gistfile1.txt

Topic.columns_hash['written_on'].sql_type   # => "datetime"
Topic.columns_hash['bonus_time'].sql_type   # => "time"
Topic.columns_hash['last_read'].sql_type    # => "date"

Topic.count # => 4
data = Topic.connection.send(:select,"SELECT `topics`.* FROM `topics`")
row = data[0]

row['written_on']         # => 2003-07-16 10:28:11 UTC
row['written_on'].class   # => Time
row['bonus_time']         # => 2000-01-01 09:28:00 UTC
row['bonus_time'].class   # => Time
row['last_read']          # => Thu, 15 Apr 2004
row['last_read'].class    # => Date