#1135 Whether Curds

So I heard someone say “whether or not” the other day and it made me wonder whether or not we need to say whether or not or if it’s possible whether we can not say the not.
I could have said part of the last sentence, “I wonder whether we need to say not.” Rather than, “I wonder whether or not we need to say not.”
Because if we say whether we kind of imply that it’s possible that the reverse is true. We don’t say rather or not. Would you rather go to the ballpark? Would you rather or not go to the ballpark?
Would you rather or not I wasn’t talking about whether or not?
Rather is, of course, what you would prefer, where whether is what may happen. Or I suppose you could say, may or may not happen.
But we don’t say “if or not.” I wonder if the weather is going to change while this person is talking about whether or not. You don’t say I wonder if or not the weather is going to change.
Whether does set up an opposing choice however, so there are times where I can see the not as necessary. Whether I’m in the valley or on the mountain, I like the weather. Whether I’m in the valley or not, I like the weather.
But when I say, I wonder whether he wants to go out in the weather, I don’t really need to say not.
I was also wondering about the word curdle the other day. I had heard an individual use the term “blood-chilling scream.” And I thought “blood-curdling” is so much better. Curds just sound scarier.
And when even your blood curdles, there’s a lot of fear chemicals going through your system. I suppose your blood could curdle if it was sufficiently chilled. But I think of curds as a conglomeration that happens under warm circumstances—acid in the milk or something.
I picture Little Miss Muffet’s curds and whey as more like warm cottage cheese, not a Dairy Queen Blizzard..
Which is how my blood feels when I watch a horror movie.
Whether I scream or not.
America, ya gotta love it.