wriring a file to a database

Hello,

I want to write a file into a database from python using psycopg.  I
have tried several ways to insert the file, each gives a different
error.

  File "write_images_to_db.py", line 43, in insert
    curs.execute("INSERT INTO diamonds VALUES (%s, lo_import
    %s)",(iname, image))
psycopg2.ProgrammingError: type "lo_import" does not exist

    curs.execute("INSERT INTO diamonds VALUES (%s, \lo_import
    %s)",(iname, image))
psycopg2.ProgrammingError: syntax error at or near "\" at character 50

    curs.execute("INSERT INTO diamonds VALUES (%s, lo_import
    (%s))",(iname, image))
psycopg2.ProgrammingError: must be superuser to use server-side
    lo_import()
HINT:  Anyone can use the client-side lo_import() provided by libpq.

    curs.execute("INSERT INTO diamonds VALUES (%s,
    \lo_import(%s))",(iname, image))
psycopg2.ProgrammingError: syntax error at or near "\" at character 50

Can someone please help out?

Thanks,
Roger

Postgresql 8.0.9 on Gentoo Linux