function http_request() {

  var request;
  var handler;
  var method;
  var url;
  var content;
  
  var arg = http_request.arguments;

  if    (arg[0])                          { url = arg[0]; }

  if    (arg[1].toLowerCase() ==  "post") { method  = "POST"; }
  else                                    { method  = "GET";  }

  if    (arg[2])                          { handler = arg[2]; }
  else                                    { handler = null;   }

  if    (arg[3])                          { content = arg[3]; }

  var handler_arg	=	"request";

	for (i=0; i<arg.length; i++)	{
	
		if	(i > 3)	{	handler_arg += ",'" + arg[i] + "'";	}
	
	}

  try {
    request = new XMLHttpRequest();
  }
  catch (e) {

    try {
      request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
    }
    catch (e) {
      request = null;
    }

  }

  if (request) {

    request.onreadystatechange = function() {

      if (request.readyState == 4)  {

        if (request.status == 200)  {

          if  (handler)  {
            eval(handler + "(" + handler_arg + ");");
          }

        }
        else  {


        }

      }

    };

    request.open(method,url,true);

    if (method  == "POST") {

request.setRequestHeader('Content-Type','application/x-www-form-urlencoded');
    }

    request.send(content);

  }


}