function ValidateForm()
{
	var newsletter, pressRel;
	newsletter = document.getElementById("ckbx_Newsletter");
	pressRel = document.getElementById("ckbx_news_releases");
	subEmail = document.getElementById("email");
	
	// check at least one of the subscription checkboxes is checked
	if (!newsletter.checked && !pressRel.checked)
	{
		alert("Please make sure that you have checked at least one of the subscription checkboxes.");
		//return false;
		//location.href="index.htm";
		//document.refresh;
	}
	else // 1st conditional statement -- keep going
	{
		// Data Validation for e-mail address
		if (subEmail.value == "" || subEmail.value == "Enter e-mail")
		{
			alert("Please make sure that you have entered your e-mail address.");
			subEmail.value = "";
			subEmail.focus();
			//return false;
		}
		else 	// 2nd conditional statement -- keep going
		{
			if (subEmail.value == " ")
			{
				alert("E-mail address cannot contain any white spaces.");
				subEmail.focus();
				//return false;
			}
			else	// 3rd conditional statement -- keep going
			{
				var strng = subEmail.value;
				var emailFilter=/^.+@.+\..{2,3}$/;
				if (!(emailFilter.test(strng))) {
				 	alert("Please enter a valid email address.\n");
					subEmail.focus();
					//return false;
				}
				else 	// 4th conditional statement -- keep going
				{
					var illegalChars= /[\(\)\<\>\,\;\:\\\/\"\[\]]/
					if (strng.match(illegalChars)) {
						alert("The email address contains illegal characters.\n");
						subEmail.focus();
						//return false;
					}
					else	// 5th conditional statement -- keep going
					{
						// assign the values of the checkboxes to local variables depending on whether they are checked or not
						if (newsletter.checked)
						{
							newsletter = "yes"
						}
						else
						{
							newsletter = "no"
						}

						if (pressRel.checked)
						{
							news_releases = "yes"
						}
						else
						{
							news_releases = "no"
						}

						window.open("/nidcdinternet/tools/sub_conf.aspx?NS=" + newsletter + "&PR=" + news_releases + "&Email=" + subEmail.value,"WebsiteUserSurvey","toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=500,height=300");
						//window.open('/nidcdinternet/tools/sub_conf.aspx?Email="+InputCheck.ValidateInput(txtEmail.Text,50)+"&NS="+IsNewLetterSelected+"&PR="+IsNewReleaseSelected+"','WebsiteUserSurvey','toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes,copyhistory=no,width=500,height=300')
						
						// re-set all of the form values on the main page
						subEmail.value = "";
						pressRel.checked = false;
						newsletter.checked = false;
					} 	// end of 5th else statement
				} 	// end of 4th else statement
			}	// end of 3rd else statement
		}	// end of 2nd else statment
	}	// end of 1st else statement
}	// end of validation function