$.fn.infiniteCarousel = function () {

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

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

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

    // get previous button for navigation
    if ($(this).prev().children().filter('a.prev_big').length)
      $forward = $(this).prev().children().filter('a.prev_big');
    else if ($(this).next().children().filter('a#li_prev').length)
      $forward = $(this).next().children().filter('a#li_prev');
    else
      $forward = $(this).prev().children().filter('span.prev');

    // get next button for navigation
    if ($(this).prev().children().filter('a.next_big').length)
      $next = $(this).prev().children().filter('a.next_big');
    else if ($(this).next().children().filter('a#li_next').length)
      $next = $(this).next().children().filter('a#li_next');
    else
      $next = $(this).prev().children().filter('span.next');

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

    $next.click(function () {
      return gotoPage(currentPage + 1);
    });

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

  });
};