title: access global variable as static class variable
body: <p>Let's say I have the following class:</p>
  
  <pre><code>class SQLMapper{
      static find_user_by_id($id){
          //sql logic here, using the $_DATABASE global to make a connection
      }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I could simply call:</p>
  
  <pre><code>global $_DATABASE;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>at the top of my function, but I don't want to do that for ALL of my static methods.  Is there a way to get a static variable inside my class to reference the global $_DATABASE array?</p>
  
  <p>EDIT:  I can't assign it in the constructor, since this is all static, and the constructor is never called.</p>