I FOUND IT!

right after I add:

    if ($user_id eq '') {
        my $cookie = CGI->new;
            $user_id = $cookie->cookie('TEC_USER_ID');
            my $crypt = Crypt::Lite->new( debug => 0, encoding => 'hex
+8' );
                my $decrypted = $crypt->decrypt($user_id, $ip_address)
+;
            $user_id = $decrypted;
    }
[download]

The damned thing does its crap again! WOOT WOOT! Now at least I know what it is and can code around! Already submitted a bug in MY bugzilla - this will be something to have fun with after the project's done!

Thanks to EVERYONE that helped!

Mods PLEASE DONT close this thread! May take me a min but I WILL trace this down and find out why and post! Less some one beats me to it! Thanks again gays / gals!