$rs=mysql_query($sql) or die("error in common.inc.php at line 257");

Hello please help

Total php beginner please help i am going crazy
my home-page opens finishes loading but with error's on page and my hitcounter does not display on my site but it's still logging my site

I looked through my site files and found this error below.
Is this the problem i hope please help me everything is so complex for me to understand alone: thanks so much

$sql="select * from links_location where location='l'";

$rs=mysql_query($sql) or die("error in common.inc.php at line 257");

while($rec=mysql_fetch_array($rs)) 


This is my hitcounter stat.php file
<?

include("include/common.inc.php");

global $Call;

switch($Call)

{

    case"":

        start_stats();

        break;



    case"show_pages":

        show_pages();

        break;

}





function start_stats()

{

       global $load_url,$title,$current_sid,$REMOTE_ADDR,$ip_address,$resolution,$color_depth,$browser,$platform,$countryName,$visited_from,$member_id,$hit_counter,$done,$url; 

        $sqls="select counter from counter where member_id=$member_id";       

        $rss=mysql_query($sqls) or die("error");

        if(mysql_numrows($rss)>0)

        {

        $recs=mysql_fetch_array($rss);

        $hit_counter=$recs[0]+1;



        }

        else

        {

            $hit_counter=0;

        }





    if(empty($current_sid))

    {

        $sql="select * from counter where member_id=$member_id";

        $rs=mysql_query($sql) or die("Unable to check the existence of member");

        if(mysql_numrows($rs)>0)

        {



            $sql="Update counter set counter=counter+1 where member_id=$member_id";

            mysql_query($sql) or die("Unable to update counter.");

         }

         else

         {

            $sql="insert into counter values($member_id,1)";

            mysql_query($sql) or die("Unable to update counter.");  

         }





    $ip_address=$REMOTE_ADDR;

    $ip_address=$REMOTE_ADDR;

    get_country();

    $last_login=getmysqldate(getukdate(date("Y-m-j")));

    $time=date("G:i:s");

    $last_login=$last_login." ".$time;

    $sql="insert into visitor_stats values('',$member_id,"$ip_address","$last_login","$resolution","$color_depth","$browser","$platform","$visited_from")";

    mysql_query($sql) or die("Unable to make log of login .");







    }

    if(empty($current_sid))

       {

        $current_sid=session.session_id();  

        session_register("current_sid");

       }







        ?>



             <script language='JavaScript' src='<?=$url?>authorization.js'>

             </script>

            <form name='frm' method='post' action='stat.php'>

                <input type='hidden' name='Call' value='show_pages'>

                <input type='hidden' name='load_url' value='<?=$load_url?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='title' value='<?=$title?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='current_sid' value='<?=$current_sid?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='REMOTE_ADDR' value='<?=$REMOTE_ADDR?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='ip_address' value='<?=$ip_address?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='resolution' value='<?=$resolution?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='color_depth' value='<?=$color_depth?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='browser' value='<?=$browser?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='platform' value='<?=$platform?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='countryName' value='<?=$countryName?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='visited_from' value='<?=$visited_from?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='member_id' value='<?=$member_id?>'>

                <input type='text' name='hit_counter' value='<?=$hit_counter?>'>

                <input type='hidden' name='done' value='<?=$done?>'>

            </form>









        <?

            if(empty($done))

            {

                $done="no";

                ?>

                    <script language='javascript'>

                      frm.submit();

                    </script>

                <?

            }





}



function show_pages()

{

    global $HTTP_POST_VARS,$done,$url;



    ?>

    <FRAMESET rows='0,*'  frameborder='no'  scrolling=no MARGINWIDTH=0 MARGINHEIGHT=0>

    <FRAME SRC='<?=$url?>stat.php?member_id=<?=$HTTP_POST_VARS[member_id]?>¤t_sid=<?=$HTTP_POST_VARS[current_sid]?>&done=<?=$HTTP_POST_VARS[done]?>' scrolling=no MARGINWIDTH=0 MARGINHEIGHT=0 name='frame1'  noresize>

<FRAME SRC='<?=$HTTP_POST_VARS[load_url]?>' name='frame2'  noresize>

</FRAMESET>

<?

}