=== modified file 'includes/bootstrap.inc'
--- includes/bootstrap.inc	
+++ includes/bootstrap.inc	
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL', 6);
 define('DRUPAL_ANONYMOUS_RID', 1);
 define('DRUPAL_AUTHENTICATED_RID', 2);
 
+define('VARIABLE_SHORT_CACHE', 1);
+define('VARIABLE_LONG_CACHE', 2);
+
 /**
  * Start the timer with the specified name. If you start and stop
  * the same timer multiple times, the measured intervals will be
@@ -240,15 +243,15 @@ function drupal_get_filename($type, $nam
  */
 function variable_init($conf = array()) {
   // NOTE: caching the variables improves performance with 20% when serving cached pages.
-  if ($cached = cache_get('variables')) {
+  if ($cached = cache_get('variables_short')) {
     $variables = unserialize($cached->data);
   }
   else {
-    $result = db_query('SELECT * FROM {variable}');
+    $result = db_query('SELECT * FROM {variable} WHERE delta = 1');
     while ($variable = db_fetch_object($result)) {
       $variables[$variable->name] = unserialize($variable->value);
     }
-    cache_set('variables', serialize($variables));
+    cache_set('variables_short', serialize($variables));
   }
 
   foreach ($conf as $name => $value) {
@@ -265,12 +268,28 @@ function variable_init($conf = array()) 
  *   The name of the variable to return.
  * @param $default
  *   The default value to use if this variable has never been set.
+ * @param $delta
+ *   Which variable cache the variable belongs to. Options are: VARIABLE_SHORT_CACHE, VARIABLE_LONG_CACHE.
  * @return
  *   The value of the variable.
  */
-function variable_get($name, $default) {
+function variable_get($name, $default, $delta = VARIABLE_SHORT_CACHE) {
   global $conf;
+  static $long_cache_loaded = NULL;
 
+  if ($delta == VARIABLE_LONG_CACHE && !isset($long_cache_loaded)) {
+    if ($cached = cache_get('variables_long')) {
+      $variables = unserialize($cached->data);
+    }
+    else {
+      $result = db_query('SELECT * FROM {variable} WHERE delta = 2');
+      while ($variable = db_fetch_object($result)) {
+        $variables[$variable->name] = unserialize($variable->value);
+      }
+      cache_set('variables_long', serialize($variables));
+    }
+    $conf += $variables;
+  }
   return isset($conf[$name]) ? $conf[$name] : $default;
 }
 
@@ -282,16 +301,24 @@ function variable_get($name, $default) {
  * @param $value
  *   The value to set. This can be any PHP data type; these functions take care
  *   of serialization as necessary.
+ * @param $delta
+ *   Which variable cache to insert the variable into. Options are: VARIABLE_SHORT_CACHE, VARIABLE_LONG_CACHE.
  */
-function variable_set($name, $value) {
+function variable_set($name, $value, $delta = VARIABLE_SHORT_CACHE) {
   global $conf;
 
   db_lock_table('variable');
   db_query("DELETE FROM {variable} WHERE name = '%s'", $name);
-  db_query("INSERT INTO {variable} (name, value) VALUES ('%s', '%s')", $name, serialize($value));
+  db_query("INSERT INTO {variable} (name, value, delta) VALUES ('%s', '%s', %d)", $name, serialize($value), $delta);
   db_unlock_tables();
 
-  cache_clear_all('variables');
+  if ($delta == VARIABLE_LONG_CACHE) {
+    $cache = 'variables_long';
+  }
+  else {
+    $cache = 'variables_short';
+  }
+  cache_clear_all($cache);
 
   $conf[$name] = $value;
 }