$(function() {  
$(".news_button").click(function() {  
// validate and process form here  
  $('.error').hide();  
      
      var email = $("input#email_address").val();  
      if (email == "") {  
       $("label#email_error").show();  
       $("input#email_address").focus();  
       return false;  
     }  
      
// ajax shit
  var dataString = 'email_address=' + email;
  //alert (dataString);return false;
  $.ajax({
    type: "POST",
    url: "/newsletter_process.php",
    data: dataString,
    success: function() {
      $('#contact_form').html("<div id='message' style=\"width: 100%; text-align: left;\" ></div>");
      $('#message').html("<img src=\"/img/newsletter_success.gif\" alt=\"newsletter successful registration\" width=\"263\" height=\"73\" />")
    
      .hide()
      .fadeIn(1500, function() {
        $('#message');
      });
    }
  });
  return false;
  
      
         
       
   });  
});  

function clearText(field){

    if (field.defaultValue == field.value) field.value = '';
    else if (field.value == '') field.value = field.defaultValue;

}