Spotting References
    Many syntax constructs in PHP are implemented via referencing
    mechanisms, so everything told above about reference binding also
    apply to these constructs. Some constructs, like passing and
    returning by-reference, are mentioned above. Other constructs that
    use references are:
   
global References
     When you declare variable as global $var you
     are in fact creating reference to a global variable. That means,
     this is the same as:
     
    
     That means, for example, that unsetting $var
     won't unset global variable.
    
$this
     In an object method, $this is always reference
     to the caller object.