CLN: eliminate assert in favor of AssertionError GH2057

PTF
CLN: remove some unicode hair from pre-pprint_thing days GH3360

PTF
CLN: remove some unicode hair from pre-pprint_thing days GH3360

PTF
Merge pull request #3364 from y-p/unicode_fixes

CLN: remove some unicode hair from pre-pprint_thing days GH3360
ENH: Use xlrd >=0.9.0 for both xls/xlsx, sidesteps GH1629

PTF
Merge pull request #3164 from y-p/excel_xlrd_only

ENH: Use xlrd >=0.9.0 for both xls/xlsx, sidesteps GH1629
Merge pull request #3023 from y-p/no_asserts

Continuing #2057, s/assert/raise AssertionError/g
Merge pull request #3038 from y-p/pprint_warts

Fix some pprint_thing warts
BUG: pprint_thing should pprint and limit nested sequences when formatting dicts GH3251
Merge pull request #3252 from y-p/GH3251A

BUG: pprint_thing should pprint and limit nested sequences in dicts GH3251
TST: Timestamp repr is valid python code
ENH/CLN: make Timestamp repr executable, like datetime

PTF
Merge pull request #3379 from y-p/timestamp_repr

ENH/CLN: make Timestamp repr valid python code, like datetime does.
DOC: update RELEASE.rst
BLD: no rest for the wicked
DOC: stubs for 0.12 what's new
DOC: bring back numpydoc
DOC: mention numpydoc docstrings in CONTRIBUTING.md
DOC: Adding parameters address issue sub-points 8 and 10 - 24 (issue #2916)
Merge pull request #3422 from karmel/master

DOC: Adding parameters address issue sub-points 8 and 10 - 24 (issue #2916)