function checkNEmail(form) {

	  if (form.firstname.value == '')
  {
    alert('Please enter your first name.');
    form.firstname.focus();
    return false;
  }
  
	  if (form.lastname.value == '')
  {
    alert('Please enter your last name.');
    form.lastname.focus();
    return false;
  }
 

	if (isBlank(form.email_address.value) || !isEmailValid(form.email_address.value) )
	{
		alert("Please enter a valid email address.");
		form.email_address.focus();
		return false;
	}
	}

function checkEmail(form) {
	if (isBlank(form.email_address.value) || !isEmailValid(form.email_address.value) ) {
		alert("Please enter a valid Email Address.\nThe email you have typed in does not appear to be valid.");
		form.email_address.focus();
		return false;
	}
return true;

}

function isBlank(fieldValue) {
	var blankSpaces = / /g;
	fieldValue = fieldValue.replace(blankSpaces, "");
	return (fieldValue == "") ? true : false;
}

function isEmailValid(fieldValue) {
	var emailFilter = /^.+@.+\..{2,4}$/;
	var atSignFound = 0;
	for (var i = 0; i <= fieldValue.length; i++)
		if ( fieldValue.charAt(i) == "@" )
			atSignFound++;
	if ( atSignFound > 1 )
		return false;
	else
		return ( emailFilter.test(fieldValue) && !doesEmailHaveInvalidChar(fieldValue) ) ? true : false;
}

function doesEmailHaveInvalidChar(fieldValue) {
	var illegalChars = /[\(\)\<\>\,\;\:\\\/\"\[\] ]/;
	return ( illegalChars.test(fieldValue) ) ? true : false;
}