Minor Debates, Easily Settled

A thread for raising minor bones of contention or bones of minor contention.

Four and four is eight.

Four and four are eight.

Which should it be?

@fmf said
Four and four is eight.

Four and four are eight.

Which should it be?

Four and four is eight but if its beers you're buying just keep em coming.

@fmf said
A thread for raising minor bones of contention or bones of minor contention.

In an informal non-anatomical sense, can a case be made for calling a cat's front paws "hands"?

@fmf said
In an informal non-anatomical sense, can a case be made for calling a cat's front paws "hands"?

Yes, how could they make all those YouTube videos if they didn't have hands.

@fmf said
A thread for raising minor bones of contention or bones of minor contention.

Procrastination - I still do it despite my efforts to the contrary. A flawed creature I am. 😲

@mchill said
Procrastination - I still do it despite my efforts to the contrary. A flawed creature I am.

What is the easily settled minor debate about "procrastination"?

@fmf said
What is the easily settled minor debate about "procrastination"?

Procrastination isn't a flaw. Its other names are consideration and reflection. Rushing to judgement is the real flaw.

@fmf said
What is the easily settled minor debate about "procrastination"?

"Is procrastination a weakness?"

@fmf said
"Is procrastination a weakness?"

How you choose to spin it is your choice.

@suzianne said
How you choose to spin it is your choice.

I think Kewpie makes a good point but procrastination can too often be debilitating and even damaging. Especially if one is self-employed.

@fmf said
In an informal non-anatomical sense, can a case be made for calling a cat's front paws "hands"?

Cats scoop food with the paws on the ends of their front legs, so I think calling them "hands" makes sense.

@fmf said
Four and four is eight.

Four and four are eight.

Which should it be?

Four and four is eight. CORRECT.

The [sum of those two numbers] is X

My mother always insisted I was wrong about this.

@fmf said
Four and four is eight. CORRECT.

The [sum of those two numbers] is X

My mother always insisted I was wrong about this.

You're right that "is" follows the implied singular "sum", but in fact the whole sentence is invalid.
Four and four are simply two nouns; try replacing them with any two other nouns. Cow and horse is/are livestock?
On the other hand, using symbols makes it a valid numerical statement. 4 + 4 = 8.

@kewpie said
Rushing to judgement is the real flaw.

Do less of it .