$ perl -e ' use warnings; use strict; my @times = ( 1, 2, 3, 4); print STDERR "Times: @times\n"; if (grep 0 + $_ >= 99999999, @times) { die("Time values must be < 99999999"); } ' Times: 1 2 3 4 $ perl -e ' use warnings; use strict; my @times = ( 1, 2, 3, 4); print STDERR "Times: @times\n"; if (grep $_ + 0 >= 99999999, @times) { die("Time values must be < 99999999"); } ' Times: 1 2 3 4 $ perl -e ' use warnings; use strict; my @times = ( 1, 2, 3, 999999999999); print STDERR "Times: @times\n"; if (grep $_ + 0 >= 99999999, @times) { die("Time values must be < 99999999"); } ' Times: 1 2 3 999999999999 Time values must be < 99999999 at -e line 8.