Erk, Al - I only understood half of that! I'm just not sufficiently technically proficient to know about Ajax. If it's something that comes along with the new version, I'll find out about it later.
Thanks for the thought, though - that sounds useful.
I wish I could take credit for creating the avatar - I just grabbed and edited (removed the cigarette from the raised hand, and made it fatter) a cartoon picture that I felt represented me!