The Parable of the pipeline

Past Memories - Episode 5

24th Jul 2003 - part 2
After which I also finish the book 'The Parable of the pipeline' by Burke Hedges. Oh I also completed 'Harry Potter and The Order of Phoenix' by J.K. Rowling. As for books still in the midst of completion, well 'The Lord of The Rings' by J.R.R. Tolkein is in the list plus a couple of magazines. Yupz I'm a magazine reader, will read anything that can be found in my vicinity (unless I'm in a mood to snoop and sniff around). Newspaper though, I hardly touch them except for TODAY because that is the only free newspaper that I can grab whenever I'm in luck. But it is ok, I like TODAY, seems to have more to read.

Oh and talking about TODAY from 21st July to 1st August 2003, there is this special red page in the TODAY newspaper. Hope all of you will not ignore this red page please... click HERE to find out more!!!

Ok I shall go back to ponder over what modules to take. And well the outlook of this website will always stay like this I guess, unless some kind soul wants to help me turn it into a flash site for me... haha or that I turn hard-working. Right now I'm just too busy doing treasury stuff for NUSSU CBLC.

This book started with a story...

In a village, there was 2 young and promising man, Pablo and Bruno. They wanted to grow rich, all they need was an opportunity. One day they struck gold, someone was willing to pay them to carry buckets of water to the village. Being paid by the number of buckets they carried, they could grow richer if they carry more buckets. Bruno was happy, he felt that this is their dream come true. But Pablo beg to differ. His back ached, his hands were bruised. He vowed to think of a better way.

The next day he told Bruno he had an idea to build a pipeline. But Bruno scoffed him. He said if he can carry 100 buckets, he would get a dollar a day. Soon he can buy new shoes, then a hut and a paid vacation every year. He told Pablo to forget his pipeline dream, this bucket-carrying is the real road to success.

Pablo refuse to give up his pipeline dreams. In part of the day he carry buckets. The other part of the days, he went about building his pipeline. He knew it was hard work and might take a year or two. But Pablo believed in his dream. Pablo was chided the Pipeline man while Bruno was respected as Mr. Bruno having bought a donkey, a new hut and fancy meals at the Inn. While Bruno lay in his hammock during the weekends to rest, Pablo kept digging his pipe.

Tomorrow's dreams are built on today's sacrifices.

Short term pain equals long term gain.

Inch by Inch - it's a cinch.

Keep your eyes on the prize.

These are encouragements Pablo keep muttering to himself. And it paid off. One day, Pablo only had to walk half as far to carry buckets. He used the extra time to build his pipe.

As for Bruno, he became angry and sullen. Doomed to carry buckets day in and day out for the REST OF THE LIFE, he was teased as Bruno - the Bucket man. He no longer buy rounds or tell jokes.

When the pipeline was complete, the village grew and prosper. Pablo didn't have to carry buckets anymore. Water flowed whether he ate, slept or played. Pablo became Pablo the Miracle Maker.

However Pablo had other plans, he wanted to build pipelines all over the world. He had learnt a lot and came up with a system that allows one to build pipeline, and then another and another. He went to ask Bruno for help sincerely. Bruno realising that Pablo was not out to scoff at him, and able to see the vision Pablo has, decided to help him. Together they plan to have a pipeline to every villages in the world. Then they could make a small percentage of every gallon of water they received.

Whenever they tell these young bucket carriers their story, they will hear the same excuses :

Don't have time.

Only the ones who get in early will make money.

I stick to what I know best.

I heard that you will lose money in the pipeline scam.

Only a small percentage of people dared to dream the PIPELINE DREAM.

Ok this is just a summarized of the story. Oh if you are a broadband user or you do not mind downloading, you could hear the audio version of the story here.

After reading the book, there are ideas that I will agree with the author Mr. Burke Hedges, and times that I beg to differ. Sincerely speaking, his way of getting rich is not easy. He believed in investments, in risky ventures (or so as I interpreted). I like the story of the pipe-liner and bucket-carrier. But I'm not sure how feasible the idea is. In this world, there are just too many different type of personality. I guess pipe-liner and bucket-carrier have to exist to balance the world.

In his book, he also talk about 25 years plan or 5 years plan, leverage and compounded interests. It's true that as you make a habit to put aside a certain amount of money to save, you will soon be able to have a sum of cash for you to retire with. That is one thing I definitely believe in. One should always save for rainy days. =)

Anyway I just want to share with everybody this story as it is indeed an interesting story. In this book, the author had even modernized this story from carrying water to writing programs in this IT world and placed it at the end of the book. It goes to show that this dream can take on in many forms, what matters is do you dare to be the pipe-liner?

Acknowledgements :

* The Parable of The Pipeline by Burke Hedges