start_postgres

Commands that got postgres (installed via homebrew) running for me:

$ rm -rf /usr/local/var/postgres
$ initdb /usr/local/var/postgres -E utf8
$ pg_ctl -D /usr/local/var/postgres -l logfile start 
$ createuser -s postgres
$ python designatedlands.py create_db

From: 
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7975556/how-to-start-postgresql-server-on-mac-os-x

and

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15301826/psql-fatal-role-postgres-does-not-exist