var contactForm = getXmlHttpRequestObject();

//Gets the browser specific XmlHttpRequest Object
function getXmlHttpRequestObject() {
	if (window.XMLHttpRequest) {
		return new XMLHttpRequest();
	} else if(window.ActiveXObject) {
		return new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
	} else {
		//user doesn't have an up-to-date enough browser
	}
}

function submitContactUsForm() {
	var firstName = document.getElementById('contact_firstName');
	var lastName = document.getElementById('contact_lastName');
	var email = document.getElementById('contact_email');
	var zip = document.getElementById('contact_zip');
	var phone = document.getElementById('contact_phone');
	var subject = document.getElementById('contact_subject');
	var message = document.getElementById('contact_message');
	
	if (contactForm.readyState == 4 || contactForm.readyState == 0) {
		contactForm.open("POST", 'contactForm/post.php', true);
		contactForm.setRequestHeader('Content-Type','application/x-www-form-urlencoded'); 
		var param = 'firstName=' + firstName.value;
		param += '&lastName=' + lastName.value;
		param += '&email=' + email.value; 
		param += '&zip=' + zip.value; 
		param += '&phone=' + phone.value; 
		param += '&subject=' + subject.value; 
		param += '&message=' + message.value; 
		contactForm.send(param);
	}
	document.getElementById("theForm").innerHTML = "<br /><center>Thank you for your thoughts.  If you provided us with your contact information we'll get back to you shortly.</center>";
}