in reply to pack/unpack left padding

how about (unpack('A6','   123')+0)
s$$([},&%#}/&/]+}%&{})*;#$&&s&&$^X.($'^"%]=\&(|?*{%
+.+=%;.#_}\&"^"-+%*).}%:##%}={~=~:.")&e&&s""`$''`"e

In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom