def get_bool(val):
    """ given a string value of a boolean configuration option, return
    an actual bool (True or False) """
    truelist = ['1', 'yes', 'True', 'true', 'on']
    falselist = ['0', 'no', 'False', 'false', 'off']
    if val in truelist:
        return True
    elif val in falselist:
        return False
    else:
        raise ValueError('Not a boolean value', val)
