Short hand to do something like: if($variable == 1 || $variable == "whatever" || $variable == '492') .
<p>I find my self doing this type of <code>IF</code> statement allot.  For example: </p>

<pre><code>if($variable == 1 || $variable == "whatever" || $variable == '492') { ... }  
</code></pre>

<p>Except for allot of the time, I am comparing the $variable to maybe 4-5 things, sometimes more.  Is there a short hand way to write this?  You can see that repeating <code>$variable ==</code> would get redundant.</p>

<p>I would love for this to work, but it doesn't:</p>

<pre><code>if($variable == (1 || "whatever" || 492) { ... }
</code></pre>
