Merrell May 6, 2007
I was looking for some new shoes recently, and after trying on 15 or 20 pairs, I was prepared to settle for the least worst.  For some reason, shoes are always either too big, too small, fit weird, or feel like I'm wearing wooden clogs filled with stones.  But then I tried on some Merrells, and like every time I try on Merrells, I was completely and utterly impressed.  I don't know what the deal is, but even when they're the wrong size, Merrells feel like the perfect shoe.  It feels like these shoes were specifically made for me.  It's like the universe stands still, and Mr. Merrell says, "Here Dave.  I designed and manufactured these shoes specifically for your feet.  Eat, drink, and be merry.  And wear my shoes, bro."  I'm not sure why these shoes are different, but I don't understand why the likes of Nike, Reebok, and Adidas don't make shoes that feel this great. #lifestyle
Appalachian Trail May 6, 2007
This is a log of my piecewise completion of the Appalachian Trail. 







































































2004
When:09-11 - 09-12
Where:Columbia, NJ north to Branchville, NJ
With:Mike
Mileage:12.3 + 14.5 = 26.8
Lessons:Get hiking shoes
  
2005
When:09-10 - 09-11
Where:Salisbury, CT north to Great Barrington, MA
With:Bob, Mike
Mileage:11.8
Lessons: 
  
2006
When:07-01 - 07-02
Where:Sunrise Mountain parking lot, Branchville, NJ north to Sussex, NJ
With:Bob, Matt
Mileage:14.1 + 9.8 = 23.9
Lessons:Get a sleeping pad, bring good meals to eat
  
When:07-08
Where:Sussex, NJ north to Vernon, NJ
With:Wendy
Mileage:10.8
Lessons: 
  
When:09-01 - 09-03
Where:Vernon, NJ north to Tuxedo, NY
With:Self
Mileage:9.3 + 5.9 + 12.0 + 4.4 (+ 4.4 back) = 31.6 (36 total)
Lessons:Don't hike in the rain, waterproof shoes, waterproof sleeping bag/pack, don't attempt too much in one day
  
When:09-16 - 09-17
Where:Great Barrington, MA north to Lee, MA
With:Mike
Mileage:29.4
Lessons: 
  
2007
When:05-05 - 05-06
Where:Delaware Water Gap, PA south to Wind Gap, PA
With:Self
Mileage:15.4
Lessons:Bring enough water and/or make sure there are sources along the way, those quick-drying Target underwear cause constant wedgies, a 6 ft long tent is too small, perhaps get an inflatable mattress pad (I can't sleep on hard ground, even with a foam pad)
  
When:05-25 - 05-26
Where:Little Gap, PA north to Wind Gap, PA
With:Wendy
Mileage:20.7 - 5.3 = 15.4
Lessons:Eat more food/calories beforehand
  
When:06-09 - 06-10
Where:Tuxedo, NY (parking lot) north to Garrison, NY
With:Mike
Mileage:5.2 + 13.1 + 5.8 = 24.1 (4.1 was done before)
Lessons:Eat more food/calories during, maybe less Sport Beans, maybe trail mix (raisins, peanuts, walnuts, cranberries)
  
When:08-25 - 08-26
Where:Sunrise Mountain parking lot, Branchville, NJ south to Buttermilk Falls and back
With:Self
Mileage:0.2 + 7.7 + 1.6 + 1.6 + 7.7 + 0.2 = 19 (15.4 was done before)
Lessons:Regular food (fresh fruit, vegetables, trail mix) works fine.  My tent is waterproof.  My stuff sack isn't.

CT:  miles
MA:  miles
NJ:  miles
NY:  miles
PA:  miles
Total:  miles #page
M&M's (1) May 3, 2007
All I can think of is sticking my head under the spout and moving down the aisle. 

#food
Feline genetics May 3, 2007
Living with my two cats is an ongoing lesson in genetics and psychology and the idea of nature vs. nurture.  The cats are brother and sister from the same littler, adopted at the same time, and raised the same way.  But the differences are striking: 
  1. Dilbert (the boy) bites and scratches people.  Nemo (the girl) is known as "the nice one".
  2. Dilbert eats his toy mice after he plays with them (cloth, plastic, and all).  Nemo plays for a few minutes and gets bored.
  3. Dilbert eats anything and everything.  Nemo sniffs it and walks away.
  4. Dilbert sometimes sits up at night to eat the bugs that come crawling out from under the stove (we have a seasonal cricket problem).  Nemo plays with the bugs for a few minutes and gets bored.
  5. Dilbert sometimes walks around the house at night meowing.  Nemo goes to bed early.
  6. Dilbert attacks Nemo.  Nemo screams and cries.
  7. Dilbert chases neighborhood cats to either (a) kill them or (b) mate with them.  Nemo runs away.
If they came from different parents, I could understand.  If they were raised in entirely different environments, I could understand.  The only real difference is that Dilbert is male and Nemo is female.  (Dilbert had a leg injury when he was younger, and the vet visits, shots, and force-fed medicine might have something to do with his behavior, but I contend he was vicious before all this.)  They're both neutered/fixed.  They're both well-fed.  They're both showed love and affection.  So why the huge differences?  I guess the answer is genetics. #science
USB device direction (3) May 2, 2007
My main complaint about USB devices is that it's nearly impossible to figure out which way to plug them in.  And no matter which way is right, the first way you try is always wrong. 

I noticed my co-worker observe a USB stick before he plugged it into his laptop.  He seemed to notice something, flip the thing over, then plug it in.  That's when I realized the method to his madness:  He discovered that USB plugs have a top and a bottom.  On the shiny metal part that plugs into the computer, there are four rectangular openings, two on the top and two on the bottom.  One side of the device has openings that are filled with some other object or material.  The other side has openings that are completely open.  This is the top.  When plugging the device into a computer, the top is almost always facing you.  There are probably exceptions to this rule (such as USB ports that are vertical), but that's not my problem. #technology
I am The Onion May 2, 2007
This Onion article was written by me.  Or at least it was inspired by me.  The title says it all: 
If Someone Wanted To Publish My Blog Entries For Money, I Wouldn't Say No
Pretty much the whole content of the article sounds [to me] like it was written by me, even down to the tone.  Weird. #technology
Advertising trends May 1, 2007
I've noticed two recent trends in advertising.  One is on the radio.  The other is in my email spam.  Both are stupid. 

The one on the radio is about debt.  And not just anything about debt.  Debt elimination.  The commercials claim to "not just reduce debt, but eliminate it".  I ain't no genius, but I was under the impression that debt exists because money does not.  In order to get rid of debt, money must be present.  So unless I'm missing some fundamental concept in all this, these commercials are ridiculously stupid and will bring grave consequences to anyone who responds positively to them. 

The one in my spam folder is about replica watches.  If you could even fathom how many replica watch offers I get via email, you would understand my unreasonably intense anger:  Who the heck buys replica watches?  And who the heck buys them online?  And who the heck buys replica watches online from spammers?  I've mentioned this before, but I'll say it again:  The only reason spam exists is because it's incredibly effective and profitable.  Otherwise people wouldn't waste time, money, and legality on it.  The reason it's profitable is because people click the links.  But the last time I checked, no one I know responds to spam or clicks their links.  I'm envisioning this underground world full of computers where idiots are employed to click spammy links all day.  That's the only conceivable way this advertising could be effective. #entertainment
Phonetic alphabets (1) May 1, 2007
My last name is Hosier.  As my mom would always say on the phone, "That's H, O, S as in Sam, I, E, R."  People with an F in their name say, "F as in Frank."  I've always wondered if there's some sort of international code that determines what simple English word should be used to clarify letters that aren't transmitted clearly over the phone or radio. 

It turns out there is.  Actually, there are a bunch of different international, national, and local codes, all of which serve the same purpose of clarifying unclear letters and numbers while using the phone or radio.  The police in New York City use the one I'm familiar with: 
Adam Boy Charlie David Edward Frank George Henry Ida John
King Lincoln Mary Nora Ocean Peter Queen Robert Sam Tom
Union Victor William X-ray Young Zebra
NATO uses another familiar one: 
Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India
Juliet Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo
Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey Xray Yankee Zulu
There's also a phonetic alphabet for numbers, used in aviation and radio: 
zero one two tree fower fife six seven eight niner
I've never heard anyone say "fower" in reference to the number 4, but I guess I just don't pay attention. 

That's Hotel, Oscar, Sierra, India, Echo, Romeo. #language