class String
   def titlecase
     small_words = %w(a an and as at but by en for if in of on or the to v v. via vs vs.)
 
     x = split(" ").map do |word|
       # note: word could contain non-word characters!
       # downcase all small_words, capitalize the rest
       small_words.include?(word.gsub(/\W/, "").downcase) ? word.downcase! : word.smart_capitalize!
       word
     end
     # capitalize first and last words
     x.first.to_s.smart_capitalize!
     x.last.to_s.smart_capitalize!

     # small words are capitalized after colon, period, exclamation mark, question mark
     x.join(" ").gsub(/(:|\.|!|\?)\s?(\W*#{small_words.join("|")}\W*)\s/) { "#{$1} #{$2.smart_capitalize} " }

   end
 
   def titlecase!
     replace(titlecase)
   end
 
   def smart_capitalize
     # ignore any leading crazy characters and capitalize the first real character
     if self =~ /^['"\(\[']*([a-z])/
       i = index($1)
       x = self[i,self.length]
       # word with capitals and periods mid-word are left alone
       self[i,1] = self[i,1].upcase unless x =~ /[A-Z]/ or x =~ /\.\w+/
     end
     self
   end
 
   def smart_capitalize!
     replace(smart_capitalize)
   end
 end