function getEl( el)
    {
       return typeof(el)=='object' ? el : document.getElementById(el) ;
    }
    
    function showNewsItem( itemID , nearEl )
    {
        var width=400;
        var height=400;
        
        var screenPosY = window.screenTop ||  window.pageYOffset ;
        var screenPosX = window.screenLeft || window.screenX ;
        
        var top = 100, left = 100;
        if( nearEl = getEl(nearEl) )
        {
			var newsRunnerPos = getPos( nearEl ); 
	        
			top = screenPosY + newsRunnerPos[1] ;
			left = screenPosX + newsRunnerPos[0] - width - 20;
		}
        var w = window.open('./News.aspx?itemID=' + itemID ,null, 'toolbar=0, scrollbars=0, statusbar=0,width='+width+',height='+height+',top='+top+',left='+left );
        w.focus();
    }
    
    function getPos(obj) {
        var curleft = curtop = 0;
        if (obj.offsetParent) {
	        do { curleft += obj.offsetLeft;	curtop += obj.offsetTop; } while (obj = obj.offsetParent);
        }
        return [curleft,curtop];
    }	    

    function stopProp(evt)
    {
	    if( evt = (evt ? evt : event) )
		    if( evt.stopPropagation )
			    evt.stopPropagation();
		    else
			    evt.cancelBubble = true;
    }