Sharing secrets

Spy stories fascinate because of their secrecy, but a New York Times article today brings to light one of the great tales of espionage during World War II with details that eliminate the mystery to give a rare glimpse into a mysterious world. The article profiles an American-born Russian spy, Dr. George Koval who provided the Soviets with information on manufacturing the atom bomb after infiltrating the U.S. Army. The article clarifies many details that the average reader who did not share any of the spy's background would not pick up on: the distinction between spying on plans to design the a-bomb and how it's manufactured; Dr. Koval's childhood in a predominantly Jewish town in Iowa; his education at City College, considered at the time to be "a Harvard for the poor." By shedding light on all the details of the story, the article makes the mystery that much more interesting after so many years of the truth being concealed.

The Washington Post offers up even more fascinating secrets--but these are contemporary accounts of corruption in Alaska. The sometimes salacious details of palm-greasing practices in the state seem to implicate government officials at all levels and draw attention to the way in which corruption has become a given way of doing business there. The audacity of the government officials is shocking, and details such as the article's mention of the "Corrupt Bastards Club" baseball hats worn by many and "Corrupt Bastards Brew" at a coffee shop are small but direct ways of showing how the practice is accepted. With a headline like "I'll Sell My Soul to the Devil," the article promises a lot, and I'd say it succeeds in giving a fairly close look into a world of corruption unfamiliar to most far away on the East Coast.

The Boston Globe also conducts an investigation--of sorts--in Monday's paper. An article follows the journeys of four Globe reporters trying to get to work from the South Shore by testing each of four available options: driving, riding the red line, taking the new Greenbush commuter rail, or boarding the ferry from Hingham. The article is written quickly, alternating back and forth between each of the four points of view, and reads like a chronicle of a reality TV show along the lines of The Amazing Race. It is informative but also very amusing--something all commuters can relate with at some level, and I'm sure many did this morning.