function validateEmail() {
	var e = $F("email_address");
	
	if (e == "") {
		alert("Please enter an email address in the field provided!");
	} else if (e.indexOf("@") == -1 || e.indexOf(".") == -1) {
		alert("Please enter a valid email address in the field provided!");
	} else {
		$('email_address').disabled = true;
		$('signup').style.display = "none";
		$('wait').style.display = "block";
		
		url = "/signup.php";
		
		// NOTE: Form.serialize isn't working correctly in prototype 1.5 (the 'email' field isn't being included), so build the pars string manually; as a side result, we don't need the hidden fields as we can just add the required values as part of the pars variable
		//pars = decodeURIComponent(Form.serialize("form_newsletter"));
		
		pars = "email=" + $F("email_address");
		//prompt("pars:", pars);

		var a = new Ajax.Request(
			url, 
			{
				method: "post", 
				parameters: pars, 
				onComplete: signedUp
			});
	}
	return false;
}

function signedUp(result) {
	//$("debug").innerHTML = result.responseText;
	new Effect.Fade($("wait"), { queue: {position: 'end', scope: "transition_signup" }, duration:0.3 } );
	new Effect.Appear($("confirmation"), { queue: {position: 'end', scope: "transition_signup" }, duration:0.3 } );
	//$('busy_div').style.display = "none";
}