Python convert from unicode

gistfile1.py

# original from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13101653/python-convert-complex-dictionary-of-strings-from-unicode-to-ascii
def convert_from_unicode(input):
    if isinstance(input, dict):
        return dict((convert_from_unicode(key), convert_from_unicode(value)) for key, value in input.iteritems())
    elif isinstance(input, list):
        return [convert_from_unicode(element) for element in input]
    elif isinstance(input, unicode):
        return input.encode('utf-8')
    else:
        return input