function query(/* $sql [, ... ] */)

    {

        // SQL statement

        $sql = func_get_arg(0);



        // parameters, if any

        $parameters = array_slice(func_get_args(), 1);



        // try to connect to database

        static $handle;

        if (!isset($handle))

        {

            try

            {

                // connect to database

                $handle =  new PDO("mysql:dbname=" . DATABASE . ";host=" . SERVER . ";charset=utf8", USERNAME, PASSWORD);



                // ensure that PDO::prepare returns false when passed invalid SQL

                $handle->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES, false);

            }

            catch (Exception $e)

            {

                // trigger (big, orange) error

                trigger_error($e->getMessage(), E_USER_ERROR);

                exit;

            }

        }



        // prepare SQL statement

        $statement = $handle->prepare($sql);

        if ($statement === false)

        {

            // trigger (big, orange) error

            trigger_error($handle->errorInfo()[2], E_USER_ERROR);

            exit;

        }



        // execute SQL statement

        $results = $statement->execute($parameters);



        // return result set's rows, if any

        if ($results !== false)

        {

            return $statement->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);

        }

        else

        {

            return false;

        }

    }