Being raised a good Catholic boy, the idea that anyone could become interested in the phallus beyond its functions escaped me. Of course, as time went on I learned to appreciate it more, but I was still surprised to learn that in some cultures people were much more open about their worship of pricks. Several years ago I toured the phallus garden at the Hilton Hotel in Bangkok, where phalluses of all shapes and sizes were on display, many clothed in colorful outfits. The hotel was forced to keep the garden when it bought the land, but they don't exactly advertise it.

Today there is a review in the NY Times of a book called The Fires of Vesuvius, where an author debunks many of the myths developed after the discovery of the ruins of Pompeii. One thing these folks did do was love their penises:

"For one thing, much of the art is highly eroticized, even when not bluntly pronographic....there seem to be phalluses everywhere. Enormous ones, tiny ones, doubles, singles; attached to men, gods or satyrs in every medium or in disembodied splendor; over doors, carved into the pavement, on chains and serving trays, turned into lamps winged like birds, with bells on. Even some of the phalluses have phalluses. If they were good luck charms, as is sometimes thought, it obviously didn't work."

Didn't work? Hey Pompeii died, the phallus lived! Much to the satisfaction of those of us who spend bucks in our own pursuit of the phallus.

If they were good luck charms, as is sometimes thought, it obviously didn't work."

Well, I for one am going to keep on trying to hold one to one and keep it close by just in case the luck runs off on me.