alert = function(what){
// if the element hasn't been appended to the body element
if($("#alert_bar").length==0){
// customize the bar with css
var bar = $("<div/>").css({
'display':'none',
'position':'fixed',
'top':'0px',
'left':'0px',
'zIndex':'99950',
'width':'100%',
'margin':'0px',
'padding':'5px auto 9px auto',
'textAlign':'center',
'fontSize':'16px',
'background':'#fff',
'color':'red',
'borderBottom':'solid 1px #333'
})
bar.attr("id","alert_bar")
$('body').prepend(bar)
}
// close button
$("#alert_bar").html('<div style="text-align:right;font-size:10px;color:red"><span style="cursor:pointer" onclick="$(\'#alert_bar\').slideUp()"></span></div><div>'+what+'</div>')
$("#alert_bar").slideDown();
auto = 2000;
window.setTimeout(function(){
$("#alert_bar").slideUp()
},auto);
}