title: setTimeout without polluting global namespace?
body: <p>Consider the following javascript:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$(function(){
    var private_function = function(){
      alert("private_function!");
    }
  
    setTimeout("private_function();", 1000);  
  
  });
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This yields the error "private_function is not defined".</p>
  
  <p>Is there a way to defer execution of a private / anonymous function in javascript without polluting the global namespace / exposing it via a global module?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks for any suggestions.</p>