python ping -- put into cron, every minute

eping.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import subprocess
import datetime
import time
from os.path import expanduser
home = expanduser("~")

today=datetime.date.today()

host = "www.google.com"

SLEEPTIME=15
count = 0
f=open("%s/bin/pingtimes-%s.log" % (home,today), "a")
while count < 3:
    dt= datetime.datetime.now()
    ping = subprocess.Popen(
                ["ping", "-c", "1", host],
                    stdout = subprocess.PIPE,
                        stderr = subprocess.PIPE
                        )
    out, error = ping.communicate()
    lines=out.split("\n")
    data=lines[1].split(" ")
    key,val= data[6].split("=")
    f.write("%s,%s\n" % (dt,val))
    count+=1
    time.sleep(SLEEPTIME)

f.close()