function chkFields()
{
// validations
	if (document.mainform.usr_firstname.value == "")
	{
		alert
		("Please enter your first name.");
		document.mainform.usr_firstname.focus();
		return false;
	}

	if (document.mainform.usr_lastname.value == "")
	{
		alert
		("Please enter your last name.");
		document.mainform.usr_lastname.focus();
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.mainform.usr_city.value == "")
	{
		alert ("Please enter a city.");
		document.mainform.usr_city.focus();
		return false;
	}
	
	usr_stateChoice = document.mainform.usr_state.selectedIndex 
		if (document.mainform.usr_state.options[usr_stateChoice].value == "")
	{
		alert
		("Please select a state or province from the drop list.");
		document.mainform.usr_state.focus();
		return false;
	}
	
	if (document.mainform.usr_zip.value == "")
	{
		alert ("Please enter a zip code.");
		document.mainform.usr_zip.focus();
		return false;
	}
	
// Validating email, ampersand, and periods

if (document.mainform.usr_email.value == "" || document.mainform.usr_email.value.indexOf("@") == -1 || document.mainform.usr_email.value.indexOf(".") == -1 || document.mainform.usr_email.value.indexOf(" ") != -1 || document.mainform.usr_email.value.length < 6)
	
	{
		alert("Please enter a valid e-mail address.");
		document.mainform.usr_email.focus();
		return false;
	}
}

// TEXT COUNTER FOR COMMENTS FIELD 
function textCounter(comments, countfield, maxlimit) 
	{
	if (document.mainform.comments.value.length > maxlimit) 
	///if too long trim it!
	document.mainform.comments.value = document.mainform.comments.value.substring(0, maxlimit);
	/// otherwise update 'characters left' counter
	else 
	countfield.value = maxlimit - document.mainform.comments.value.length;
	}