active-record-arrgh

>> Rails.version
=> "2.1.2"
>> AbstractThingy < ActiveRecord::Base
=> true
>> AbstractThingy.record_timestamps
=> true
>> OneOfManyThingies < AbstractThingies
=> true
>> OneOfManyThingies.record_timestamps
=> nil

Result: descendants of abstract ActiveRecord classes do not get
updated_at/created_at recorded. Greeeeat.

REVISED: the issue is that AbstractThingy.inherited is defined
and doesn't call super. Complaint partially revoked, although
this is an instance in which I'd like Rails' magicness to be a
bit more paranoid and complain.