title: Slow PHP scripts cause MySQL server to sleep (using pconnect())
body: <p>I'm having a problem with MySQL going to sleep because a PHP script takes too long.. then the mysql server is unresponsive until its done with that sleep process.  It then takes a minute to do <em>any</em> type of database request (faster if you remove the SLEEP process).</p>
  
  <p>I use <code>pconnect()</code> to connect to the server, and I was told this might be causing the problem.  Is that right, and if so, why would a persistent connection just stop working like this?</p>