When we are lucky our lives provide a good mix of learned theory and experience. Sometimes the rigorous study of the theory prepares us to understand what we are looking at in the plants. Sometimes seeing something in the plants teaches us how to understand Mohr's circles. I have had the good fortune to meet many good people who care about "getting it right" - some with degrees from universities and some with degrees from the "school of hard knocks" (and of course some with a mix). After about 20 years "in practice" they (the good ones, the ones who want to keep learning) are about equal in what they know (they just understand it in different ways). The key is learning how to listen to people and striving to reconcile what they understand with what you understand. About 20 years ago I met an ol' boy in Austin, Texas who proceeded (over the years) to teach me more about power plants than I would have ever known (and a lot about life too). Looking back I think the reason is just because I was willing to LISTEN and then exchange ideas with him (of course there was some very good bourbon involved in that equation too). I count my blessings.

John.