function ajax(action, data){
	var request = new Request({
		method : 'post',
		url : '/ajax_control.php',
		async : false,
		onSuccess : function(responseTree){
			result = responseTree;
		}
	});
	request.send('action='+action+(data?'&'+data:''));
	return(result);
}

function purify(data){
	data = data.replace(/&/g, 'amp;');
	data = data.replace(/%/g, 'perc;');
	return data;
}
function is_numeric(value){
	if ((isNaN(value)) || (value.length == 0))
		return 0;
	else
		return 1;
}
function imposeMaxLength(Object, MaxLen){
  return (Object.value.length <= MaxLen);
}

function default_check(str, def){
	if( str == def )
		return '';
	else
		return str;
}

function blank_check(str, def){
	if( str == '' )
		return def;
	else
		return str;
}

function rss_load(){
	var request = new Request({
		method : 'post',
		url : '/ajax_control.php',
		async : true,
		onSuccess : function(responseTree){
			var ncaa_news = responseTree;
			if(ncaa_news){
				var news = $('ncaa_news');
				fader = new Fx.Tween(news);
				fader.addEvent('onComplete', function(){
					news.innerHTML = ncaa_news;
					news.fade('in');
				});
				fader.start('opacity', 0);
			}
		}
	});
	request.send('action=load_ncaa_news');
	
	var request = new Request({
		method : 'post',
		url : '/ajax_control.php',
		async : true,
		onSuccess : function(responseTree){
			var ncaa_tweets = responseTree;
			if(ncaa_tweets){
				var tweets = $('ncaa_tweets');
				fader = new Fx.Tween(tweets);
				fader.addEvent('onComplete', function(){
					tweets.innerHTML = ncaa_tweets;
					tweets.fade('in');
				});
				fader.start('opacity', 0);
			}	
		}
	});
	request.send('action=load_ncaa_tweets');
}