title: Rails "as_json" method returning invalid json?
body: <p>I am trying to have a iOS application read json generated by a rails server.  For now, I am just having it be a text file, but the eventual goal is for it to be retrieved via a route.</p>
  
  <p>The iOS application is throwing errors trying to read (which was generated with as_json):</p>
  
  <pre><code>{"created_at"=&gt;Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:21:07 UTC +00:00, "gender"=&gt;"M", "id"=&gt;1, "location_id"=&gt;1, "max_hit_points"=&gt;nil, "my_name"=&gt;"Jim Bob", "npc_type_id"=&gt;nil, "universe_id"=&gt;1, "updated_at"=&gt;Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:21:07 UTC +00:00} 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>when I give that to a json validator (<a href="http://jsonformatter.curiousconcept.com" rel="nofollow">http://jsonformatter.curiousconcept.com</a>)</p>
  
  <p>I get several errors about nearly everything, especially how it has "=>" rather than a colon.  </p>
  
  <p>Am I doing something completely weird?  Why does rails seem to not generate valid json?  Are there somehow multiple types of valid json (arrows vs colons?)  How can I make it generate json that the iOS app (or that validator) likes?</p>