A better yodeling contest

Solve for $y$:
\[x+2y=6\]
Please post your answers and opinions on whether this should be a prerequisite for calculus.

…although this concept doesn't seem to catch when I try explaining it to people. I've given the following explanation many times:

• game theory = economics
• combinatorial game theory = games

Granted, this is a somewhat simplistic view, but it does provide a good general idea. In any case, it doesn't seem to help.

Today, I was accosted in the hallway near my office to help someone work through a mixed-strategy (simultaneous move) game. Fortunately, it was simple enough I eventually knew how to do it, but I'm beginning to be worried people will start taking me as a fraud due to my inexpertise in the area, despite it not actually being my field. On a separate occasion this afternoon, someone assured me that a Nobel Prize in Economics had been awarded for "combinatorial game theory"; and again today, another individual emailed me a payoff matrix expecting my familiarity with it.

I suppose the problem of explaining your technical field is fairly common. Perhaps I needn't worry too much, since I probably know more about standard game theory than anyone prone to making this kind of mistake; however, seeing the same confusion three times in one day suggests I need to adopt a new strategy to deal with the situation.

I wouldn't mind learning enough game theory in the economic sense to keep up appearances, but I probably don't have time for that in the near future. So, I think I have no choice but to lie about the name of my field. Any mention of "games" will immediately be linked to popular game theory, no matter how much explaining I do. CGT could be seen as a subfield of "recreational mathematics", but then I might need to explain that it is, in fact, professional research. I might be able to get away with "combinatorics", or make up a name like "combinatorial, two-actor decision-tree analysis". What do you think?

(note: post written when tired, explaining the lacks of sense made)

Grand Bluffs Conservation Area overlook

Originally uploaded by Kevin Saff.

OK! Time to return to the tales of yesteryear…

Saturday night as I arrived at the campsite in the dark, there was a kind of kitchen in a 3-wall structure where one could purchase snacks and drinks on the honor system. I had a ton of snacks, paid for them, and pushed my bike up the hill to find a campsite. I didn't see anybody around, but the noise from the road made me expect to see carloads of people pull in at any time and disturb my peace. As it was, no one else showed up.

I slept late into Sunday morning, and did not get going until almost noon. A mile or less from the campsite there was a sign for the "Grand Bluffs Conservation Area", advertised as less than a mile up a gravel road. I decided to do some sightseeing and check it out.

The conservation area is primarily wooded. There was a trail out to a scenic outlook, which I arrived at just as a truck was leaving. I grabbed a walking stick and set out on a journey along the trail to where no man had been before!

The journal that I kept only says of the trail that it was "steep", which is probably true. Actually, when I started this series on my 2004 trip I had considered copying entries from my journal, but the tone of the text complains far too often. No great literary work was to come out of this trip. Anyway, I suppose on a bike trip like this at the time I took it, it was hot, I was hungry, my legs hurt, and my nose was plagued by allergies. Of course, a year later these things aren't bothering me.

Anyway, the footpath went up and down some hills until arriving at the scenic overlook. Well, wouldn't you know that Lewis and Clark had already been there, and erected a sign about how they looked out over the Missouri to map the river.

The river's moved since then, and the valley is now mostly farms and highways. I grabbed a couple pictures and started on my way back.

Unfortunately, after some trying, I have not been able to get Flickr to play with my new WordPress installation, so there won't be any new photos until I solve the problem, or come up with an alternate solution. Hopefully, I'll have everything working again, soon.

In the mean time, perhaps accessing my Flickr photos directly will work.

2004_08_28_0007_muddy
Originally uploaded by Kevin Saff.

A few miles later, it was extremely muddy and I fell, so of course I took a photo. Notice the rain covers on my panniers - I was still expecting it to rain. I had to walk my bike through the slough, since there was no way to get started.

2004_08_28_0004_branches
Originally uploaded by Kevin Saff.

I kept a number of receipts from my trip, which should aid my memory. Well, this one is from my first meal stop, Dutzow Deli at 3:36 PM on Saturday. That's about 35 miles down the road from where I started around 1:30, so I was making about 17mph loaded - not too shabby on pug.

I went inside wearing rain clothes, because I was paranoid that it was going to rain, but also it seemed kind of busy and I didn't want to look too "silly" in bike clothes. Well, bike rain clothes probably look just as silly, especially when it doesn't rain. I don't remember what I got, but it came to $10.33. There's also a tip line on this receipt, which has bothered me every time I've eaten there, because you pay before you eat, and there isn't really table service. I left the line blank on this receipt, but usually I try to pay in cash so I don't see that line at all.

The deli's food gives a decent amount of energy, tastes okay, and of course they have energy drinks because they're sitting right on the trail. Yet, I've never felt completely comfortable there - maybe they don't get riders from St. Charles very often.

Oh, this photo are some branches strewn across the trail just beyond the deli. They forced me to stop, and well, one normally doesn't take pictures except when stopped.