A look at world leaders and at Massachusetts infrastructure

Today’s New York Times article on the selection of the Yasuo Fukuda as Japan’s new prime minister clearly explained the appointment without getting into too many details that casualA l readers could not appreciate. The article did well to draw a general picture of Fukuda in the lede before moving on to explain the context in which he is entering office. The explanation that Fukuda was more or less chosen through insider talks shed light on the Japanese political system and gave context for understanding its ineffectiveness over the past year.

As a new leader is appointed in Japan, the Washington Post analyzes the way in which U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon relates to world leaders. The analysis provides many perspectives from multiple sources, including those who were asked directly about Ban’s approach and those who were commenting on specific instances. Both the lede and the kicker present a favorable view of Ban’s patient diplomacy, countering the several quotes in between from Laura Bush and Mia Farrow who are less convinced that patience is the appropriate attitude. This leads me to wonder how much the reporter’s impressions were shaped before even conducting the interviews. I would have liked to see a less certain conclusion drawn.

The Boston Globe today reports on yesterday’s anthrax drill conducted by postal carriers in West Roxbury and the South End. The article explains the goals of the drill to combat potential bioterrorist attacks and gives a personal sense of the postal carriers’ sense of duty in delivering lifesaving medicine by interviewing one mailman in the South End. One point of confusion, though, is the mention of Philadelphia in the penultimate paragraph. It had not previously been made clear that other cities were conducting similar tests, and more context should have been giving about when Philadelphia’s drill occurred and how Boston measured up to it in terms of time taken to conduct the deliveries.

Another Globe article shares helpful information about the new “cellphone parking lot” at Logan Airport. The article offers practical information about the size of the lot, precisely how it is meant to be used and how well it works. The quote from the driver who tested the route several times to determine the five minute distance between the lot and farthest airport terminal provides a helpful service to readers.