Wordpress Slideshow

function padd_theme_post_slideshow($exclude=array()) {
    wp_reset_query();
    $featured = Padd_Theme_Option::get('slideshow_cat_id');
    $count = Padd_Theme_Option::get('slideshow_cat_limit');
    query_posts('showposts=' . $count . '&cat=' . $featured);
    $padd_image_def = get_template_directory_uri() . '/images/thumbnail-slideshow.jpg';
    add_filter('excerpt_length', 'padd_theme_hook_excerpt_slideshow_length');
?>
<div id="slideshow-box">
    <div class="list">
    <?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
        <div class="item">
            <div class="image">
                <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" title="Permanent Link to <?php the_title_attribute(); ?>">
                <?php
                    $exclude[] = get_the_ID();
                    if (has_post_thumbnail()) {
                        the_post_thumbnail(PADD_THEME_SLUG . '-slideshow', array('title' => get_the_excerpt()));
                    } else {
                        echo '<img class="thumbnail" src="' . $padd_image_def . '" />';
                    }
                ?>
                </a>
            </div>
            <div class="meta">
                <h3><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" title="Permanent Link to <?php the_title_attribute(); ?>"><?php padd_theme_trim_title(25); ?></a></h3>
                <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
                <p class="read-more"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" title="Permanent Link to <?php the_title_attribute(); ?>"><span>Read More</span></a></p>
            </div>
            <div class="clear"></div>
        </div>
    <?php endwhile; ?>
    </div>
</div>
<?php
    wp_reset_query();
    remove_filter('excerpt_length','padd_theme_hook_excerpt_slideshow_length');
    return $exclude;
}