def escape(x)

    if (x.encoding.to_s != "ASCII-8BIT")
        raise "wtf"
    end

    r = x.empty? ? "%" : CGI.escape(x).gsub("%20", '+')

    if (r.encoding.to_s != "ASCII-8BIT")
        raise "wtf"
    end

    r
end

def unescape(x)
    x == "%" ? "" : CGI.unescape(x, "ASCII-8BIT")
end