diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 0417dfc05..bd90c0a46 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ group :test, :development do
   gem 'factory_girl_rails'
   gem 'ruby-debug19' if RUBY_VERSION.include? "1.9"
   gem 'ruby-debug' if RUBY_VERSION.include? "1.8"
+  gem 'launchy'
 end
 
 group :test do
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index f02228bd7..8f325e5ca 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ GEM
     childprocess (0.1.3)
       ffi (~> 0.6.3)
     columnize (0.3.1)
+    configuration (1.1.0)
     crack (0.1.8)
     cucumber (0.9.2)
       builder (~> 2.1.2)
@@ -180,6 +181,9 @@ GEM
     i18n (0.4.1)
     json (1.4.6)
     json_pure (1.4.6)
+    launchy (0.3.7)
+      configuration (>= 0.0.5)
+      rake (>= 0.8.1)
     linecache (0.43)
     mail (2.2.7)
       activesupport (>= 2.3.6)
@@ -308,6 +312,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   factory_girl_rails
   haml
   json
+  launchy
   magent!
   mini_fb
   mini_magick
diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/centos/recipes/main.rb b/chef/cookbooks/centos/recipes/main.rb
index 3b9086de8..dd04a91d2 100644
--- a/chef/cookbooks/centos/recipes/main.rb
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/centos/recipes/main.rb
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ end
 
 include_recipe "centos::image_magick"
 include_recipe "centos::mongo_db"
+include_recipe "common::main"
diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/centos/recipes/mongo_db.rb b/chef/cookbooks/centos/recipes/mongo_db.rb
index 9bfc958b5..25ab1a396 100644
--- a/chef/cookbooks/centos/recipes/mongo_db.rb
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/centos/recipes/mongo_db.rb
@@ -7,5 +7,9 @@ execute "refresh yum" do
 end
 
 execute "install mongo" do
-  command "yum install -y mongo-stable"
+  command "yum install -y mongo-stable-server"
+end
+
+execute "make the data directory" do
+  command "mkdir -p /data/db"
 end
diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/daemontools.rb b/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/daemontools.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ca385908c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/daemontools.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+execute "get the daemontools repo" do
+  command "mkdir -p /package/admin && cd /package/admin && git clone git://github.com/MikeSofaer/daemontools.git daemontools-0.76 || true"
+end
+
+execute "compile daemontools" do
+  command "cd /package/admin/daemontools-0.76 && ./package/install"
+end
+
+execute "mongo run" do
+  command "mkdir -p /service/mongo && echo '#!/bin/sh' > /service/mongo/run && echo 'exec /usr/bin/mongod' >> /service/mongo/run"
+end
+execute "executable" do
+  command "chmod -R 755 /service/mongo"
+end
diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/main.rb b/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/main.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dd787e529
--- /dev/null
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/common/recipes/main.rb
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+include_recipe "common::daemontools"
diff --git a/features/posts_message.feature b/features/posts_message.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..026131171
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/posts_message.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+@javascript @wip
+Feature: posting a message
+
+  Scenario: public messages
+    Given I am signed in
+    And I fill in "Post a message to all" with "ohai"
+    And I wait for the "Share" button to appear
+    And I press "Share"
+    Then I should see "ohai" in the main content area
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb
index e3f8bc373..d213cbf4d 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/custom_web_steps.rb
@@ -15,3 +15,9 @@ When /^(.*) in the aspect list$/ do |action|
     When action
   end
 end
+
+Then /^I should see "([^\"]*)" in the main content area$/ do |stuff|
+  within("#stream") do
+    Then "I should see #{stuff}"
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file