Decision-thinking is not unlike poker—it often matters not only what you think, but also what others think you think and what you think they think you think. The mental process is similar. Naturally, this card game has often been of considerable interest to people who are, by any standards, good thinkers.

    The great mathematician John von Neumann was one of the founders of game theory. In particular , he showed that all games fall into two classes : there are what he called games of “ perfect information ”,games like chess where the players can't hide anything or play tricks : they don't win by chance , but by means of logic and skills . Then there are games of “imperfect information”, like poker, in which it is impossible to know in advance that one course of action is better than another.

    One mistaken idea about business is that it can be treated as a game of “perfect information”. Quite the reverse, business, polities, life itself are games which we must normally play with very imperfect information. Business decisions are often made with many unknown and unknowable factors, which would even puzzle the best poker players. But few business people find it comfortable to admit that they are taking a chance, and many still prefer to believe that they are playing chess, not poker.

    Wondering where to watch the fireworks on the fourth Friday of July? Here are some restaurants where you can sit, grab a bite to eat and watch the show.

    The Roof on Wilshire offers a view of the city, so chances are that you'll be able to catch a fireworks show while you're up there. The restaurant will also offer an all-you-can-eat menu for $20 that includes all beef hot dogs and sweet potato chips. The festivities will take place from 2 to 11 pm. Reservations are recommended. 6317 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, (323) 852-6002.

    Whiskey Red's is located in Marina Del Rey. Beginning at 5:30 pm, it will include live music from Jack of Hearts. The event is free and open to the public. Guests can make reservations from 5:30 to 10 pm. It costs $59 to reserve a seat on the patio(露台) and $49 for indoor seating. Kids aged 5 to 12 need $25 for a seat outside and $20 for an indoor seat. Kids aged four and below are free. 13813 Fiji Way, Marina Del Rey, (310) 823-4522.

    High Rooftop lounge in Venice at the top of the Hotel Erwin offers views of the Venice coastline. The fireworks show starts at 9 pm. The rooftop lounge (休息室) offers a full menu of cocktails and a selection of snacks. 1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice Beach, (800) 786-7789.

    The last one is Carbon Beach Club at the Malibu Inn. Here you can see fireworks from a seat on the restaurant's oceanfront balcony from 6 to 9:30 pm. Reservations are recommended. 22878 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, (310) 456-6444.

    Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. There were events around the world in memory of those who died in the conflict. We have picked out three of them inEuropean countries. Let's take a look.

    Belgium

    In a park, the famous Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen had an exhibition called Coming World, Remember Me. The work consisted of 600,000 individual(个别的) clay sculptures, one for each person killed during the World War. In the center of the exhibition was a big egg made of clay, symbolizing a new world.

    UK

    In a small town called Aldridge, almost 100 houses in one street were covered with 24,000 poppies and statues of soldiers. They stood for the men from the area who had been' killed in the war. The flowers were chosen because of a poem written by the Canadian doctor John McCrea in 1915. They made people think of fields of blood.

    France

    The British artist Guy Denning arrived in La Feuille, a small town in the northwest of France, to stick life-size drawings of soldiers who never came back home. Armed with glue and a brush, Denning stuck his drawings carefully on walls. Before long 112 men, mainly young adults, were brought back to mind, if not to life.

    If you want to convince the boss you deserve a pay rise or promotion, the solution could be simple—eat the same food as they do. Psychologists have discovered managers are much more likely to instantly trust us if we choose the same dishes as them.

    During experiments, discussions over wages and work conditions were much more successful if both sides chose to snack on the same treats. And shoppers were much more likely to buy a product advertised on TV by someone eating a similar food to them at the time.

    The reason is thought to be the so–called similarity attraction theory—where people tend to like others who have similar tastes or habits to themselves. But this is believed to be one of the first studies highlighting the role of food in this relationship. Researchers at Chicago University in the US conducted a series of experiments to examine food's role in earning trust.

    In a test, participants were told to watch TV—where someone pretending to be a member of the public praised a certain product. The volunteers were given Kit Kat bars to nibble, while the TV people ate either a Kit Kat or grapes as they talked.

    The results showed viewers were much more likely to express an interest in buying the product if the TV showed the other person eating a Kit Kat too. The researchers added, "Although similarity in food consumption is not a sign of whether two people will get along, we find consumers treat this as such. They feel more trusting of those who consume as they do. It means people can immediately begin to feel friendship and develop a bond, leading to smoother transactions from the start."

    Harley Street psychologist Dr. Lucy Atcheson said it was already known that wearing similar clothes could instantly create trust. But this was the first report that food had the same effect. She said, "This is really interesting. It makes sense as people feel they have common ground and can trust the other person. That means negotiations are more likely to be successful."

    Madame Marie Curie famously won two Nobel Prizes, but many other women have also been awarded the prize, too. Here are their stories.

    Selma Lagerlof

    Selma Lagerlof was a Swedish author and teacher. She published her first novel, Gosta Berling's Saga, at the age of 33. She was the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature which she was awarded in 1909. Additionally, she was the first female to be granted membership in the Swedish Academy.

    Gerty Theresa Cori

    Gerty and her husband, Carl Cori, met in Prague and lived in Austria before immigrating to the United States in 1922, where the two medical doctors worked together at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York. In 1947, Gerty and Carl were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, making Gerty Cori the first woman to hold the honor.

    Maria Goeppert-Mayer

    In 1942, Maria Goeppert-Mayer joined the Manhattan Project. From there, she moved on to Los Alamos National Laboratory, then to Argonne National Laboratory, where Goeppert-Mayer developed the nuclear shell model. For this, she shared the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physics with J. Hans D. Jensen and Eugene Paul Wigner.

    Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin

    Dorothy Hodgkin's mother encouraged her love of science as a child, and at age 18, she began studying chemistry at a women-only Oxford college. Her work on mapping vitamin B12 earned her the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964.

Napa Valley is home to some of California's most beautiful hiking trails. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a beginner, these trails are perfect for a day trip.

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park

Named after the famous author who spent his honeymoon in the area, it offers some of the most scenic hiking trails in Napa Valley. The park features over 5 miles of hiking trails, catering to hikers of all skill levels. You can even see the San Francisco Bay on a clear day.

Skyline Wilderness Park

It is a popular hiking destination in Napa Valley, featuring over 25 miles of hiking trails that offer magnificent views of the valley. On a clear day, you can even see the Golden Gate Bridge. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, coyotes and mountain lions.

Westwood Hills Park

It is a hidden gem in Napa Valley. The park boasts over 4 miles of hiking trails, ranging from easy to difficult, making them ideal for a day trip. A wide range of wildlife, including deer and wild turkeys, also lives in this area.

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park

The park is located in the heart of the beautiful Napa Valley wine country and has over 10 miles of trails. It is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. It offers easy access to swimming areas and picnic spots. And if you can't get enough of the outdoor activities here, there is a camping site that can be booked for overnight stays.