function sendContact() {
  // check for name
  var msg = $("#name").val();
  if (msg.length == 0) {
    $("#name-error").slideDown(500);
    $("#name").focus();
    return false;
  } else {
    $("#name-error").slideUp(500);
  }

  // check for email
  var email = $("#email").val();
  var filter = /^([a-zA-Z0-9_.-])+@(([a-zA-Z0-9-])+.)+([a-zA-Z0-9]{2,4})+$/;
  if (!filter.test(email)) {
    $("#email-error").slideDown(500);
    $("#email").focus();
    return false;
  } else {
    $("#email-error").slideUp(500);
  }

  // check for message
  var msg = $("#comment").val();
  if (msg.length == 0) {
    $("#comment-error").slideDown(500);
    $("#comment").focus();
    return false;
  } else {
    $("#comment-error").slideUp(500);
  }

  // check for captcha
  var captcha = $("#captcha").val();
  if (captcha != captcha_c) {
    $("#captcha-error").slideDown(500);
    $("#captcha").focus();
    return false;
  } else {
    $("#captcha-error").slideUp(500);	
  }

  var data = $(".contact-us > form").serialize();

  $.ajax({
    type: "POST",
    url: "send.php",
    data: data,
    cache: false,
    success: function(msg){
      $(".contact-us > form").fadeOut(1000, function() {
        $(".message-sent").slideDown(500);
      });
    }
  });

  return false;
}

var captcha_a = Math.ceil(Math.random() * 10);
var captcha_b = Math.ceil(Math.random() * 10);       
var captcha_c = captcha_a + captcha_b;
function generate_captcha(id) {
  var id = (id) ? id : 'lcaptcha';
  $("#"+id).html(captcha_a + " + " + captcha_b + " = ");
}