jQuery.fn.textlimit=function(counter_el, thelimit, speed) {
	var charDelSpeed = speed || 15;
	var toggleCharDel = speed != -1;
	var toggleTrim = true;
	
	that = this[0];
	updateCounter();
	
	function updateCounter(){
		jQuery(counter_el).html(thelimit - that.value.length);
	};
	
	this.keypress (function(e){ if( this.value.length >= thelimit && e.charCode != '0' ) e.preventDefault() })
	.keyup (function(e){
		updateCounter();
		if( this.value.length >= thelimit && toggleTrim ){
			if(toggleCharDel){
				// first, trim the text a bit so the char trimming won't take forever
				that.value = that.value.substr(0,thelimit+100);
				var init = setInterval
					( 
						function(){ 
							if( that.value.length <= thelimit){ init = clearInterval(init); updateCounter() }
							else{ that.value = that.value.substring(0,that.value.length-1); jQuery(counter_el).text('trimming...  '+(thelimit - that.value.length)); };
						} ,charDelSpeed 
					);
			}
			else this.value = that.value.substr(0,thelimit);
		}
	});
	
};