Says merlyn:

  sub generate_id {
      return substr(MD5->hexhash(time(). {}. rand(). $$. 'blah'), 0, 1
+6);
  }
[download]

That {} seems like something of an oddity. I guess they threw it in on the theory that it couldn't hurt.

(Part of me wants to say that [] would accomplish the same purpose, but with less memory. No doubt tye will not consider this funny. :-) )