Matlab like tic toc functions in Python

tic_toc.py

# To measure timing
#' http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5849800/tic-toc-functions-analog-in-python
def tic():
    # Homemade version of matlab tic and toc functions
    import time
    global startTime_for_tictoc
    startTime_for_tictoc = time.time()

def toc():
    import time
    if 'startTime_for_tictoc' in globals():
        print "Elapsed time is " + str(time.time() - startTime_for_tictoc) + " seconds."
    else:
        print "Toc: start time not set"