		// intialize
		response.setContentType ( "text/html" );
		PrintWriter out = response.getWriter();

		// retrieve form data
		String cardType = request.getParameter ( "cardType" );
		String cardNumber = request.getParameter ( "cardNumber" );
		String cardHolderName = request.getParameter ( "cardholderName" );
		String sExpiry = request.getParameter ( "expirationDate" );
		String sAmount = request.getParameter ( "amount" );
		
		// convert to proper types
		SimpleDateFormat df =
			new SimpleDateFormat ( "MM/yyyy" );

		Date date = null;
		double amount = 0;
		try
		{
			date = df.parse ( sExpiry );
			amount = Double.parseDouble ( sAmount );
		}
		catch ( Exception exc )
		{
			throw new ServletException ( exc );
		}

