Reporters on the Job

• Cheap Oil Country : One survey shows that some Venezuelans are complaining that President Hugo Chávez is giving away the nation's oil to needy nations around the hemisphere, and should keep some at home (page 1). But Venezuelans are getting a pretty good deal at home. The cost for a gallon of gasoline hovers around 19 cents. That's right, 19 cents. The government subsidizes the costs. In Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil supplier, gasoline costs 91 cents per gallon today. In May, when staff writer Danna Harman was traveling in Venezuela, she took a small plane from Caracas to a rural area. It was an hour and a half flight in each direction, but the ticket was only $120 total.

• The Reporter vs. The Fan : Occasionally a reporting assignment gives a correspondent a chance to talk with one of his or her heroes. Graham Thorpe may not be a household name in America, but for a British cricket fan like Mark Rice-Oxley, Mr. Thorpe's play for England - he's considered one of the best batsmen in the country - is something of an inspiration.

"I'm aware of the problems that famous people face when they're confronted by total strangers who think they know them well. But he was pretty easygoing," says Mark. "I tried to remain professional and grill him on aspects of the game and how it's changing here. I was able to get everything I needed for today's story (this page). But really I just wanted to talk about all the great innings I've seen him play."

David Clark Scott
World editor