var _toString = Object.prototype.toString;


  function isString(object) {
    return _toString.call(object) == "[object String]";
  }


  function extend(destination, source) {
    for (var property in source)
      destination[property] = source[property];
    return destination;
  }


function $(element) {
  if (arguments.length > 1) {
    for (var i = 0, elements = [], length = arguments.length; i < length; i++)
      elements.push($(arguments[i]));
    return elements;
  }
  if (isString(element))
    element = document.getElementById(element);
  return extend(element);
}





var News = {


    initialize: function() {

		// observe News
		var newsColumn = document.getElementById('newsColumn');
		
        newsColumn.observe('click', function(e) {
			
			e.stop();
			var elem = e.element();
		
			if (matchAny(elem, ['.newsLink','a'], true)) {
		
				var id = elem.readAttribute("name"); // todo: escape danger symbols. Direct sql injection!
				var url = "news_output.php?id=" + id;

				ajaxTargettedUpdate(
					url,
					{
						fillLocation: "mainContainer",
						//fromLocation: options.fromLocation ? options.fromLocation : "reportOutput",
						// callback: options.callback ? options.callback : "Report.reportRefreshed();",
						errorHandler: baseErrorHandler
					});
				}	
        
        });

	}





}


// document.observe('dom:loaded', News.initialize());