var request = null;

function createRequest() {
  try {
    request = new XMLHttpRequest();
  } catch (trymicrosoft) {
    try {
      request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
    } catch (othermicrosoft) {
      try {
        request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
      } catch (failed) {
        request = null;
      }
    }
  }

  if (request == null)
    alert("Error creating request object!");
}

function getTopics(page) {
  createRequest();
  var url = "topics/topics.php";
  request.open("POST", url, true);
  request.onreadystatechange = updatePage;
  request.setRequestHeader("Content-Type","application/x-www-form-urlencoded; charset=UTF-8");
  request.send("page=" + escape(page) + "&url=" + new Date().getTime());
}

function updatePage() {
  if (request.readyState == 4) {
      document.getElementById("whatsnew").innerHTML = request.responseText;
  }
}