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How many stars are in the solar system?
Vanity | 4/22/2014 | Self

Posted on 04/22/2014 7:48:56 AM PDT by NewHampshireDuo

I got this email from a relative. Scary how uneducated some "educated" people are. These are middle class 30s people with good jobs, a mix of high school and college graduates.

I was at my friend’s house last night and there were a bunch of people over.

It was really nice out so we stayed outside most of the time. When the stars started to appear I used an app on my phone that lets you look up in the sky and it identifies what stars/planets/constellations you’re aiming the phone at.

One thing lead to another and a person made a comment about “all the stars in our solar system”. I said there was only one star and that there were hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy. She was completely confused.

So I went around and asked people “how many stars in our solar system” – not a single person answered ONE.

And one tried to convince me that the sun revolves around the earth. She started to get angry when I kept disagreeing with her and she told me that just because that’s what science says doesn’t mean it’s true.

So this morning I went into work and asked everyone at work how many stars are in our solar system – I got a bunch of “you’ve got to be kidding me, I don’t know” or “Hmmm… 15?”

And someone even said “the sun isn’t a star”.

I’m just completely speechless!


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Education
KEYWORDS: dumbingofamerica; ignorance; ignoranceisbliss
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To: RIghtwardHo

It goes back to the Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz, after he got his diploma. “The sum of the
square roots of any two sides of an isosceles triangle is equal to the square root of the
remaining side.” Ha. Say it fast enough, and you look smart!


61 posted on 04/22/2014 8:54:38 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Night Hides Not; MHGinTN

My favorite Arthur C. Clarke work is “Fountains of Paradise”. He did some great engineering/scientific research about a space elevator that made the book very interesting.


62 posted on 04/22/2014 9:00:17 AM PDT by HeadOn (God resists the proud.)
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To: Joe 6-pack

lol You can’t get more New Moon than an eclipse!


63 posted on 04/22/2014 9:08:20 AM PDT by DBrow
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To: Zathras

Noah’s flood was about 20,000 years ago.


64 posted on 04/22/2014 9:09:11 AM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans!)
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To: NewHampshireDuo
This genius knows...


65 posted on 04/22/2014 9:09:51 AM PDT by Ghost of SVR4 (So many are so hopelessly dependent on the government that they will fight to protect it.)
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To: NewHampshireDuo

In OUR solar system? One. That big bright ball that rarely illuminates the Minnesota sky in daytime.


66 posted on 04/22/2014 9:14:18 AM PDT by IronJack
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To: Ghost of SVR4

Shirley Neil misspoke, right?


67 posted on 04/22/2014 9:16:10 AM PDT by MHGinTN
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To: MHGinTN

It’s just a meme, I just don’t like the guy and find that graphic hilarious.


68 posted on 04/22/2014 9:23:08 AM PDT by Ghost of SVR4 (So many are so hopelessly dependent on the government that they will fight to protect it.)
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To: NewHampshireDuo
And one tried to convince me that the sun revolves around the earth. She started to get angry when I kept disagreeing with her and she told me that just because that’s what science says doesn’t mean it’s true.

A lot of FReepers tell me that "just because that’s what science says doesn’t mean it’s true." (Sometimes they're even right.)

69 posted on 04/22/2014 9:23:29 AM PDT by Lurking Libertarian (Non sub homine, sed sub Deo et lege)
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To: RIghtwardHo
I think it all started when Han Solo said he could make the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs

I was 8 when it came out. I didn't know a parsec from a parsnip. However, when I watched it after growing up, yeah, it stood out.

70 posted on 04/22/2014 9:24:16 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (Has anyone seen my tagline? It was here yesterday. I seem to have misplaced it.)
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To: RIghtwardHo

Given the nature of the “Kessel Run,” it actually makes sense. However, I’ve no doubt that’s an Expanded Universe alteration in order to save Lucas from himself.


71 posted on 04/22/2014 9:26:03 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: Night Hides Not

Dave’s not here.


72 posted on 04/22/2014 9:26:23 AM PDT by Hoodat (Democrats - Opposing Equal Protection since 1828)
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To: Doctor 2Brains

Was WWI before or after WWII?


73 posted on 04/22/2014 9:31:02 AM PDT by Hoodat (Democrats - Opposing Equal Protection since 1828)
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To: Ghost of SVR4

Omg, is that for real?


74 posted on 04/22/2014 9:32:35 AM PDT by Hoodat (Democrats - Opposing Equal Protection since 1828)
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To: NewHampshireDuo

I wouldn’t be too scared. It’s a trick question. Designed to exploit the nature of the human brain.


75 posted on 04/22/2014 9:34:50 AM PDT by DManA
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To: NewHampshireDuo
According to Al Gore, “the interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees…”, so that makes Earth the second star in our solar system.
76 posted on 04/22/2014 9:43:29 AM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: Future Snake Eater

Nice, a fellow Star Wars nerd on FR. Was scrolling down specifically to see if anyone would dispute that.


77 posted on 04/22/2014 9:43:33 AM PDT by Textide
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To: NewHampshireDuo

Just read some of the science threads on FR! :-)


78 posted on 04/22/2014 9:45:12 AM PDT by mlo
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To: wbill
My flip, off-the-cuff reply was "millions". Then I re-read what you were asking. "One", of course.

I could easily see myself answering "9", until I realized what the question actually was.

79 posted on 04/22/2014 9:46:02 AM PDT by zeugma (Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened - Dr. Seuss (I'll see you again someday Hope))
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To: Diogenesis

Close only counts in...

CA....


80 posted on 04/22/2014 9:58:21 AM PDT by Chances Are (Seems I've found that silly grin again....)
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