PyCheck for a classes defined in python and user data in PyObject_HEAD

[sndive at gmail.com]

q#1:
in C I want to check if a given PyObject is a xml.dom.minidom.Node (or
a derivative).
how do i extract a PyTypeObject for such a class?

issue #2
I'm in a situation when i don't really need to extend python with any
classes of my own but
i do have extra luggage for the python data structures such as tuples,
lists, dictionaries, etc
on the c++ side. I see no place in PyObject_HEAD where i can stick a
void* to my extra data.
If i enter a feature request into bugzilla for python do you think it
will be well received?
#ifdefed of course like the prev/next extras.
I'm surprised noone else is using evil twin approach.
The reason i'm asking is because while for dictionaries i can stick
weak pointer back to my c++
object in a key with an obscure name while in lists this would change
the list size and thus
is obviously not as easy to "hide" from the client code.
a placeholder in a pyobject would've been of help here