gistfile1.js

var searchForSubject = function(model, event){ 
	_subjectSearchText = event.srcElement.value;
	console.log(_subjectSearchText);

	// simple first algorithm - 
	// wait for 1 second
	// 	search if
	//		the search string is non-falsey
	//		the string at the start of the timeout is the same as the current 
        //    the search string is at least 3 characters
	//	else 
	//		wait for 1 more second and repeat

	var id = setTimeout(function(originalSearchText){
	if(_subjectSearchText 
		&& _subjectSearchText==originalSearchText
		&& _subjectSearchText.length >= 3){	
		if(_searching)
			console.log('already searching');
		else {
			_searching = true;
			_searchForSubject(_subjectSearchText);
			// reset the searching variable in 1 second to give straggler timeouts time to complete
			setTimeout(function(){ _searching = false; }, 1000);
		}
	} else {
		if(_searching)
			console.log('already searching');
		else
			console.log('nope, too much has changed between ' + originalSearchText +  ' and ' + _subjectSearchText);					
		}
	}, 1000, _subjectSearchText);
}