function readRss(feedURL){
	var request;

	try {
		request = new XMLHttpRequest();
	} catch (e) { request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP"); }
	
	try {
	// Needed for Mozilla if local file tries to access an http URL
	netscape.security.PrivilegeManager.enablePrivilege("UniversalBrowserRead");
	} catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
	
	request.open("GET",feedURL,false);
	request.send(null);
	var feed=request.responseXML;
	var itemList = feed.getElementsByTagName('item');
	var numItems=itemList.length;
	
	/* create HTML for the list of items */
	var newOLTag = document.createElement('ol');
	for (var i=0; i< numItems; i++){

		var itemTitle = itemList[i].getElementsByTagName('title');
		var itemURL = itemList[i].getElementsByTagName('link');

		var newLITag = document.createElement('li');

		var newATag = document.createElement('a');
		newATag.href = itemURL[0].firstChild.nodeValue; 
		newATag.appendChild(document.createTextNode('view entry'));
 		
		var newFontTag = document.createElement('font');
		newFontTag.color = '#5678BB';
		newFontTag.size = '3';
		newFontTag.appendChild(document.createTextNode(itemTitle[0].firstChild.nodeValue));
		
		var itemDescription = itemList[i].getElementsByTagName('description');
		var newPTag = document.createElement('p');
		newPTag.appendChild(document.createTextNode(itemDescription[0].firstChild.nodeValue));
		
		/* build and append HTML */
		newLITag.appendChild(newFontTag);
		newLITag.appendChild(document.createTextNode('  '));
		newLITag.appendChild(newATag);
		newLITag.appendChild(newPTag);
		newOLTag.appendChild(newLITag);
	}
	document.getElementById('feedOutput').appendChild(newOLTag);
}