title: Add date to MySQL using PHP
body: <p>I am trying to add current date to MySQL table using PHP. I have the following code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$date = date('Y-m-d');
  mysql_query("INSERT INTO book_order VALUES($date)")  or die (mysql_error());
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>MySQL returns this error:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Incorrect date value: '1996' for column 'date_order' at row 1</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p><code>date_order</code> attribute is type <code>date</code>.</p>
  
  <p>I've tried to <code>echo</code> the <code>$date</code> value and prints out <code>2013-05-12</code></p>
  
  <p>Why I can't add the date to the table and what is this strange <em>1996</em>?</p>