string compare vs. precompiled regex

dateblacklist.py

#Took: 6.605544 seconds
#Took: 15.969022 seconds
#Took: 4.270395 seconds
#Took: 3.229852 seconds

import re
import time

DATETIME_BLACKLIST = ['1970-01-01 01:00:00', '1970-01-01 00:00:00', '0000-00-00 00:00:00']

RE_BLACK = [re.compile('1970-01-01.*'), re.compile('0000-00-00.*')]
#RE_BLACK = [re.compile('(0000|1970).*')]

text = 'lala %d'

t_start = time.time()
for i in xrange(10000000):
    if text in DATETIME_BLACKLIST:
        continue
    tmp = text % i

t_taken = time.time() - t_start
print 'Took: %f seconds' % (t_taken)


t_start = time.time()
for i in xrange(10000000):
    for pattern in RE_BLACK:
        if pattern.match(text):
            continue
    tmp = text % i

t_taken = time.time() - t_start
print 'Took: %f seconds' % (t_taken)


lala = dict()
lala['lala'] = 'lalalalalalala'
t_start = time.time()
for i in xrange(10000000):
    tmp1 = lala['lala']
    tmp2 = lala['lala']
    tmp3 = lala['lala']
    tmp4 = lala['lala']
    tmp5 = lala['lala']
    tmp6 = lala['lala']
    tmp7 = lala['lala']

t_taken = time.time() - t_start
print 'Took: %f seconds' % (t_taken)

lala = dict()
lala['lala'] = 'lalalalalalala'
t_start = time.time()
for i in xrange(10000000):
    tmp1 = lala['lala']
    tmp2 = tmp1
    tmp3 = tmp1
    tmp4 = tmp1
    tmp5 = tmp1
    tmp6 = tmp1
    tmp7 = tmp1

t_taken = time.time() - t_start
print 'Took: %f seconds' % (t_taken)