function changeProject(projectID) {
    new Ajax.Request('/ajax/project/' + projectID + '/', {
            method:'get',
                onSuccess: function(transport) {
                var response = transport.responseText || "no response text";
                $('selected_project').update(response);
            },
                onFailure: function(){ $('selected_project').update('<p><strong>FAILURE thrown</strong>...menu does not exist...</p>');
            },
                onException: function(){ $('selected_project').update('<p><strong>EXCEPTION thrown</strong>...menu does not exist...</p>');
            }
    });
}

function projectNavigation(clickedProject) {
    projectList = $('project_list').childElements();
    projectList.each(function(item) {
            if ($(item).identify() == clickedProject) {
                $(item).addClassName("active");
                changeProject($(item).identify())
            } else {
                if ($(item).hasClassName("active")) {
                    $(item).removeClassName("active");
                }
            }
        });
}