“Python's batteries are leaking”(pyfound.blogspot.com)

  if PY3:
    from http import client as httplib
  else:
    import httplib

  PY3 = sys.version_info >= (3, 0)
  PY2 = sys.version_info < (3, 0)
  
  PY26 = sys.version_info >= (2, 6) and sys.version_info < (2, 7)

  isinstance(<maybe_string>, basestring if PY2 else str)

  # Python 2.6 doesn't properly UTF-8 encode syslog messages, so it needs
  # to be performed in a custom formatter.
  formatter_class = UnicodeLoggingFormatter if PY26 else logging.Formatter

  Hazardous Materials
  This is a "Hazardous Materials" module. You should ONLY use it if you're
  100% absolutely sure that you know what you're doing because this module
  is full of land mines, dragons, and dinosaurs with laser guns.