def expanded
            h = Hash.new
            [:id, :email, :api_key, :name, :phone, :password,:states, :approval, :suspend,
            :registration_ip_address, :dates, :some_msg].each do |setting|
                if grouped = self.send("#{setting}").is_a?(Hash)
                    self.send("#{setting}").each {|k,v|   h[k.to_sym] = v}
                else
                    h[setting] = self.send("#{setting}")
                end
            end
            h
        end
def expanded
            h = Hash.new
            [:id, :email, :api_key, :name, :phone, :password,:states, :approval, :suspend,
            :registration_ip_address, :dates, :some_msg].each do |setting|
                if grouped = self.send("#{setting}").is_a?(Hash)
                    self.send("#{setting}").each {|k,v|   h[k.to_sym] = v}
                else
                    h[setting] = self.send("#{setting}")
                end
            end
            h
        end
Can be used by the  calling classes to get the full hash
 (eg: Nilavu: User model)