function gc_rate_item( value, article_id ) {
    if ( !load_proto( ) ) {
        setTimeout( function( ){
            gc_rate_item( value, article_id );
        }, 1000 );
        return ;
    }

    new Ajax.Updater( 'rating', "/badge_widget.php?id=44&format=xml", 
                    {   method: 'post', 
                        parameters: { 
                            rating: value, 
                            article_id: article_id 
                            }
                       // parameters: { id:44, format:"xml" }
                        }
                        );
}

function load_proto( ) {
    if ( self.Ajax ) return true;
    if( document.createElement && document.childNodes ) {
        var scriptElem = document.createElement('script');
        scriptElem.setAttribute('src','/scripts/ajax/prototype.js');
        scriptElem.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');
        document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(scriptElem);
    }
    return false;

}