SSI.php function cross between recent topics and top topics?

[JTVaughn]

What I'm after is some PHP code (for using in a SimplePortal block) that displays a list of topics posted in today (i.e. everything between 00:00 and 11:59 on that day) that also lists the amount of topic views and replies today, ordered by most views or replies (user sortable if possible). This would obviously be based on the user's version of "today", so whatever their time zone is. I don't want it to return a certain specified number of posts or topics (like recent posts or recent topics do), but to return a list of every topic posted in that day. A lot of users only seem interested in interacting with today's posts, so I'd like a block that can be viewed in the sidebar or on its own page that gives users a simple overview of currently active threads. Each topic listed would link to the latest unseen post (I think that's topicseen#new, like with recent topics).

Is this possible, and/or does it make sense?