In the New Yorker...

[serious crayons]

I've tried googling various iterations of gemini, claude, AI and gay and not seeing much suggesting the AI characters are supposed to be gay. On the other hand, would it have made sense in the context of the article for it to say "the girls and the guys"? Wouldn't they just say "human characters" or something similar to refer to the whole group? Or maybe "guys and gals"? Also, some women get offended when they're called "girls," especially when men aren't being called "boys," so one explanation for why they risked it in that sentence is for the playful, sort of rhyming, "girls and gays."

Also, for the record, I have the Siri on my phone set to "Australian man."

[Jeff Wrangler]

I've tried googling various iterations of gemini, claude, AI and gay and not seeing much suggesting the AI characters are supposed to be gay. On the other hand, would it have made sense in the context of the article for it to say "the girls and the guys"? Wouldn't they just say "human characters" or something similar to refer to the whole group? Or maybe "guys and gals"? Also, some women get offended when they're called "girls," especially when men aren't being called "boys," so one explanation for why they risked it in that sentence is for the playful, sort of rhyming, "girls and gays."

Also, for the record, I have the Siri on my phone set to "Australian man."

That's kind of what I was thinking. I still haven't gotten to the article, but I also thought it was referring to the users, not to the devices,

[Jeff Wrangler]

I just finished the article about turbulence in flying (March 9).

I don't think I want to fly anymore. 

The flight from Boston to Provincetown never used to bother me, but the last time I took it, I did feel a certain level of anxiety. I couldn't wait till we landed in Provincetown. Perhaps it was because the weather was cloudy--not good flying weather for a small plane, or I must have felt.

I don't remember anything about the return flight to Boston.

[Jeff Wrangler]

So, today I finished the article about AI companions.

The description of the Dickens Christmas Fair put me in mind of an SCA event.

The article left me feeling that I have a perfect understanding of why unattractive men, straight or gay, would turn to an AI companion.

[serious crayons]

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

[Jeff Wrangler]

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

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]

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.?