"Dave Dutcher" <dave(at)tridecap(dot)com> writes:
> It sounds like the original posters problem was a less than optimal join
> order, and from what I understand Postgres can't reorder left joins.
Not really relevant to the OP's immediate problem, but: that's fixed in
CVS HEAD.
http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2005-12/msg00760.php
http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-committers/2005-12/msg00352.php
regards, tom lane