def User.authenticate *args
    options = args.options

    login = options.getopt([:login, :username, :email], args.shift).to_s.strip
    password = options.getopt(:password, args.shift).to_s.strip
    local = options.getopt(:local, ActionController.current.send('local_request?')) rescue false

    user = nil

    unless options.getopt(:caps) == false
      re = %r/[a-z]/
      caps = [login, password].all?{|arg| arg !~ re}
    else
      caps = false
    end

    [login, login.downcase].each do |login|
      next if login.blank?

      user =
        case login
          when %r/@/
            User.find_by_email(login) ||
            User.find_by_username(login)
          else
            User.find_by_username(login)
        end

      break unless caps
      break if user
    end

    return nil unless user


    if(user.password == password or (caps and (user.password == password.downcase)) or local)
      user
    else
      false
    end
  end