ction(){ return document.createElement('span'); })()
                 },



                 _states: null, // populated on init



                 state: function(newState){

                     // activate by name
                     if(typeof newState == 'string'){

                         this._activateStateNamed(newState);

                         // activate by index
                     } else if (typeof newState == 'number'){

                         this._activateState(this._states[newState])