[mod_python] PythonImport: Can someone please draw a diagram for this idiot?

Good afternoon. I wonder if someone may be able to help me get to the
starting line with mod_python? I'm trying to use PythonImport to create a
database connection which I can use for subsequent requests, and I haven't
been able to figure out how. Here's what I'm putting in httpd.conf: 

PythonInterpreter maininterpreter
PythonImport mpglobals maininterpreter
<Directory "C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache2\htdocs\moddy">
    AddHandler mod_python .py
    PythonHandler mptest
    PythonDebug On
</Directory>

mpglobals.py is in the "C:\Program Files\Apache
Group\Apache2\htdocs\moddy" folder, and an entry in c:\python23\mp.pth
adds this to sys.path. mpglobals.py attempts to load a database connection
as global:

import kinterbasdb as fbd
con = fbd.connect(dsn='localhost:C:\Program
Files\Firebird\Firebird_1_5\examples\employee.fdb', 
    user='sysdba', 
    password='masterkey')
cur = con.cursor()

Finally, the default python handler mptest.py tries to use the connection:

def handler(req):
    cur.execute('select * from EMPLOYEE order by LAST_NAME')
    . . . .
    return apache.OK

This throws up an error:

  File "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/htdocs/moddy/\mptest.py",
line 8, in handler
    cur.execute('select * from EMPLOYEE order by LAST_NAME')
NameError: global name 'cur' is not defined


Am I anywhere near going about this the right way? Can someone please draw
me a diagram?

Regards,
Jim

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