function getXMLHTTPRequest() {
                    try {
                         req = new XMLHttpRequest();
                        } catch(err1) {
                            try  {
                              req= new ActiveXObject("msm12.SMLHTTP");
                              }
                           catch(err2) {
                              try {
                                 req = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");     
                                 }
                            catch(err3) {                                           
                                                       
                                 req = false;
                                 }
                            }     
                          }      
                            return req;
                       } 
                       
                              // open httpRequest object for form data              
      
                     var getstuff = getXMLHTTPRequest();
                       function find_stats() {       
                      
                        
                                  // Construct URL
                                  // Create  random number to fool browser cache
                        var randit = parseInt(Math.random()*99999999);
                        var myurl = './getstats.php';
                        var period = document.getElementById('period').value;
                      
                                                                      
                        var modurl = myurl + "?period=" + period + "&rand=" +
randit;         
                                 // oepn a server connection
                        getstuff.open("GET",modurl,true);
                                 // prepare for response
                        getstuff.onreadystatechange = getstuffresponse;
                                 // send the request
                        getstuff.send(null);                  
                    }
                    
             // Get the response
                    function getstuffresponse() { 
                      if (getstuff.readyState == 4)  {
                         if (getstuff.status == 200)  {
                                  // remove the Waiting Gif                       
                         document.getElementById('showstats').innerHTML = '';
                                  // parse the XML and Display the result           
    
                         var gotstats = getstuff.responseText;
                         document.getElementById('showstats').innerHTML = gotstats
                         } 
                    } else { 
                                 // Display the Waiting Gif
                       document.getElementById('showstats').innerHTML =
'<center><BR><img src ="../assets/images/waiting.gif></center>';
                       }
                }