diff --git a/core/block.class.php b/core/block.class.php
index 149a0a13..4fd0c28d 100644
--- a/core/block.class.php
+++ b/core/block.class.php
@@ -8,14 +8,14 @@ class Block {
 	 *
 	 * @retval string
 	 */
-	var $header;
+	public $header;
 
 	/**
 	 * The content
 	 *
 	 * @retval string
 	 */
-	var $body;
+	public $body;
 
 	/** 
 	 * Where the block should be placed. The default theme supports
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class Block {
 	 *
 	 * @retval string
 	 */
-	var $section;
+	public $section;
 
 	/**
 	 * How far down the section the block should appear, higher
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ class Block {
 	 *
 	 * @retval int
 	 */
-	var $position;
+	public $position;
 
 	/**
 	 *
 	 */
-	var $id;
+	public $id;
 
 	public function __construct($header, $body, /*string*/ $section="main", /*int*/ $position=50, $id=null) {
 		$this->header = $header;
diff --git a/core/database.class.php b/core/database.class.php
index 5a889878..c4aface5 100644
--- a/core/database.class.php
+++ b/core/database.class.php
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class ImgQuerylet {
 // }}}
 // {{{ db engines
 class DBEngine {
-	var $name = null;
+	public $name = null;
 
 	public function init($db) {}
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class DBEngine {
 	}
 }
 class MySQL extends DBEngine {
-	var $name = "mysql";
+	public $name = "mysql";
 
 	public function init($db) {
 		$db->exec("SET NAMES utf8;");
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class MySQL extends DBEngine {
 	}
 }
 class PostgreSQL extends DBEngine {
-	var $name = "pgsql";
+	public $name = "pgsql";
 
 	public function init($db) {
 		$db->exec("SET application_name TO 'shimmie [{$_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']}]';");
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ function _concat($a, $b) { return $a . $b; }
 function _lower($a) { return strtolower($a); }
 
 class SQLite extends DBEngine {
-	var $name = "sqlite";
+	public $name = "sqlite";
 
 	public function init($db) {
 		ini_set('sqlite.assoc_case', 0);
diff --git a/core/email.class.php b/core/email.class.php
index 63677b09..82c50c81 100644
--- a/core/email.class.php
+++ b/core/email.class.php
@@ -4,17 +4,17 @@ class Email {
 	/**
 	 * A generic email.
 	 */
-	var $to;
-	var $subject;
-	var $header;
-	var $style;
-	var $header_img;
-	var $sitename;
-	var $sitedomain;
-	var $siteemail;
-	var $date;
-	var $body;
-	var $footer;
+	public $to;
+	public $subject;
+	public $header;
+	public $style;
+	public $header_img;
+	public $sitename;
+	public $sitedomain;
+	public $siteemail;
+	public $date;
+	public $body;
+	public $footer;
 		
 	public function __construct($to, $subject, $header, $body) {
 		global $config;
diff --git a/core/event.class.php b/core/event.class.php
index 7e069e2d..713aba0f 100644
--- a/core/event.class.php
+++ b/core/event.class.php
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ class InitExtEvent extends Event {}
  * $event->get_arg(0) = "42"
  */
 class PageRequestEvent extends Event {
-	var $args;
-	var $arg_count;
-	var $part_count;
+	public $args;
+	public $arg_count;
+	public $part_count;
 
 	public function __construct($path) {
 		global $config;
diff --git a/core/extension.class.php b/core/extension.class.php
index 9d881c80..824cb6e1 100644
--- a/core/extension.class.php
+++ b/core/extension.class.php
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
  */
 abstract class Extension {
 	/** this theme's Themelet object */
-	var $theme;
+	public $theme;
 
 	/** @private */
 	var $_child;
diff --git a/core/user.class.php b/core/user.class.php
index 3adceadc..3de02a6b 100644
--- a/core/user.class.php
+++ b/core/user.class.php
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ function _new_user($row) {
  * The currently logged in user will always be accessable via the global variable $user
  */
 class User {
-	var $id;
-	var $name;
-	var $email;
-	var $join_date;
-	var $passhash;
+	public $id;
+	public $name;
+	public $email;
+	public $join_date;
+	public $passhash;
 
 	/* @var UserClass */
 	var $class;
diff --git a/core/userclass.class.php b/core/userclass.class.php
index a8bec4e5..1d13688c 100644
--- a/core/userclass.class.php
+++ b/core/userclass.class.php
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 $_user_classes = array();
 
 class UserClass {
-	var $name = null;
-	var $parent = null;
-	var $abilities = array();
+	public $name = null;
+	public $parent = null;
+	public $abilities = array();
 
 	public function __construct($name, $parent=null, $abilities=array()) {
 		global $_user_classes;