start_cycle_news_item.delay(start_next_in, (e.nextSiblings().first() ? e.nextSiblings().first() : $$('.news_item').first()));

    recycle_news_item.delay(duration + 1, e);
}

function recycle_news_item(e) {
    e.select("hr").first().show();
    e.hide();
    e.setStyle({ top: "310px" });
}

document.observe("dom:loaded", function (e) {
        if($$('.news_item').size() > 0) {
            for(var i=0; i<$$('.news_item').size(); i++) {
                var e = $$('.news_item')[i];
                var eheight = e.getHeight();
                e.absolutize();
                e.setStyle({ top: "310px", width: $('news_items').getWidth(), height: eheight + "px" });
                e.hide()
            }

            start_cycle_news_item($$('.news_item').first());
        }
    });