The old "hairdryer treatment"

Over at World Wide Words, Michael Quinion has a wonderful explanation of a delightful Britishism -- "hairdryer treatment" -- that would seem to have widespread utility these days.

The term arises from soccer and the rather forceful, in-your-face bellowing reprimands from a coach to a player. But as Quinion notes, the term has its uses in the workplace as well. Given the stress in newsrooms these days, it might be a handy term to have in the verbal larder.