Steve a few suggestions:

1. Stop apologizing and start asking yourself is what I am about post a Perl or Perl Monk related question.
2. If it isn't than think twice about posting, but if really need to know you can often state your question in a Perlish way. SOMETIMES.

Your cookie well it is likely a string that has been encrypted and converted to a Hex string so you are not able to read it and obviously it worked.

mitd-Made in the Dark
'Interactive! Paper tape is interactive!
If you don't believe me I can show you my paper cut scars!'