Constellation notification method

/**
 * Display a notification. If the page is not yet ready, delay the notification until it is ready.
 * @var string message a text or html message to display
 * @var object options an object with any options for the message - optional
 *      - closeButton: true to add a close button to the message (default: true)
 *      - autoClose: true to close message after (closeDelay) ms (default: true)
 *      - closeDelay: delay before message close (default: 8000)
 */
var notify = function(message, options)
{
    var block = jQuery('#notifications');

    // If ready
    if (block.length > 0)
    {
        var settings = jQuery.extend({}, notify.defaults, options);

        // Style
        var styles = [];
        if ( settings.background ) { styles.push( 'background: '+settings.background ); }
        if ( settings.color ) { styles.push( 'color: '+settings.color ); }
        var styleString = styles.length ? ' style="'+styles.join(';')+'"' : '';

        // Append message
        var closeButton = settings.closeButton ? '<span class="close-bt"></span>' : '';
        var element = jQuery('#notifications').append('<li'+styleString+'>'+message+closeButton+'</li>').children(':last-child');

        // Effect
        element.expand();

        // If closing
        if (settings.autoClose)
        {
            // Timer
            var timeoutId = setTimeout(function() { element.fadeAndRemove(); }, settings.closeDelay);

            // Prevent closing when hover
            element.hover(function()
            {
                clearTimeout(timeoutId);

            }, function()
            {
                timeoutId = setTimeout(function() { element.fadeAndRemove(); }, settings.closeDelay);
            });
        }
    }
    else
    {
        // Not ready, delay action
        setTimeout(function() { notify(message, options); }, 40);
    }
};

// Defaults values for the notify method
notify.defaults = {
    closeButton: true,          // Add a close button to the message
    autoClose: true,            // Message will close after (closeDelay) ms
    closeDelay: 8000,           // Delay before message closes
    background: null,           // Background for notification
    color: null                 // Text color
};