var http_request = false;

    // handles making of request... calls handleResponse() when data ready
    function makeRequest(url) {

        http_request = false;

        if (window.XMLHttpRequest) { // Mozilla, Safari,...
            http_request = new XMLHttpRequest();
            if (http_request.overrideMimeType) {
                http_request.overrideMimeType('text/xml');
                // See note below about this line
            }
        } else if (window.ActiveXObject) { // IE
            try {
                http_request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
            } catch (e) {
                try {
                    http_request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
                } catch (e) {}
            }
        }

        // no browser support
        if (!http_request) {
           // alert('Giving up :( Cannot create an XMLHTTP instance');
            return false;
        }

        // when request done, call this function
        http_request.onreadystatechange = handleResponse;

        // setup request method
        http_request.open('GET', url, true);

        // send request
        http_request.send(null);

    }

    // called after request finished... calls function defined by handleDataFunc if request was successful
    function handleResponse() {
      // if response ready, and http code is 200 OK, then write the form data
      if (http_request.readyState == 4) {
         if (http_request.status == 200) {
                eval('' + handleDataFunc + '()');
         } else {
            //   alert('There was a problem with the request.');
         }
      }
    }