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30.5.2007

Laughing at how our tax money is spent

Tags: Uncategorized — Author: @ 4:41 pm

Seriously – doesn’t this sound exactly like something David Brent (from BBC’s The Office) would do… (or rather, has actually done in one episode LOL!! )

Clowns enlisted to raise spirits of Tampere municipal workers. “Laughter is the core of well-being”, says city’s personnel chief.[...]

The idea for the city clowns came from comedian Mona Ratalahti, occupational well-being trainer Riitta Harilo, and its godmother was Kirsi Koski, head of the Mayor’s office. Koski has worked as the city’s head of personnel for three years.

“I have thought about what would be the core of well-being. Yes, it is laughter”, Koski says. “It is all right to laugh at craziness – at what is not said out loud in business discussions.” Ratalahti feels that a clown nose “changes us and the viewer in such a way that forces people to look at things differently”.

“When people enjoy their work, it is reflected directly on the bottom line.”

tampere_clown.jpg
Photo on left by Reijo Hietanen, from Helsingin Sanomat

  • winter – “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission”

    Actually trying to make a Finn see out of the box was probably a good use of your tax money.

  • http://www.finlandforthought.net Phil

    A state run entity needs to spend money to boost morale just like any other company. But I could just imagine the reaction around here if Nokia hired a bunch of clowns to fuck around during lunch time. I think it would have the same response as it did when David Brent did something similar in The Office. :lol:

  • Kristian

    Yeah, I agree with winter. Seeing out of the box is good. Plus, municipal people are the ones we deal with occasionally. So having happy people benefits us.

    With that said, I would have hired strippers…. :lol:

  • winter – “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission”

    strippers?

    Male or female? or both?

  • aet75

    Lawsuit… by someone with clown phobia ;) . Clowns suck, I’d prefer the strippers.

  • Kristian

    A sex show like Casa Rosso would be good. Many years-ago, my girlfriend and I got ‘conned’ into a show there. Almost no cost, but we had to sit in the front row. Guess who one of the female performers requested from the audience?

    I kept my clothes on. With 35-spectators ogling my ‘performance’, a handful of Viagra wouldn’t have saved me. Good thing I’m handy with a dildo :lol:

  • Kronos

    #4

    If I remember correctly Kristian prefers trannies

  • hill billy

    busting a gut “@ fucking around during lunch time”. Dude, you made me laugh my nuts off with that comment.. good one man

  • gopha

    Actually trying to make a Finn see out of the box was probably a good use of your tax money.

    QFT

  • http://www.ovimagazine.com Asa

    I actually know the clown on the left.

  • Freeridin’ Franklin

    gopha:
    QFT

    Et tu, Brute?

  • Freeridin’ Franklin

    Kristian, I can think of more titillating things than watching two junkies having it off on stage. Never quite understood that thrill.

  • http://bnss.podshow.com Dave the Slave

    The only clown I know about begins with K.

  • http://www.axis-of-aevil.net/ hfb

    I hope at least one of those clowns is the asstard who paid 60,000 or so for ice blocks as ‘art’ in the summer.

    Couldn’t they just dress up the drunks and save some money? :)

  • gopha

    gopha:
    QFT

    Et tu, Brute?

    I never saw Caligula. :)

  • Freeridin’ Franklin

    The only clown I know about begins with K.

    Krusty?

  • Antti rn

    Bah, who needs clowns? Don’t they have customers.

  • Mika Z.

    ..and the best libertarian clown in Finland is Phil Schwarzmann..

  • katas

    ..and the best libertarian clown in Finland is Phil Schwarzmann..

    Hey some respect to phil dont be a ass.

  • Thomas

    Phil:

    “Laughing at how our tax money is spent”

    OUR? If this is municipal money spent in TAMPERE it’s hardly OUR money, or is it? Unless I’m wrong Tampere is not among the official suburbs of the MOTHER OF ALL SUBURBS (at least in Finland), Espoo.

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