function home_start( image_src ){
	// background image pre-loader
	// get parent
	$( '.loading' ).show();
	var parent = $(".home_image");
	var img = new Image();
	// image onload
	$(img).load(function () {
		$( this ).css('display','none'); // since .hide() failed in safari
		$( parent ).append(this);
		resizeHomeImg( $( this ) );
		$( this ).fadeIn('slow',function(){
			$( '.loading' ).fadeOut();
		});
	}).error(function () {
		// on error remove current
		$( parent ).remove();
	}).attr('src', image_src);
	// show hide news backgrounds & images
	$( '.news_wrapper' ).hover(
		function(){
			$( this ).find( '.news_background' ).height( $( this).find( '.news_content').height() + 12 );
			$( this ).find( '.news_background' ).fadeTo("slow", 1);
			$( this ).find( '.news_wrapper' ).fadeTo("slow", 1);
			$( this ).find( '.news_image img' ).fadeTo("slow", 1);
		},
		function(){
			$( this ).find( '.news_background' ).fadeTo("slow", 0);
			$( this ).find( '.news_wrapper' ).fadeTo("slow", 0);
			$( this ).find( '.news_image img' ).fadeTo("slow", 0);
		}
	);
	// fade out img on link clicks
	$("a").live("click", function(){
	  var href = $(this).attr("href");
	  var target = $(this).attr("target");
	  var animDuration = 500;
	  // Do animation here; duration = animDuration.
		if(target != "new")
		{
			$(".home_image").fadeOut(animDuration);
			setTimeout(function () {
				window.location = href;
			}, animDuration);
		}
		else
			{
				window.open(href);
			}

	  return false; // prevent user navigation away until animation's finished
	});
	
}


// resizes the home img object
function resizeHomeImg( el )
{
	var win_w = $(window).width();
	var win_h = $(window).height();
	var field_w = win_w;
	var field_h = win_h;
	if( el ) {
		// resize container (parent li)
		el.parent().css( 'height' , field_h + 'px' ).css( 'width' , field_w + 'px' );
		// get image size
		var image_w = $( el ).width();
		var image_h = $( el ).height();
		var ratio;
		if (image_w/image_h >= field_w/field_h)
			ratio = field_h/image_h;
		else
			ratio = field_w/image_w;
		var final_w = image_w*ratio;
		var final_h = image_h*ratio;
		$( el ).css('width', final_w + 'px');
		$( el ).css('height', final_h + 'px');
		if ( final_w > field_w)
			$( el ).css('margin-left', '-'+((final_w-field_w)/2)+'px');
		else
			$( el ).css('margin-left', '0px');
		if ( final_h > field_h)
			$( el ).css('margin-top', '-'+((final_h-field_h)/2)+'px');
		else
			$( el ).css('margin-top', '0px');
	}
}