Display date time by nice format

nicetime.php

function nicetime($date){
		if(empty($date)) {
			return "No date provided";
		}

		$periods         = array("second", "minute", "hour", "day", "week", "month", "year", "decade");
		$lengths         = array("60","60","24","7","4.35","12","10");

		$now             = time();
		$unix_date         = strtotime($date);

		   // check validity of date
		if(empty($unix_date)) {
			return "Bad date";
		}

		// is it future date or past date
		if($now > $unix_date) {
			$difference     = $now - $unix_date;
			$tense         = "ago";

		} else {
			$difference     = $unix_date - $now;
			$tense         = "from now";
		}

		for($j = 0; $difference >= $lengths[$j] && $j < count($lengths)-1; $j++) {
			$difference /= $lengths[$j];
		}

		$difference = round($difference);

		if($difference != 1) {
			$periods[$j].= "s";
		}

		return "$difference $periods[$j] {$tense}";
	}