module ActionMailer::MailHelper

def block_format(text)

# => " This is the paragraph.\n\n * item1\n * item2\n"
block_format text

TEXT
* item1 * item2

the paragraph.
This is
text = <<-TEXT

wrapped at 72 columns:
Take the text and format it, indented two spaces for each line, and 
def block_format(text)
  formatted = text.split(/\n\r?\n/).collect { |paragraph|
    format_paragraph(paragraph)
  }.join("\n\n")
  # Make list points stand on their own line
  output = +""
  splits = formatted.split(/(\*+|\#+)/)
  while line = splits.shift
    if line.start_with?("*", "#") && splits.first&.start_with?(" ")
      output.chomp!(" ") while output.end_with?(" ")
      output << "  #{line} #{splits.shift.strip}\n"
    else
      output << line
    end
  end
  output
end