--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/fail.py	Mon Feb 29 13:48:39 2016 -0800
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+"""
+run a program until it fails
+"""
+
+# imports
+import argparse
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import time
+
+def main(args=sys.argv[1:]):
+    """CLI"""
+
+    # parse command line
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
+    parser.add_argument('command', help="command to run")
+    parser.add_argument('--code', dest='codes', default=(0,), nargs='+',
+                        help="allowed exit codes")
+    parser.add_argument('-s', '--sleep', dest='sleep',
+                        type=float, default=1.,
+                        help="sleep between iterations [DEFAULT: %(default)]")
+    options = parser.parse_args(args)
+
+    try:
+
+        ctr = 0
+        while True:
+
+            print ("Iteration {}".format(ctr))
+            ctr += 1
+
+            # run it
+            process = subprocess.Popen(options.command, shell=True)
+            _, _ = process.communicate()
+
+            # test it
+            if process.returncode not in options.codes:
+                sys.exit(process.returncode)
+
+            # loop control
+            time.sleep(options.sleep)
+
+
+    except KeyboardInterrupt:
+        sys.exit(0)
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()