Most DNS tools (like dig and nslookup) perform IP lookups against DNS servers, ignoring /etc/hosts entries. Luckily, OS X provides the dscacheutil command to perfom a number of functions including checking local host entries. Below is an example that I used to verify the hostname/IP address combo that my system had registered in /etc/hosts.

In follow up to a previous blog post, "Setup postfix to relay local mail in OS X Mountain Lion", I used this stack exchange post to keep postfix running between launches.

For some reason, I never had an issue with postfix working between startups in Mountain Lion, but have ever since I upgraded to Mavericks.

Mosh (Mobile-Shell) is some amazing new tech that I found out about from @rjmolesa and @deekayen.

About Mosh from the Mosh website:

Remote terminal application that allows roaming, supports intermittent connectivity, and provides intelligent local echo and line editing of user keystrokes.