function newRequest() {
	var req = false;
	// for safari, firefox, and other non-ms browsers
	if (window.XMLHttpRequest) {
		try {
			req = new XMLHttpRequest();
		} catch (e) {
			req = false;
		}
	} else if (window.ActiveXObject) {
		// for internet explorer on windows
		try {
			req = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
		} catch (e) {
			try {
				req = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
			} catch (e) {
				req = false;
			}
		}
	}
	return req;
}

function sendRequest(req, url, vars, returnFunction) {
	req.open("POST", url, true);
	req.setRequestHeader('Content-Type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded');
		
	var encoded = "";
	var amp = ""
	for(var i in vars) {
		encoded += amp + escape(i) + "=" + escape(vars[i]);
		amp = "&";
	}
	
	req.onreadystatechange = returnFunction;
	req.send(encoded);
}