diff --git a/rake/homebrew.rake b/rake/homebrew.rake
index 03ccda4c..ea3f668b 100644
--- a/rake/homebrew.rake
+++ b/rake/homebrew.rake
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 
 require_relative "lib/output"
 require_relative "lib/homebrew"
+require_relative "lib/sh"
 
 desc "Ensure homebrew is installed and up to date"
 task :homebrew => 'homebrew:update'
 
+verbose(false)
+
 namespace :homebrew do
 
     task :install do
@@ -32,13 +35,11 @@ namespace :homebrew do
 
         %w{
             dropbox
-            firefox
             appcleaner
             vagrant
             virtualbox
             growlnotify
             iterm2
-            launchbar
             java
         }.each { |app| Homebrew.install_cask app }
 
diff --git a/rake/lib/homebrew.rb b/rake/lib/homebrew.rb
index 79901697..29b41288 100644
--- a/rake/lib/homebrew.rb
+++ b/rake/lib/homebrew.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require_relative 'sh'
+
 include Rake::DSL
 
 module Homebrew
@@ -5,36 +7,36 @@ module Homebrew
 
     def self.bootstrap
         unless self.is_installed?
-            sh 'ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/go/install)"'
-            sh 'exec $SHELL -l'
+            sh_safe 'ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/Homebrew/homebrew/go/install)"'
+            sh_safe 'exec $SHELL -l'
         end
     end
 
     def self.destroy
         if self.is_installed?
-            sh 'rm -rf /usr/local/Cellar /usr/local/.git ~/Library/Caches/Homebrew'
-            sh 'brew prune'
+            sh_safe 'rm -rf /usr/local/Cellar /usr/local/.git ~/Library/Caches/Homebrew'
+            sh_safe 'brew prune'
 
             ['Library/Homebrew', 'Library/Aliases', 'Library/Formula', 'Library/Contributions'].each do |dir|
-                sh "rm -r #{dir}"
+                sh_safe "rm -r #{dir}"
             end
         end
     end
 
     def self.install(keg, options=nil)
-        sh "#{BIN} install #{keg} #{options}" unless self.is_keg_installed?(keg)
+        sh_safe "#{BIN} install #{keg} #{options}" unless self.is_keg_installed?(keg)
     end
 
     def self.install_cask(cask, options=nil)
-        sh "#{BIN} cask install #{cask} #{options}" unless self.is_cask_installed?(cask)
+        sh_safe "#{BIN} cask install #{cask} #{options}" unless self.is_cask_installed?(cask)
     end
 
     def self.tap(tap)
-        sh "#{BIN} tap #{tap}" unless self.is_tapped? tap
+        sh_safe "#{BIN} tap #{tap}" unless self.is_tapped? tap
     end
 
     def self.remove(keg)
-        sh "#{BIN} remove #{keg}"
+        sh_safe "#{BIN} remove #{keg}"
     end
 
     def self.has_keg?(keg)
@@ -63,9 +65,9 @@ module Homebrew
 
     def self.update(*args)
         if args.length > 0
-            sh "#{BIN} upgrade #{args.join(' ')}"
+            sh_safe "#{BIN} upgrade #{args.join(' ')}"
         else
-            sh "#{BIN} update && #{BIN} upgrade"
+            sh_safe "#{BIN} update && #{BIN} upgrade"
         end
     end
 end
diff --git a/rake/lib/sh.rb b/rake/lib/sh.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e9a80695
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rake/lib/sh.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+
+require_relative 'output'
+
+# A 'safe' sh function that won't stop rake in its tracks
+# when it encounters a problem. I'll leave it up to the
+# programmer to expect problems and terminate when necessary.
+def sh_safe(cmd)
+    begin
+        return sh(cmd)
+    rescue
+        echoerr $!
+        return false
+    end
+end
diff --git a/rake/osx.rake b/rake/osx.rake
index e916e9b0..8d3313c1 100644
--- a/rake/osx.rake
+++ b/rake/osx.rake
@@ -8,46 +8,46 @@ task :osx do
     end
 
     echo "Applying OSX settings"
-    sh 'chflags nohidden "${HOME}/Library"'
-    sh 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain KeyRepeat -int 0'
+    sh_safe 'chflags nohidden "${HOME}/Library"'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain KeyRepeat -int 0'
 
     # Disable press-and-hold for keys in favor of key repeat
-    sh 'defaults write ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false'
 
-    sh 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleKeyboardUIMode -int 3'
-    sh 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2'
-    sh 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true'
-    sh 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode -bool true'
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool true'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleKeyboardUIMode -int 3'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode -bool true'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool true'
 
     # Disable app quarantine
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices LSQuarantine -bool false'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices LSQuarantine -bool false'
 
     # Disable auto-correct
-    sh 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticSpellingCorrectionEnabled -bool false'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSAutomaticSpellingCorrectionEnabled -bool false'
 
     # Avoid creating .DS_Store files on network volumes
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores -bool true'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores -bool true'
     # Disable the warning when changing a file extension
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.finder FXEnableExtensionChangeWarning -bool false'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.finder FXEnableExtensionChangeWarning -bool false'
 
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.trackpad Clicking -bool true'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.trackpad Clicking -bool true'
 
     # Disable local Time Machine backups
-    # sh 'hash tmutil &> /dev/null && sudo tmutil disablelocal'
+    # sh_safe 'hash_safe tmutil &> /dev/null && sudo tmutil disablelocal'
 
     # Finder: allow text selection in Quick Look
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableTextSelection -bool true'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableTextSelection -bool true'
 
     # When performing a search, search the current folder by default
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.finder FXDefaultSearchScope -string "SCcf"'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.finder FXDefaultSearchScope -string "SCcf"'
 
     # Use column view
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredViewStyle -string "clmv"'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.finder FXPreferredViewStyle -string "clmv"'
 
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true'
-    sh 'defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool true'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true'
+    sh_safe 'defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool true'
 
-    sh 'killall Finder'
-    sh 'killall Dock'
+    sh_safe 'killall Finder'
+    sh_safe 'killall Dock'
 end
diff --git a/rake/zsh.rake b/rake/zsh.rake
index a15c6a0c..86e86453 100644
--- a/rake/zsh.rake
+++ b/rake/zsh.rake
@@ -10,23 +10,23 @@ namespace :zsh do
         unless Dir.exists?(File.expand_path("~/.oh-my-zsh"))
             echo "Installing oh-my-zsh"
             github 'robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh', '~/.oh-my-zsh'
-            sh '~/.oh-my-zsh/install.sh'
+            sh_safe '~/.oh-my-zsh/install.sh'
         end
 
         unless `printenv SHELL | grep "/bin/zsh"`
             echo "Setting shell to zsh"
-            sh "chsh -s /bin/zsh"
-            sh "exec /bin/zsh -l"
+            sh_safe "chsh -s /bin/zsh"
+            sh_safe "exec /bin/zsh -l"
         end
     end
 
     task :update => :install do
         echo "Updating oh-my-zsh"
-        sh 'cd ~/.oh-my-zsh && git pull'
+        sh_safe 'cd ~/.oh-my-zsh && git pull'
     end
     
     task :remove do
-        sh 'rm -rf ~/.oh-my-zsh' if Dir.exists?(File.expand_path("~/.oh-my-zsh"))
+        sh_safe 'rm -rf ~/.oh-my-zsh' if Dir.exists?(File.expand_path("~/.oh-my-zsh"))
     end
 
 end