title: Complete removal and fresh install of python on Ubuntu 12.04
body: <p>This is embarrassing to admit, but I just continue to struggle with setting up my Python environment on an Ubuntu install. </p>
  
  <p>Sometimes I get it to work fine. But here's the problem:</p>
  
  <p>I feel like whenever I sit down to do some hobby hacking on a python project, I end up spending hours on end just trouble shooting inconsistencies with my python installation. Right now I keep getting an error message of:   </p>
  
  <pre><code>ImportError: cannot import name urandom 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>when trying to import a module called googleplaces (https://github.com/slimkrazy/python-google-places).</p>
  
  <p>But it's always something that causes me to go on an endless snipe hunt for the proper configuration of this that or the other. </p>
  
  <p>I just want to work on the project, not plumb around endlessly in forums. </p>
  
  <p>Which brings me to my point: How do I completely nuke my existing python setup (including virtualenv, pip, easy_install, etc. etc.) and just start from a completely clean slate? I have already tried reinstalling everything python from synaptic, but no success, still getting error.</p>
  
  <p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> I've reinstalled virtualenv and that seems "ok" so far. Found that my import error is a permissions problem, if I import in the interactive using sudo, it passes fine. How should I be correcting my permissions so I don't have to run sudo?  (Probably close this and start a new question.)</p>