rate limiter.py

import time


def rate_limited(num_calls, interval):
    minInterval = float(interval) / float(num_calls)

    def decorate(func):
        lastTimeCalled = [0.0]

        def rate_limited_function(*args, **kargs):
            elapsed = time.clock() - lastTimeCalled[0]
            leftToWait = minInterval - elapsed
            if leftToWait > 0 and lastTimeCalled[0] != 0:
                time.sleep(leftToWait)
            ret = func(*args, **kargs)
            lastTimeCalled[0] = time.clock()
            return ret
        return rate_limited_function
    return decorate


@rate_limited(10, 1)  # 10 per second at most
def send_event(widget, value):
    data = json.dumps({"auth_token": "HUNTER2", "value": value})
    widget_url = "http:/example.net:5555/widgets/%s"
    res = requests.post(widget_url % widget, data)
    print 'sent ', data
    return res

import json
import requests

if __name__ == "__main__":
    print "Generate some fake ass data for a gauge."
    for i in range(1, 101):
        send_event('rebillprogress', i)

Looking at this > a year later... this is client side rate limiting.
Do not copy pasta to globally rate limit an API because it's blocking.