function how_long_ago(secs) {
	var d, u, units, unitlabels, ago

	d = new Date()

	secs = d.valueOf() * 0.001 - secs

	if (secs < 0.0) {
		secs = -secs
		ago = " from now"
	} else
		ago = " ago"


	unitlabels = [ "second", "minute", "hour", "day" ]
	units = []
	units[0] = Math.floor(secs)
	units[1] = Math.floor(units[0] / 60.0)
	units[2] = Math.floor(units[1] / 60.0)
	units[3] = Math.floor(units[2] / 24.0)

	for (u = 3; u >= 0; u--) {
		if (units[u] > 1)
			return units[u].toString() + " " + unitlabels[u] + "s" + ago
		if (units[u] == 1)
			return "1 " + unitlabels[u] + ago
	}

	return "less than 1 second" + ago
}