When using DBI you can save some typing by setting:

$dbh->{'RaiseError'} = 1;
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after connecting to the database. Then you don't have to write:

$sth->prepare("YOUR SQL HERE")or die "blah $DBI::errstr";
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You can just write:

$sth->prepare("YOUR SQL HERE");
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If the function fails, DBI will die and give you the reason.