public static function dbGet($id = NULL)
 {
     $dbh = new DBL();
     $strSQL = "SELECT * FROM alliance WHERE alliance.alliance_id=" . $id;
     $result = $dbh->query($strSQL);
     while ($record = $result->fetch_array()) {
         $newAlliance = new Alliance();
         $newAlliance->setName($record["alliance_name"]);
         $newAlliance->setCode($record["alliance_code"]);
         $newAlliance->setDescription($record["alliance_description"]);
         $buffer[] = $newAlliance;
     }
     $result->free();
     if (isset($id)) {
         return $buffer[0];
     }
     return $buffer;
 }