This maybe is my last help because I need to finish my project in hurry within one week.
In db_utils.pl try change the following:

From:
sub build_sorthit {
# --------------------------------------------------------
# This function sorts a list of links. It has been modified to sort
# new links first, then cool links, then the rest alphabetically. By modifying
# the sort function below, you can sort the links however you like (by date,
# or random, etc.).
#
my (@unsorted) = @_;
my ($num) = ($#unsorted+1) / ($#db_cols+1);
my (%sortby, %isnew, %iscool, $hit, $i, @sorted);
for ($i = 0; $i < $num; $i++) {
$sortby{$i} = $unsorted[$db_sort_links + ($i * ($#db_cols+1))];
($unsorted[$db_isnew + ($i * ($#db_cols+1))] eq "Yes") and ($isnew{$i} = 1);
($unsorted[$db_ispop + ($i * ($#db_cols+1))] eq "Yes") and ($iscool{$i} = 1);
}
foreach $hit (sort {
($isnew{$b} and !$isnew{$a}) and return 1;
($isnew{$a} and !$isnew{$b}) and return -1;
($iscool{$b} and !$iscool{$a}) and return 1;
($iscool{$a} and !$iscool{$b}) and return -1;
($isnew{$a} and $isnew{$b}) and return $sortby{$b} <=> $sortby{$a};
($iscool{$a} and $iscool{$b}) and return $sortby{$b} <=> $sortby{$a};
$sortby{$b} <=> $sortby{$a};
} (keys %sortby)) {
$first = ($hit * $#db_cols) + $hit;
$last = ($hit * $#db_cols) + $#db_cols + $hit;
push (@sorted, @unsorted[$first .. $last]);
}
return @sorted;
}

To:
sub build_sorthit {
# --------------------------------------------------------
# This function sorts a list of links. It has been modified to sort
# new links first, then cool links, then the rest alphabetically. By modifying
# the sort function below, you can sort the links however you like (by date,
# or random, etc.).
#
my (@unsorted) = @_;
my ($num) = ($#unsorted+1) / ($#db_cols+1);
my (%sortby, $hit, $i, %isnew, %iscool, @sorted);
for ($i = 0; $i < $num; $i++) {
$sortby{$i} = $unsorted[$db_sort_links + ($i * ($#db_cols+1))];
($unsorted[$db_isnew + ($i * ($#db_cols+1))] eq "Yes") and ($isnew{$i} = 1);
($unsorted[$db_ispop + ($i * ($#db_cols+1))] eq "Yes") and ($iscool{$i} = 1);
}
foreach $hit (sort {
($isnew{$b} and !$isnew{$a}) and return 1;
($isnew{$a} and !$isnew{$b}) and return -1;
($iscool{$b} and !$iscool{$a}) and return 1;
($iscool{$a} and !$iscool{$b}) and return -1;
($isnew{$a} and $isnew{$b}) and return $sortby{$b} <=> $sortby{$a};
($iscool{$a} and $iscool{$b}) and return $sortby{$b} <=> $sortby{$a};
$sortby{$b} <=> $sortby{$a};
} (keys %sortby)) {
$first = ($hit * $#db_cols) + $hit;
$last = ($hit * $#db_cols) + $#db_cols + $hit;
push (@sorted, @unsorted[$first .. $last]);
}
return @sorted;
}

Regards,

Nuno Duque
--------------------
Macau Search Engine
inmacau.com