From: helbig@asclothestro.multivax.de   
      
   In article <5a5b4d20$0$10042$e4fe514c@news.xs4all.nl>, Jos Bergervoet   
    writes:   
      
   > But what if there are inhomogeneities that are large-scale compared   
   > with the size of the observed universe?   
   >   
   > Then our observed part has abbout 50% chance of being in a (large)   
   > overdense region and likewise 50% chance to be underdense.   
      
   No.  There is more matter in the overdense places, so, all else being   
   equal, we would more likely be there.   
      
   > It would   
   > accidental if we were exactly at average density! Of course this   
   > scenario requires the universe to be (vastly) larger than the   
   > currently observed part, but why wouldn't it?   
   >   
   > Would this have any implications for the cosmological constant or   
   > would that always cancel out? Or is it ruled out already based on   
   > things we can observe?   
      
   It is possible.  We see no evidence of this in the region we can   
   observe.  It is conceivable that there might be observable effects, but   
   this would require that the inhomogeneities are far enough away to be   
   unobservable directly, but not so far that their effects cannot be   
   observed, which sounds like special pleading.   
      
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