Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the plate is hot?

In response to last week’s question, "Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the plate is hot?",   my friend Royce declared, "Relativity."   My sailing friend Tom replied, "They don't believe either, but the plate is easier to reach." 

My birthday bud Jon queried, "Four billion? Really? No way!"   To this, my social media friend Mark responded, " :D You're right. So I counted. There are no more than 3,956,000,957 stars. I did not count burned out stars (are they really stars anyway), glowing white particles and I did not count movie stars or military stars. Maybe that is why our numbers differ.   Sometimes the servers tell you the food is good, and it isn't, so I just check the heat to make sure they are an honest group of servers before I put anything in my mouth."

My new-mom friend Kendra advised, "For me, the “hot-plate” test is really about trying to determine one’s sensitivity to a thermal stimulus.  While you may consider the plate to be “hot,” I might decide that it’s warm.  Comparatively, this test can also be conducted in a matter of seconds.   How long would it take you to count four billion stars?"   My neighbor Al had a similar analysis with a different conclusion when he wrote, "Because  you can't count all of the stars, but you can verify and determine what the other person considers '"hot'.  'Trust but verify'. "

My project mgmt friend Kim agreed, "In my opinion, the general population finds it impossible to touch four billion stars while the plate is just sitting there in front of them waiting to be touched. My personal experience is when a waiter tells me a plate is hot, the waiter does not know me personally and has no idea how much hot I can really take! :-)    So, I touch the plate to compare how much hot I can take versus the server. If the plate is indeed, very hot, the server earns a little more of my trust. I just might get that dessert suggested at the end of the meal."

Please share your thoughts about "things that make you go 'Hmmm' “:

Why don’t Latinos speak Latin?

Life  is too short for drama and petty things, so kiss slowly, laugh insanely, love truly, and forgive  quickly.

Hal

Congrats to my writing and sailing friend Rich, a regular contributor to Hmmm, whose son got married this past weekend.

If you know someone with a golden retriever in the ATL area, please let me know so that I can invite them to a great dog party (a petting zoo of sorts) on Oct 13.  Info at www.grra.com.

     

[Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration.]