title: polling the server with ajax
body: <p>I am building a website that has a system where users can send messages to each other. I would like it so that when a logged in user received a message, he would get some update on his screen telling him that.</p>
  
  <p>These messages do not have to be in realtime, so I do not think I want to push with comet or juggernaut or anything like that.  Instead, I would be happy to just poll the server every minute or so and listen for updates.</p>
  
  <p>I am new to javascript, and I am wondering if there is a slick/right way to do this. </p>