function getTotal() {
   	//var previousTotal = 131690;
   	var previousTotal = 250130;
   	
   	//set start date
   	/*
   	var startDay = 29;
   	var startMonth = 8;
   	var startYear = 2007;
	*/
	
   	var startDay = 24;
   	var startMonth = 7;
   	var startYear = 2008;
	
	
   	//how many tickets per day
   	var increment = 1000;
   	
   	//get todays date			
   	var today= new Date();
   	var todayYear = today.getFullYear();
   	var todayMonth = parseInt(today.getMonth())+parseInt(1);
   	var todayDay = today.getDate();
   	
   	var daysPassedToday = getDaysPassed(todayMonth, todayDay);
   	var daysPassedStart = getDaysPassed(startMonth, startDay);
   				
   	//how many days between the start date and the current date in the same year?
   	//pos int means start date is before current date, neg int means its after
   	var difDays = parseInt(daysPassedToday) - parseInt(daysPassedStart);
   	
   	//difference in years;
   	var difYears = parseInt(todayYear) - parseInt(startYear);
   	//how many days is that?
   	var difYearsAsDays = difYears * 365;
   	 
   	//calculate # of days between
   	//(todays date - start date)
   	var daysBetween = parseInt(difYearsAsDays) + parseInt(difDays);
   	
   	//todays total
   	var total = (daysBetween * increment) + parseInt(previousTotal);
   	
   	document.getElementById("counterTotal").innerHTML = total;
   
}
    
//this will show how many days would have passed in the year 
function getDaysPassed(month, day) {
	
	var daysPassed = 0;
	
	switch (month) {
		case 1: //jan
			daysPassed = 0; break;
		case 2:	//feb
			daysPassed = 31; break;
		case 3:	//mar
			daysPassed = 59; break;
		case 4:	//apr
			daysPassed = 90; break;
		case 5:	//may
			daysPassed = 120; break;
		case 6://june
			daysPassed = 151; break;
		case 7: //july
			daysPassed = 181; break;
		case 8: //aug
			daysPassed = 212; break;
		case 9: //sep
			daysPassed = 243; break;
		case 10: //oct
			daysPassed = 273; break;
		case 11: //nov
			daysPassed = 304; break;
		case 12: //dec
			daysPassed = 334; break;
	}
	
	if (day > 1) {
	
		var d =  new Date();
		daysPassed = parseInt(daysPassed) + parseInt(day);
	} else {
		//its the first of the month!
		daysPassed = daysPassed;
	}
	
	return daysPassed;
}