function validateForm(f) {
	highlightcolour = "#FFFF00"
	normalcolour = "#FFF"
	valid = true;
	alertStr="<br/>";
	
	// validate subscription selection
	if (f.boolctcNews.checked == false && f.boolStoryIdeas.checked == false && f.boolInsiderBlog.checked == false && f.boolTourismSnapshot.checked == false) { 
		f.boolctcNews.style.background = highlightcolour;
		f.boolStoryIdeas.style.background = highlightcolour;
		f.boolInsiderBlog.style.background = highlightcolour;
		f.boolTourismSnapshot.style.background = highlightcolour;
		if (f.descLanguagePreference.value == 'fr')
		{
			alertStr = alertStr + 'Sélectionnez au moins un élément auquel vous voulez vous abonner.<br/>';

		}
		else
		{
			alertStr = alertStr + 'Please select at least one subscription.<br/>';
		}
		valid = false;
	}else{
		f.boolctcNews.style.background = normalcolour;
		f.boolStoryIdeas.style.background = normalcolour;
		f.boolInsiderBlog.style.background = normalcolour;
		f.boolTourismSnapshot.style.background = normalcolour;
	}

/*
	// validate first name
	if (f.descFirstName.value.length < 1){ 
		f.descFirstName.style.background = highlightcolour;
		alertStr = alertStr + 'First Name is a required field.<br/>';
		valid = false;
	}else{
	       f.descFirstName.style.background = normalcolour;
	   	}
	
	// validate last name
	if (f.descLastName.value.length < 1){ 
		f.descLastName.style.background = highlightcolour;
		alertStr = alertStr + 'Last Name is a required field.<br/>';
		valid = false;
	}else{
	       f.descLastName.style.background = normalcolour;
	   	}
*/

	// validate email length
	if (f.descSubmitEmail.value.length < 1){ 
		f.descSubmitEmail.style.background = highlightcolour;
		f.descSubmitEmailConf.style.background = highlightcolour;
		if (f.descLanguagePreference.value == 'fr')
		{
			alertStr = alertStr + '« Courriel » est un champ obligatoire.<br/>';
		}
		else
		{
			alertStr = alertStr + 'Email is a required field.<br/>';
		}
		valid = false;
	}else{
		// validate email
		if (f.descSubmitEmail.value.search("@") == -1 || f.descSubmitEmail.value.search("[.*]") == -1){ 
			f.descSubmitEmail.style.background = highlightcolour;
			if (f.descLanguagePreference.value == 'fr')
			{
				alertStr = alertStr + 'Le format de l’adresse entrée dans le champ « Courriel » est invalide.<br/>';
			}
			else
			{
				alertStr = alertStr + 'Email address is an invalid format.<br/>';
			}
			valid = false;
		}else{
	        f.descSubmitEmail.style.background = normalcolour;
	    	}
        
        	if(f.descSubmitEmail.value != f.descSubmitEmailConf.value){
		    f.descSubmitEmail.style.background = highlightcolour;
		    f.descSubmitEmailConf.style.background = highlightcolour;
			if (f.descLanguagePreference.value == 'fr')
			{
				alertStr = alertStr + 'Les adresses courriel ne sont pas pareils.<br/>';
			}
			else
			{
				alertStr = alertStr + 'Email addresses do not match.<br/>';
			}
			valid = false;
		}else{
	        f.descSubmitEmail.style.background = normalcolour;
	    	}

		// validate emailConf
		if (f.descSubmitEmailConf.value.search("@") == -1 || f.descSubmitEmailConf.value.search("[.*]") == -1){ 
			f.descSubmitEmailConf.style.background = highlightcolour;
			if (f.descLanguagePreference.value == 'fr')
			{
				alertStr = alertStr + 'Le format de l’adresse entrée dans le champ «Confirmez votre courriel » est invalide. <br/>';
			}
			else
			{
				alertStr = alertStr + 'Email confirmation address is an invalid format.<br/>';
			}
			valid = false;
		}else{
	        f.descSubmitEmailConf.style.background = normalcolour;
	    }
		
	}
	
	// validate CAPTCHA length
	if (f.strCAPTCHA.value.length < 1){
	    f.strCAPTCHA.style.background = highlightcolour;
		if (f.descLanguagePreference.value == 'fr')
		{
			alertStr = alertStr + '« Code de sécurité » est un champ obligatoire <br/>';
		}
		else
		{
			alertStr = alertStr + 'Security code is a required field.<br/>';
		}
		valid = false;
	}else{
	    f.strCAPTCHA.style.background = normalcolour;
	}
	
	if(valid == false){
	    document.getElementById("errors").innerHTML = alertStr;
		//alert(alertStr);
		window.scrollTo(0,0);
	}
	return valid;
}