Ahhh... thanks to you both. I understand where I went wrong now. Don't get me wrong either, I really appreciate the susinctness of Perl. However, when learning a new language sometimes it is detrimental to go right to the slang. Take the following Quebec phrases:
vlą == voilą, asteur == en cette heure, chuis == Je suis.
Had I started speaking french like that, I wouldn't know what I was really saying half the time and couldn't explain it to anyone else.
Tango Mike (TM == Thanks Much in army slang)