function createAssociation($dumb = true, $assoc_type = 'HMAC-SHA1')
    {
        $secret = Auth_OpenID_CryptUtil::getBytes(
                    Auth_OpenID_getSecretSize($assoc_type));

        $uniq = base64_encode(Auth_OpenID_CryptUtil::getBytes(4));
        $handle = sprintf('{%s}{%x}{%s}', $assoc_type, intval(time()), $uniq);

        $assoc = Auth_OpenID_Association::fromExpiresIn(
                      $this->SECRET_LIFETIME, $handle, $secret, $assoc_type);

        if ($dumb) {
            $key = $this->dumb_key;
        } else {
            $key = $this->normal_key;
        }

        $this->store->storeAssociation($key, $assoc);
        return $assoc;
    }