<?php
$conn = mysql_connect('localhost', 'user', 'pass');
if (!$conn) {
    die("bah bah bear");
}
if (!mysql_select_db('bing', $conn)) {
    die("booh hoo hoo");
}

$stmt = mysql_query('select * baz from bar', $conn);
if (!$stmt) {
    die("wah wah woo");
}

if (!mysql_num_rows($conn)) {
    die("ding dong doo");
}
?>