re: Plant Baws make near 200k

I think you are confusing various groups of plant workers. Some indeed work very hard out in the plant. Then there are the operators. The old generation came straight out of high school dreaming of hiring on with Exxon, or Chevron, or another major oil company & getting a job as an operator. These guys have made a very good living by working shift work for 20-40 years because the company took good care of them. While they watched the gauges and read the newspaper and listened to the radio, they were making a good hourly wage, with great benefits. Plus their company stock experienced amazing growth (especially Exxon) which gave them wealth beyond their dreams. But with that wealth, for many, came an air of arrogance and chip on the shoulder toward the educated world. Seen it many times in the professional setting. Many of these guys(almost all males if over the age of 50) come in for professional advice and proceed to try to convice me how wise they are and show their wife how they have been a brillant provider and financial manager & how they could solve the world's problems. No formal education, just lots of exposure to media. And the arrogance is often overbearing.