persistent_party.rb

require 'httparty'
require 'net/http/persistent'

module HTTParty
  module ClassMethods
    def persistent(value = true)
      if value
        default_options[:persistent] ||= Net::HTTP::Persistent.new 'httparty'
      else
        default_options[:persistent] = nil
      end
    end
  end

  class Request
    alias non_persistent_http http
    
    def http
      if options[:persistent].nil?
        non_persistent_http
      else
        options[:persistent]
      end  
    end

    alias non_persistent_perform_actual_request perform_actual_request
    def perform_actual_request
      if options[:persistent].nil?
        non_persistent_perform_actual_request
      else
        http.request(uri, @raw_request)
      end
    end
  end
end