title: How to "refresh" a window in IE without the window stealing focus?
body: <p>I have a page on which, periodically, I must change the URL to incorporate some GET parameters in the background using JavaScript, such that the page refreshes using the new GET parameters.</p>
  
  <p>So, for example, I'll periodically do</p>
  
  <pre><code>window.location.href = window.location.host + '?' + ss;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>or</p>
  
  <pre><code>window.location.search = '?' + ss;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Where 'ss' is the new query string, e.g.: "foo=3&amp;bar=1". These 'refreshes' will happen when the window is in the background.</p>
  
  <p>My problem is that, on IE browsers the refresh causes the window to steal focus.  Is there anyway to avoid or circumvent this?</p>