def to_u(val, encoding='utf-8'):
    if isinstance(val, text_type):
        return val
    elif isinstance(val, numeric_types):
        return text_type(val)

    return val.decode(encoding)
Take a number, text (unicode) or binary value and return unicode. Binary
dataset/ETHPy150Open ducksboard/libsaas/libsaas/port.py/to_u