def post(self):
        username = self.request.get('username')
        password = self.request.get('password')
        verify = self.request.get('verify')
        email = self.request.get('email')

        valid_username = validate_username(username)
        valid_password = validate_password(password) and validate_password(
            verify)
        mismatch_passwords = password == verify
        valid_email = validate_email(email)

        #query for user data to check for duplicate users in db

        q = Users.all()
        q.filter("username ="******"That's not a valid username."

            if not valid_password:
                error_password = "******"
            elif not mismatch_passwords:
                error_mismatch_passwords = "Your passwords didn't match."

            if (not valid_email) and email != '':
                error_email = "That's not a valid email."

            self.render('signup.html',
                        error_username=error_username,
                        error_password=error_password,
                        error_mismatch_passwords=error_mismatch_passwords,
                        error_email=error_email,
                        username=username,
                        email=email)

        else:
            #hash password
            hashed_password = make_pw_hash(username, password)

            if email:
                recently_added_user = Users(username=username,
                                            password=hashed_password,
                                            email=email)
            else:
                recently_added_user = Users(username=username,
                                            password=hashed_password,
                                            email='*****@*****.**')
            recently_added_user.put()

            #make cookie hash
            user_id = str(recently_added_user.key().id())
            cookie_data = make_user_cookie_hash(user_id, username)

            self.response.headers.add_header(
                'Set-Cookie', 'user_id=%s; Path=/blog' % cookie_data)
            self.redirect('/blog/welcome')