gistfile1.js

	$countableTextAreas.live('keypress change', (function () {
		var previousText = '';
		return function () {
			var $this = $(this),
			    allowedChars = Number.parseLocale($this.attr('data-maxLength')),
			    currLength = $this.val().length,
				$spanWithCounter = $this.next('span.symbolCounter').find('span');
			
			if (previousText == '') {
				previousText = $this.val().substring(0, allowedChars);
			}
			
			if (currLength > allowedChars) {
				$spanWithCounter.stop(true, true);
				$spanWithCounter.text(currLength);
				$spanWithCounter.fadeOut('slow', function () {
					$spanWithCounter.fadeIn('slow');
					$spanWithCounter.text(previousText.length);
				});

				$this.val(previousText);

				return false;
			}

			$spanWithCounter.text(currLength);
			previousText = $this.val();
		};
	})());