$.fn.infiniteCarousel = function () {

  function repeat(str, num) {
    return new Array( num + 1 ).join( str );
  }
 
  return this.each(function () {
    var $wrapper = $('> div', 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;
    }
    
    $wrapper.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);
    });
  }); 
};