// Define the top level Class
function Class() {}
Class.prototype.constructor = function() {};
Class.__asMethod__ = function(func, superClass) {  
	return function() {
		var currentSuperClass = this.$;
		this.$ = superClass;
		var ret = func.apply(this, arguments);      
		this.$ = currentSuperClass;
		return ret;
	};
};
Class.extend = function(def) {
	var classDef = function() {
		if (arguments[0] !== Class) {
			this.constructor.apply(this, arguments);
		}
	};

	var proto = new this(Class);
	var superClass = this.prototype;

	for (var n in def) {
		var item = def[n];                      

		if (item instanceof Function) {
			item = Class.__asMethod__(item, superClass);
		}

		proto[n] = item;
	}

	proto.$ = superClass;
	classDef.prototype = proto;

	// Give this new class the same static extend method    
	classDef.extend = this.extend;      
	return classDef;
}