class Object
  def returning(value)
    yield(value)
    value
  end
  
  def __meta() class << self; self end end
  def meta_eval(&blk) __meta.instance_eval( &blk ) end
  def meta_def(name, &blk) meta_eval { define_method name, &blk } end
  def class_def name, &blk
    self.class.class_eval { define_method name, &blk }
  end   
  def blank?
    if    respond_to? :empty? then empty?
    elsif respond_to? :zero?  then zero?
    else !self
    end   
  end

end