Population Clock - using the ABS population API

popclock.py

import requests, json, time, os

ABS_URL = 'http://www.abs.gov.au/api/demography/populationprojection'

def getData():
    r = requests.get(ABS_URL)
    return json.loads(r.text)

def getPopulation():
    text = getData()
    return int(text['popNow'])

def getRateOfChange():
    text = getData()
    return int(float(text['rateSecond']))

def cls():
    os.system('cls' if os.name=='nt' else 'clear')


timeDelta = getRateOfChange()

while True:

    popThen = getPopulation()
    print 'The population is',popThen
    time.sleep(timeDelta)
    popNow = getPopulation()

    delta = popNow - popThen

    if delta >= 1:
        print '+',delta
    elif delta < 0:
        print '-',delta
    else:
        cls()