"History repeats itself, first as Tragedy, second as Farce" - Karl Marx

[Evil Genius]

Unless this has been posted elsewhere, I cannot believe that this has gone unremarked:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13080947
14 April 2011

Bertie Ahern advises Nigeria on business

The former Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern, has been advising Nigeria on business and economic development.

The advice is published in a report by consultancy firm Oxford Business Group.

Mr Ahern said: "Consistent and transparent policies could boost its efforts to attract foreign investment".

The former taoiseach said sound policies provided the building blocks for Ireland's economic transformation. In November Ireland accepted a £85bn EU/IMF bailout.




I wonder how Bertie got the gig. Maybe he sent out millions of e-mails to Nigeria, along the following lines, and one of them got lucky:

"Dear Respected Citizen of the most Wonderful Nigeria,

I am currently a former Very Senior Official  in the governemt of the Republic of Ireland, who has fallen upon hard times, due to the unreasonable and demeaning ingratitude of a couple of million Irish voters. However, during my many years of selfless service to my country, I managed, by ceaseless and diligent application, to secure for myself a pension, as small recogmpense for my unceasing service to the Nation.
Now, however, I find that I am unable to access that Pension, due to the small matter of not having a Bank Account. However, if you should be so kind as to send me a small fund, to an unnamed and numbered Bank Account in Switzerland which my live-in Partner is operating on my behalf, then this would enable me to persuade the relevant officials in the Irish Government to unfreeze my assets and receive my due.
I will, of course, return your contribution, which you may term a "Consultancy Fee", at a tenfold rate, at the earliest opportunity. For this purpose, I will need access to your Bank details.
Trusting that this shall be received in the spirit in which it was sent, I sign myelf:
Yours sincerely,
Bertie.

P.S. Goodluck, Jonathan

[AQMP]

It must be the unseasonably warm April weather

Gordon Brown bidding to head up the IMF

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=530475&in_page_id=2

[whiskeysteve]

It must be the unseasonably warm April weather

Gordon Brown bidding to head up the IMF

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=530475&in_page_id=2

I find that a lot worse than Bertie advising Nigeria tbh. More worrying anyway.

In terms of competency, this is on his CV for long term economic development: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_bottom (Sold off half of Britains Gold reserves for $275 an ounce because it was too 'volatile', Gold currently just under $1500)

[Ulick]

"History repeats itself, first as Tragedy, second as Farce" - Karl Marx

I'm glad you seem to be trying to improve yourself by studying Marx, but I feel I should let you know that Marx neither said or wrote the quote you have attributed to him. Nor did he believe that "history repeats itself".

[Denn Forever]

Unfortunately I don't have a bank account but I can meet you at the racetrack of your choice.

Yours Sincerely,

B.

[AQMP]

"History repeats itself, first as Tragedy, second as Farce" - Karl Marx

I'm glad you seem to be trying to improve yourself by studying Marx, but I feel I should let you know that Marx neither said or wrote the quote you have attributed to him. Nor did he believe that "history repeats itself".

Full quote??

"Hegel remarks somewhere that all great, world-historical facts and personages occur, as it were, twice. He has forgotten to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce."

[Evil Genius]

"History repeats itself, first as Tragedy, second as Farce" - Karl Marx

I'm glad you seem to be trying to improve yourself by studying Marx, but I feel I should let you know that Marx neither said or wrote the quote you have attributed to him. Nor did he believe that "history repeats itself".

Technically speaking, you may be correct, Donagh Ulick, but the full version (thank you, AQMP) would have been a bit unwieldy for a Thread Title:

(Karl Marx (1818-1883), German political theorist, social philosopher. repr. In Karl Marx: Selected Works, vol. 2 (1942). Paraphrase of the opening sentences of The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (1852). The actual words were: "Hegel remarks somewhere that all great, world-historical facts and personages occur, as it were, twice. He has forgotten to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.")
http://www.poemhunter.com/quotations/famous.asp?people=Karl%20Marx

Oh, and whilst we're being picky, the above is in fact a quotation  (noun), not as you would have it, a "quote" (verb) 

[AQMP]

A sort of Hegel/Marx mash (is that the modern term?)

[Evil Genius]

A sort of Hegel/Marx mash (is that the modern term?)

Or maybe Marx was "sampling" Hegel (as I think the young people of today would have it)? 

Anyhow, whichever it be, I'd say it's "No marx for Donagh Ulick!" 

[lawnseed]

i heard bertie had taken up the back to work scheme and bought himself an ice cream van hes calling himself "Mr whiparound"