function validate(){
	
	var first_name = form.first_name.value;
	var last_name = form.last_name.value;
  	var address_line1 = form.address_line1.value;
	var city = form.city.value;
	var email = form.email.value;
	var state = form.state.value;
	var zip_code = form.zip_code.value;
	var phone = form.phone.value;
	var role = form.role.value;
	var interest = form.interest.value;
	

	var nameRegex = /^[a-zA-Z]+(([\'\,\.\- ][a-zA-Z ])?[a-zA-Z]*)*$/;
	var cityRegex = /^[a-zA-Z]+[\.]/;
	var zipRegex = /^[0-9]+$/;
	var emailRegex = /^[\w-\.]+@([\w-]+\.)+[\w-]{2,4}$/;
	
	
	if(first_name == "") {
    	inlineMsg('first_name','Please enter the first name.',2);
		alert("IN");
    	return false;
  	}
	
	if(!first_name.match(nameRegex)) {
	    inlineMsg('first_name','Please a valid first name.',2);
    	return false;
	}
	
	if(last_name == "") {
    	inlineMsg('last_name','Please enter the last name.',2);
    	return false;
  	}
	
	if(!last_name.match(nameRegex)) {
	    inlineMsg('last_name','Please a valid last name.',2);
    	return false;
	}

	
	if(address_line1 == "") {
    	inlineMsg('address_line1','Please enter the address',2);
    	return false;
  	}
	
	if(city == "") {
    	inlineMsg('city','Please enter the city.',2);
    	return false;
  	}
	
	if(state == "Please Select a State") {
    	inlineMsg('state','Please enter the state.',2);
    	return false;
  	}
	
	if(zip_code == "") {
    	inlineMsg('zip_code','Please enter the zip.',2);
    	return false;
  	}
	
	if(email == "") {
    	inlineMsg('email','Please enter the email address.',2);
    	return false;
  	}
	
	if(!email.match(emailRegex)) {
		inlineMsg('email','<strong>Error</strong><br />Please enter a VALID email address.',2);
		return false;
  	}
		
	if(role == "") {
    	inlineMsg('role','Please select your role.',2);
    	return false;
  	}
	
	if(interest == "") {
    	inlineMsg('interest','Please select your interest.',2);
    	return false;
  	}

	return true;
}

// START OF MESSAGE SCRIPT //

var MSGTIMER = 20;
var MSGSPEED = 5;
var MSGOFFSET = 3;
var MSGHIDE = 3;

// build out the divs, set attributes and call the fade function //
function inlineMsg(target,string,autohide) {
  var msg;
  var msgcontent;
  if(!document.getElementById('msg')) {
    msg = document.createElement('div');
    msg.id = 'msg';
    msgcontent = document.createElement('div');
    msgcontent.id = 'msgcontent';
    document.body.appendChild(msg);
    msg.appendChild(msgcontent);
    msg.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity=0)';
    msg.style.opacity = 0;
    msg.alpha = 0;
  } else {
    msg = document.getElementById('msg');
    msgcontent = document.getElementById('msgcontent');
  }
  msgcontent.innerHTML = string;
  msg.style.display = 'block';
  var msgheight = msg.offsetHeight;
  var targetdiv = document.getElementById(target);
  targetdiv.focus();
  var targetheight = targetdiv.offsetHeight;
  var targetwidth = targetdiv.offsetWidth;
  var topposition = topPosition(targetdiv) - ((msgheight - targetheight) / 2);
  var leftposition = leftPosition(targetdiv) + targetwidth + MSGOFFSET;
  msg.style.top = topposition + 'px';
  msg.style.left = leftposition + 'px';
  clearInterval(msg.timer);
  msg.timer = setInterval("fadeMsg(1)", MSGTIMER);
  if(!autohide) {
    autohide = MSGHIDE;  
  }
  window.setTimeout("hideMsg()", (autohide * 1000));
}

// hide the form alert //
function hideMsg(msg) {
  var msg = document.getElementById('msg');
  if(!msg.timer) {
    msg.timer = setInterval("fadeMsg(0)", MSGTIMER);
  }
}

// face the message box //
function fadeMsg(flag) {
  if(flag == null) {
    flag = 1;
  }
  var msg = document.getElementById('msg');
  var value;
  if(flag == 1) {
    value = msg.alpha + MSGSPEED;
  } else {
    value = msg.alpha - MSGSPEED;
  }
  msg.alpha = value;
  msg.style.opacity = (value / 100);
  msg.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity=' + value + ')';
  if(value >= 99) {
    clearInterval(msg.timer);
    msg.timer = null;
  } else if(value <= 1) {
    msg.style.display = "none";
    clearInterval(msg.timer);
  }
}

// calculate the position of the element in relation to the left of the browser //
function leftPosition(target) {
  var left = 0;
  if(target.offsetParent) {
    while(1) {
      left += target.offsetLeft;
      if(!target.offsetParent) {
        break;
      }
      target = target.offsetParent;
    }
  } else if(target.x) {
    left += target.x;
  }
  return left;
}

// calculate the position of the element in relation to the top of the browser window //
function topPosition(target) {
  var top = 0;
  if(target.offsetParent) {
    while(1) {
      top += target.offsetTop;
      if(!target.offsetParent) {
        break;
      }
      target = target.offsetParent;
    }
  } else if(target.y) {
    top += target.y;
  }
  return top;
}

// preload the arrow //
if(document.images) {
  arrow = new Image(7,80); 
  arrow.src = "/images/msg_arrow.gif"; 
}