diff --git a/Lib/logging/__init__.py b/Lib/logging/__init__.py
index 0a62886..6dc5387 100644
--- a/Lib/logging/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/logging/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 To use, simply 'import logging' and log away!
 """
 
-import sys, os, types, time, cStringIO, traceback
+import sys, os, time, cStringIO, traceback
 
 try:
     import codecs
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
 #   Miscellaneous module data
 #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+_unicode = 'unicode' in dir(__builtins__)
+
 #
 # _srcfile is used when walking the stack to check when we've got the first
 # caller stack frame.
@@ -234,7 +236,7 @@
         # 'Value is %d' instead of 'Value is 0'.
         # For the use case of passing a dictionary, this should not be a
         # problem.
-        if args and (len(args) == 1) and args[0] and (type(args[0]) == types.DictType):
+        if args and (len(args) == 1) and args[0] and isinstance(args[0], dict):
             args = args[0]
         self.args = args
         self.levelname = getLevelName(level)
@@ -275,11 +277,11 @@
         Return the message for this LogRecord after merging any user-supplied
         arguments with the message.
         """
-        if not hasattr(types, "UnicodeType"): #if no unicode support...
+        if not _unicode: #if no unicode support...
             msg = str(self.msg)
         else:
             msg = self.msg
-            if type(msg) not in (types.UnicodeType, types.StringType):
+            if not isinstance(msg, basestring):
                 try:
                     msg = str(self.msg)
                 except UnicodeError:
@@ -743,7 +745,7 @@
         try:
             msg = self.format(record)
             fs = "%s\n"
-            if not hasattr(types, "UnicodeType"): #if no unicode support...
+            if not _unicode: #if no unicode support...
                 self.stream.write(fs % msg)
             else:
                 try:
@@ -1053,7 +1055,7 @@
 
         logger.log(level, "We have a %s", "mysterious problem", exc_info=1)
         """
-        if type(level) != types.IntType:
+        if not isinstance(level, int):
             if raiseExceptions:
                 raise TypeError, "level must be an integer"
             else:
@@ -1103,7 +1105,7 @@
         else:
             fn, lno, func = "(unknown file)", 0, "(unknown function)"
         if exc_info:
-            if type(exc_info) != types.TupleType:
+            if not isinstance(exc_info, tuple):
                 exc_info = sys.exc_info()
         record = self.makeRecord(self.name, level, fn, lno, msg, args, exc_info, func, extra)
         self.handle(record)
diff --git a/Lib/logging/config.py b/Lib/logging/config.py
index 8b28153..0bf79a5 100644
--- a/Lib/logging/config.py
+++ b/Lib/logging/config.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 To use, simply 'import logging' and log away!
 """
 
-import sys, logging, logging.handlers, socket, struct, os, traceback, types
+import sys, logging, logging.handlers, socket, struct, os, traceback
 
 try:
     import thread
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@
                         traceback.print_exc()
                     os.remove(file)
             except socket.error as e:
-                if type(e.args) != types.TupleType:
+                if not isinstancetype(e.args, tuple):
                     raise
                 else:
                     errcode = e.args[0]
diff --git a/Lib/logging/handlers.py b/Lib/logging/handlers.py
index 084a932..75434b7 100644
--- a/Lib/logging/handlers.py
+++ b/Lib/logging/handlers.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 To use, simply 'import logging' and log away!
 """
 
-import sys, logging, socket, types, os, struct, time, glob
+import sys, logging, socket, os, struct, time, glob
 try:
     import cPickle as pickle
 except ImportError:
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@
 
         self.address = address
         self.facility = facility
-        if type(address) == types.StringType:
+        if isinstance(address, str):
             self.unixsocket = 1
             self._connect_unixsocket(address)
         else:
@@ -669,9 +669,9 @@
         priority_names mapping dictionaries are used to convert them to
         integers.
         """
-        if type(facility) == types.StringType:
+        if isinstance(facility, str):
             facility = self.facility_names[facility]
-        if type(priority) == types.StringType:
+        if isinstance(priority, str):
             priority = self.priority_names[priority]
         return (facility << 3) | priority
 
@@ -738,16 +738,16 @@
         for the credentials argument.
         """
         logging.Handler.__init__(self)
-        if type(mailhost) == types.TupleType:
+        if isinstance(mailhost, tuple):
             self.mailhost, self.mailport = mailhost
         else:
             self.mailhost, self.mailport = mailhost, None
-        if type(credentials) == types.TupleType:
+        if isinstance(credentials, tuple):
             self.username, self.password = credentials
         else:
             self.username = None
         self.fromaddr = fromaddr
-        if type(toaddrs) == types.StringType:
+        if isinstance(toaddrs, str):
             toaddrs = [toaddrs]
         self.toaddrs = toaddrs
         self.subject = subject