PG_ERROR 42501 permissions error

It never rains but it pours they say. I am trying to extract (ad
hoc) some data from my production database on the 8.1 service that I
tried to upgrade to 8.4. I am using the same username and password
as is used by a process hosted on the same server as the posgresql
instance. That process works fine.

However, when I try and connect from another server using those
credentials then I see this in the log file:

2010-12-01 16:33:09 EST hll_theheart_devl 216.185.71.25(42531)
hll_theheart_db_admin : LOG: 00000: connection authorized:
user=hll_theheart_db_admin database=hll_theheart_devl
2010-12-01 16:33:09 EST hll_theheart_devl 216.185.71.25(42531)
hll_theheart_db_admin : LOCATION: BackendRun, postmaster.c:2780
2010-12-01 16:33:09 EST hll_theheart_devl 216.185.71.25(42531)
hll_theheart_db_admin : ERROR: 55P02: parameter
"standard_conforming_strings" cannot be changed
2010-12-01 16:33:09 EST hll_theheart_devl 216.185.71.25(42531)
hll_theheart_db_admin : LOCATION: set_config_option, guc.c:3597
2010-12-01 16:33:09 EST hll_theheart_devl 216.185.71.25(42531)
hll_theheart_db_admin : ERROR: 42501: permission denied for
relation currencies
2010-12-01 16:33:09 EST hll_theheart_devl 216.185.71.25(42531)
hll_theheart_db_admin : LOCATION: aclcheck_error, aclchk.c:1395
2010-12-01 16:33:09 EST hll_theheart_devl 216.185.71.25(42531)
hll_theheart_db_admin : LOG: 00000: disconnection: session time:
0:00:00.07 user=hll_theheart_db_admin database=hll_theheart_devl
host=216.185.71.25 port=42531
2010-12-01 16:33:09 EST hll_theheart_devl 216.185.71.25(42531)
hll_theheart_db_admin : LOCATION: log_disconnections,
postgres.c:3608

I am particularly nonplussed over the 'ERROR: 55P02: parameter
"standard_conforming_strings" cannot be changed' message. Can
anyone here clue me in as to what I am doing wrong?

--
*** E-Mail is NOT a SECURE channel ***
James B. Byrne mailto:ByrneJB(at)Harte-Lyne(dot)ca
Harte & Lyne Limited http://www.harte-lyne.ca
9 Brockley Drive vox: +1 905 561 1241
Hamilton, Ontario fax: +1 905 561 0757
Canada L8E 3C3