Converts the specified datetime object into its appropriate protocol
    value. This is the number of milliseconds from the epoch.

def convertDatetime(t):
    """
    Converts the specified datetime object into its appropriate protocol
    value. This is the number of milliseconds from the epoch.
    """
    epoch = datetime.datetime.utcfromtimestamp(0)
    delta = t - epoch
    millis = delta.total_seconds() * 1000
    return int(millis)