(function($) {

	// jQuery plugin definition
	$.fn.pushLayers = function(params) {
		//alert($(this).css('z-index'));
		var numElems = $(this).parent().children().length; //get number of DOM nodes in the continer DIV
		var removed_index = $(this).css('z-index');

		// merge default and user parameters
		params = $.extend( {numElements: numElems, removedZ: removed_index}, params);

		// traverse all nodes
		$(this).parent().children().each(function() /*this is an anonymous function*/{

			// express a single node as a jQuery object
			//var $t = $(this);

			// if z-index is greater than the z-index of removed card, decrease z-index by 1.
			if ($(this).css('z-index') > removedZ) {

				//decrease z-index
				$(this).css('z-index', parseInt($(this).css('z-index'))-1);
			}
			// remove card and place it at front
			if ($(this).css('z-index') == removed_index){
				$(this).css('z-index', numElems);

			}

		});

		// allow jQuery chaining
		return this;
	};

})(jQuery);