"""
read neighbors file;
this should be in the form of:

`{geoid: [(geoid_closest_neighbor, distance),
          (geoid_2nd_closest_neighbor, distance),
          ...]
 }`
"""

import json
import os

string = (str, basestring)  # python2

def read_neighbors_file(f):

    if isinstance(f, string):
        with open(f) as _f:
            return read_neighbors_file(f)

    retval = {}
    for line in f:
        data = json.loads(line)
        retval.update(data)
    return retval