diff --git a/models/github_repo.py b/models/github_repo.py
index 2a3c7794..e20fbb93 100644
--- a/models/github_repo.py
+++ b/models/github_repo.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 from util import elapsed
 from util import safe_commit
 from time import time
+import datetime
 import ast
 import subprocess
 import re
@@ -48,6 +49,9 @@ class GithubRepo(db.Model):
     lib_matches_raw = deferred(db.Column(JSONB))
     lib_matches_final = deferred(db.Column(JSONB))
 
+    created = db.Column(db.DateTime)
+    updated = db.Column(db.DateTime)
+
     # old, and removed from current database.  only in backups of database.
     # requirements = db.Column(JSONB)
     # reqs_file = deferred(db.Column(db.Text))
@@ -62,6 +66,16 @@ class GithubRepo(db.Model):
     # setup_py_no_forks = deferred(db.Column(db.Text))
 
 
+    def __init__(self, login=None, repo_name=None, language=None):
+        self.login = login
+        self.repo_name = repo_name
+        self.language = language
+        self.id = u'{}:{}'.format(self.login, repo_name)
+        self.created = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+        self.updated = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+        super(GithubRepo, self).__init__()
+
+
     def __repr__(self):
         return u'<GithubRepo {language} {login}/{repo_name}>'.format(
             language=self.language, login=self.login, repo_name=self.repo_name)
diff --git a/refresh.py b/refresh.py
index 2b0fb112..2b32367c 100644
--- a/refresh.py
+++ b/refresh.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 import requests
-from lxml import html
 import argparse
+import datetime
 
 from app import db
 from models.cran_package import CranPackage
 from models.pypi_package import PypiPackage
+from models.github_repo import GithubRepo
+from models.github_api import make_ratelimited_call
 import update
 from util import safe_commit
 
@@ -29,15 +31,35 @@ def add_all_new_packages(package_class):
 
 
 def add_all_new_github_repos(language):
+    all_current_github_repo_rows = db.session.query(GithubRepo.id).filter(GithubRepo.language==language).all()
+    all_current_github_repo_ids = [row[0] for row in all_current_github_repo_rows]
+
+    end_date = datetime.datetime(2015, 11, 01)
+    start_date = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
     date = start_date
-    while date <= end_date:
-        next_date = date + timdelta(days=1)
-        url_template = "https://api.github.com/search/repositories?q=created:%22{date}%20..%20{next_date}%22%20language:{language}&per_page=1000&sort=forks&order=desc"
+    while date >= end_date:
+        prev_date = date - datetime.timedelta(days=1)
+        # The sort field. One of stars, forks, or updated.
+        # max of 100 returned
+        # authenticated rate limit: 30/min
+        url_template = "https://api.github.com/search/repositories?q=created:%22{prev_date}%20..%20{date}%22%20language:{language}&per_page=1000&sort=stars&order=desc"
         url = url_template.format(
-            language=language, date=date, next_date=next_date)
-        r = requests.get(url)
-        data = r.json()
-        date = next_date
+            language=language, date=date.isoformat()[0:10], prev_date=prev_date.isoformat()[0:10])
+        print url
+        data = make_ratelimited_call(url)
+        print date.isoformat()[0:10], data["total_count"], data["incomplete_results"]
+        date = prev_date
+        for repo_dict in data["items"]:
+            new_repo = GithubRepo(login=repo_dict["owner"]["login"], repo_name=repo_dict["name"], language=language)
+            new_repo.api_raw = repo_dict
+            print "new_repo:", new_repo
+            if new_repo.id not in all_current_github_repo_ids:
+                print "added new repo from {}: {}\n".format(date.isoformat()[0:10], new_repo.id)
+                db.session.add(new_repo)
+                all_current_github_repo_ids.append(new_repo.id)
+        safe_commit(db)
+
+
 
 
 def recalculate_everything(parsed_args):
@@ -51,6 +73,17 @@ def recalculate_everything(parsed_args):
     update.run_update(parsed_args)
 
 
+def refresh(parsed_args):
+    if parsed_args.language=="r":
+        package_class = CranPackage
+    else:
+        package_class = PypiPackage
+
+    parsed_args.fn = u"{}.refresh".format(package_class.__name__)
+    print "parsed_args.fn", parsed_args.fn
+    update.run_update(parsed_args)
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Run stuff.")
@@ -58,8 +91,11 @@ def recalculate_everything(parsed_args):
     parsed_args = update.parse_update_optional_args(parser)
 
 
+    add_all_new_github_repos(parsed_args.language)
+
+    # add_all_new_packages(PypiPackage)
     # add_all_new_packages(CranPackage)
-    add_all_new_packages(PypiPackage)
+
 
     # start_date = ""
     # end_date = ""
diff --git a/test/utils.py b/test/utils.py
index 50265c13..d4b1991a 100644
--- a/test/utils.py
+++ b/test/utils.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from sqlalchemy.exc import OperationalError
-from sqlalchemy.sql import text    
+from sqlalchemy.sql import text
 
 import redis
 import os
diff --git a/util.py b/util.py
index b57a1f19..be274a7b 100644
--- a/util.py
+++ b/util.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import time
 import bisect
+import sqlalchemy
 
 from app import db
 
@@ -135,8 +136,8 @@ def safe_commit(db):
     except sqlalchemy.exc.DataError:
         db.session.rollback()
         print u"sqlalchemy.exc.DataError on commit.  rolling back."
-    except Exception:
-        db.session.rollback()
+    except Exception as e:
+        print "error", e
         print u"generic exception in commit.  rolling back."
-        logging.exception("commit error")
+        db.session.rollback()
     return False
\ No newline at end of file