function ajax_request(url, data) {
	var myAjax = new Ajax.Request(
        url,
        {method: 'post', parameters: data, onComplete: ajax_response}
    );
}

function ajax_response(originalRequest) {
	//process originalRequest.responseText;
	Element.update('out', originalRequest.responseText);
}

function ajax_update(url, container, options) {
    // todo
    var check = 0;
    for (var i in options) { check++ };

    if (check == 0) options = {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true};
	new Ajax.Updater(container, url, options);
}