Oh, so it turns out that `getattr` has a 3rd (optional) argument -- a default value!

Should we perhaps just do away with `local_or_` and do things like:
`DEBUG = getattr(local_settings, "DEBUG", False)`?
Or do you think it's more readable this way? In which case just:

    def local_or_(setting_name, default_val):
        return getattr(local_settings, setting_name, default_val)