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$('#sortable').sortable().disableSelection();
<ul id="sortable">
    <li class="ui-state-default"><span class="ui-icon ui-icon-arrowthick-2-n-s"></span>Item 1</li>
    <li class="ui-state-default"><span class="ui-icon ui-icon-arrowthick-2-n-s"></span>Item 2</li>
    <li class="ui-state-default"><span class="ui-icon ui-icon-arrowthick-2-n-s"></span>Item 3</li>
    <li class="ui-state-default"><span class="ui-icon ui-icon-arrowthick-2-n-s"></span>Item 4</li>
</ul>
<br clear="all" />
#sortable { list-style-type: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 60%; }
#sortable li { margin: 0 3px 3px 3px; padding: 0 0.4em 0.2em; padding-left: 1.5em; font-size: 1em; height: 1em; }
#sortable li span { position: absolute; margin-left: -1.3em; }