[jQuery] simple ajax not working in FF but works great in IE what am I doing wrong?

[Ron Mast]

        <script type="text/javascript"> 
                $(document).ready(function(){                   
                        // get faculty default A
                        $.ajax({
                                url: 'myvalidurl',
                                type: "post",
                                async: true,
                                dataType: "html",
                                contentType: "html",
                                error:function (XMLHttpRequest, textStatus, 
errorThrown) {
                                        //alert(eval('(' + 
XMLHttpRequest.responseText + ')').Message);
                                        console.log("textStatus: " + 
textStatus); // the options for this
ajax request
                                        console.log("XMLHttpRequest: " + 
XMLHttpRequest.responseText); //
the options for this ajax request
                                        console.log("errorThrown: " + 
errorThrown); // the options for
this ajax request
                                        console.log(this); // the options for 
this ajax request
                                },                              
                                success: function(data) {
                                        $('.result').html(data);
                                }
                        });
                });
        </script>

Firebug console shows:
textStatus: error
XMLHttpRequest:
errorThrown: undefined

how do I get a more distinct error?

Any help is greatly appreciated...I have googled and will continue to
hunt down this issue. I have used both jquery 1.3.2 and <script
src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3/jquery.min.js";
type="text/javascript"></script>

Thanks so much!