But the first example does the same thing for an empty list. I guess the lesson is that if you’re measuring the speed of arbitrary stylistic syntax choices, maybe Python isn’t the best language for you.

Could also compare against:

if not len(mylist)

That way this version isn’t evaluating two functions. The bool evaluation of an integer is false when zero, otherwise true.

40 tons

The weather is always changing. You mean to say the climate is changing. It’s a very important distinction. And I’m not refuting what you said but I’m having a pleasant and normal feeling spring at my location.

There’s probably a lot that could be recovered from my urine. Fun fact when phosphorus was first discovered they had to boil off gallons of urine to get a useful amount, so they collected barrels of urine from mining camps.

Canada and US are in negotiations to renew the Columbia River Treaty, where the US pays Canada for flood control upstream. They protect the cities along the Columbia River, and the hydroelectric infrastructure on the River, and the bridges. If Canada decides to play hardball, there’s a lot at their mercy.