class Hash

def except(*items) # :nodoc:
  puts "array except works!!!"
  self.dup.except!(*items)
end unless method_defined?(:except)

def except!(*keys) # :nodoc:
  copy = self.dup
  keys.each { |key| copy.delete!(key) }
  copy
end unless method_defined?(:except!)

def serialize # :nodoc:
  self.map { |key, val| [key, val].join("=") }.join("&")
end unless method_defined?(:serialize)

def symbolize_keys  # :nodoc:
  inject({}) do |hash, (key, value)|
    hash[(key.to_sym rescue key) || key] = value
    hash
  end
end

def symbolize_keys! # :nodoc:
  hash = symbolize_keys
  hash.each do |key, val|
    hash[key] = case val
      when Hash
        val.symbolize_keys!
      when Array
        val.map do |item|
          item.is_a?(Hash) ? item.symbolize_keys! : item
        end
      else
        val
      end
  end
  return hash
end unless method_defined?(:symbolize_keys!)