'Returns ticks since 1970'

def DateObjectFromCOMDate(self, comDate):

    if isinstance(comDate, datetime.datetime):
        return comDate.timetuple()
    elif isinstance(comDate, DateTime):
        fcomDate = comDate.ToOADate()
    else:
        fcomDate = float(comDate)
    secondsperday = 86400
    t = time.gmtime((secondsperday * (fcomDate - 25569.0)))
    return t
