(function($) {
	$.fn.infiniteCarousel = function () {

	    function repeat(str, num) {
	        return new Array( num + 1 ).join( str );
	    }

	    return this.each(function () {
	        var $wrapper_mask = $('> div', this).css('overflow', 'hidden'),
	            $slider = $wrapper_mask.find('> ul'),
	            $items = $slider.find('> li'),
	            $single = $items.filter(':first'),

	            singleWidth = $single.outerWidth(), 
	            visible = Math.ceil($wrapper_mask.innerWidth() / singleWidth), // note: doesn't include padding or border
	            currentPage = 1,
	            pages = Math.ceil($items.length / visible);            


	        // 1. Pad so that 'visible' number will always be seen, otherwise create empty items
	        if (($items.length % visible) != 0) {
	            $slider.append(repeat('<li class="empty" />', visible - ($items.length % visible)));
	            $items = $slider.find('> li');
	        }

	        // 2. Top and tail the list with 'visible' number of items, top has the last section, and tail has the first
	        $items.filter(':first').before($items.slice(- visible).clone().addClass('cloned'));
	        $items.filter(':last').after($items.slice(0, visible).clone().addClass('cloned'));
	        $items = $slider.find('> li'); // reselect

	        // 3. Set the left position to the first 'real' item
	        $wrapper_mask.scrollLeft(singleWidth * visible);

	        // 4. paging function
	        function gotoPage(page) {
	            var dir = page < currentPage ? -1 : 1,
	                n = Math.abs(currentPage - page),
	                left = singleWidth * dir * visible * n;

	            $wrapper_mask.filter(':not(:animated)').animate({
	                scrollLeft : '+=' + left
	            }, 500, function () {
	                if (page == 0) {
	                    $wrapper_mask.scrollLeft(singleWidth * visible * pages);
	                    page = pages;
	                } else if (page > pages) {
	                    $wrapper_mask.scrollLeft(singleWidth * visible);
	                    // reset back to start position
	                    page = 1;
	                } 

	                currentPage = page;
	            });                

	            return false;
	        }

	        $wrapper_mask.after('<a class="arrow back">&lt;</a><a class="arrow forward">&gt;</a>');

	        // 5. Bind to the forward and back buttons
	        $('a.back', this).click(function () {
	            return gotoPage(currentPage - 1);                
	        });

	        $('a.forward', this).click(function () {
	            return gotoPage(currentPage + 1);
	        });

	        // create a public interface to move to a specific page
	        $(this).bind('goto', function (event, page) {
	            gotoPage(page);
	        });
	    });  
	};

})(jQuery);