The World Beyond BetterMost > The Culture Tent
In the New Yorker...
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on April 07, 2026, 03:16:27 pm ---Am I going crazy or is this wrong? From Ronan Farrow's article about Sam Altman in the April 6 issue.
"He sent the final memos to the other board members as disappearing messages, to insure that no one else would ever see them."
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted
--- End quote ---
I presume you mean you think it should be "ensure"?
I guess "insure" is correct, or at least OK.
I checked Merriam-Webster online. M-W defines "insure" as "to make certain especially by taking necessary measures and precautions."
OTOH, M-W defines "ensure" as "to make sure, certain or safe: guarantee."
I guess in that sentence you could substitute "to make certain" or "guarantee" for "insure," so maybe either one could be correct?
serious crayons:
I guess you're right, the distinction is a little vaguer than I thought. Apparently historically they were different spellings of the same word. In the 20th century people began thinking they should have different meanings. So insure was designated as a financial arrangement like, well, insurance. The Merriam-Webster essay says those are often approved distinctions but using them as closer to synonymous is "more of a venal sin than a mortal one."
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on April 08, 2026, 12:03:18 pm ---I guess you?re right, the distinction is a little vaguer than I thought. Apparently historically they were different workings of the same word. In the 20th century people began thinking they should have different meanings. So ?insure? was designated as a financial arrangement like, well, insurance. The Merriam-Webster essay says those are often approved distinctions but using them as closer to synonymous is ?more of a venal sin than a mortal one.?
--- End quote ---
:laugh:
Jeff Wrangler:
The Rolex ad in the March 23 issue (that's how far behind I am ::) ):
I immediately recognized Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, and Leonardo di Caprio, but who are the young woman and the Asian gentleman? (The shape of his face is wrong for Ang Lee--I checked.)
Jeff Wrangler:
I wasn't really interested in the Arsenio Hall profile (March 23), but I started to read it anyway. I haven't finished it (maybe won't), but there is a small section on page 67 that's a brief history of the development of Late Night TV, and I found that interesting.
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