Hiya

I don't know how to call it but i thing i could be usefull

example:

$time &= time();   // var to function 

echo $time; // current time
sleep(1);
echo $time; // still current time

example 2:

$data &=  get_some_database_records();

while ($data) {
 echo $data;
}

Get_some_database_records will give every time its called the next var
(until false)

This are just a examples i know some other thing you can do with it but
there yes for your imagenation :)

Greetz,

Wico

 '&=' has a very different meaning

  '$i &= $j' is an abbreviation of '$i = $i & $j' 
  and '&' being the binary 'bitwise and' operator,
  not the unary 'get reference for'

   what you are looking for is 

  $time="time";
  echo $time();
  sleep(1);
  echo $time();

  and this already works ... 
  

I know &= is for somthing else it was just to illustrate what i ment

&= could also be something else

and 
  $time="time";
  echo $time();
  sleep(1);
  echo $time();

is not where i'm looking for

Please read carefully and try to understand what i mean

Greetz,

Wico