gistfile1.rb

# Rails 2.3.2
# Ruby 1.8.6
# Appears to be weirdness when you override a class method that 
# is also a method_missing finder. Check out the SQL output:

class CreatePosts < ActiveRecord::Migration
  def self.up
    create_table :posts, :force => true do |t|
      t.string :title
    end
  end

  def self.down
    drop_table :posts
  end
end

class Post < ActiveRecord::Base
  def self.find_by_title(t)
    super t.gsub(/./, '*')
  end
end

>> script/console
>> Post.find_by_title('foobar') #=> Post Load (0.2ms)   SELECT * FROM "posts" WHERE ("posts"."title" = '******') LIMIT 1
=> nil
>> Post.find_by_title('foobar') #=> Post Load (0.2ms)   SELECT * FROM "posts" WHERE ("posts"."title" = 'foobar') LIMIT 1
=> nil
>> Post.find_by_title('foobar') #=> Post Load (0.2ms)   SELECT * FROM "posts" WHERE ("posts"."title" = 'foobar') LIMIT 1
=> nil