Someone

   function validate_form() {     var url = 'scripts/validate.pl?'+$('new_signup').serialize();     var validation = false;     new Ajax.Request(url, {       method: 'get',       onSuccess: function( t ) {         if (t.responseText == '0') {           this.validation = true;           //alert("submitting:"+validation);           $('new_signup').form.submit();         }         else {           $('display_errors').innerHTML = t.responseText;           //alert("not submitting:"+validation);           this.validation = false;         }       },       asynchronous:true,       evalScripts: true     });     alert("outside function:"+this.validation);     alert("Please hit OK to process request");     return validation;   }