function validate() {
        var error_str = "";
        var valid = true;
        var end = "<BR>";
        var spaces = "&nbsp;&nbsp;";
        var status_msg_ref = document.getElementById("status");
        var email_ref = document.getElementById("from_email_address");
        var name_ref = document.getElementById("from_name");
        var message_ref = document.getElementById("message");

        if (name_ref.value.length == 0) {
                valid = false;
                error_str += spaces + "Please enter your name." + end;
        }

        if (email_ref.value.length == 0) {
                valid = false;
                error_str += spaces + "Please enter your email address." + end;
        }
        else if (!validateEmail(email_ref.value)) {
                valid = false;
                error_str += spaces + "Please enter a valid email address." + end;
        }

        if (message_ref.value.length == 0) {
                valid = false;
                error_str += spaces + "Please enter your message." + end;
        }

        if (!valid) {
                //alert(error_str);
                status_msg_ref.style.display = "";
                status_msg_ref.innerHTML = error_str;
                scrollTo(0,0);
        }
        return valid;
}