The Surly Old Man

The Surly Old Man
A ban on all physical contact between coaches and players in girls hockey league is definitely offside
A girls hockey league has decided to take a zero-tolerance stance on physical contact between players and coaches after a complaint about a male volunteer parent slapping the butt and squeezing the shoulders of a uniformed female player.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
Should a restaurant worker be fired for speaking French? Well, no, but ...
In Quebec, it’s pretty much essential that anyone who is customer-facing must speak French. But what about on the other side of the counter, or in the back room or kitchen? Must employees speak French, or can they speak whatever language they’re most comfortable in?
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
The mind boggles: Wealthy couple finds it impossible to make ends meet on $450K a year
A “Financial Facelift” column in Friday’s Globe and Mail made me see red. In it, Eric and Ilsa find it virtually impossible to put a roof over the heads of their five children with their combined $450,000 a year income.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
Yes, it exists: The Belfie Stick helps you take those all-important selfies of your butt
I've ranted on the vanity of selfies before. It truly boggles the mind, the narcissism required to post pictures of yourself doing ordinary things. Let me introduce you to the Belfie Stick – a new apparatus that allows you to easily take selfies of your butt.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
A completely unscientific guide to avoid catching a cold or the flu this winter
There are some things I just don’t do, like taking public transit, which I swear is a petri dish for disease and pestilence and probably why 90 per cent of the people around me are sick.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
Still looking for a New Year's resolution? How about being a better human being?
I challenge everyone to be a better human being in 2015. The world is getting faster and more crowded, and with it, common humanity is taking a back seat to selfishness and material wealth - everything is me, me, me and more, more, more.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
Leave Bernier alone: Athletes should be expected to weigh in on sports, not politics
Most pro athletes know they should keep their beaks out of social or political issues. That’s why you never heard Tiger Woods taking a stand on women at Augusta National, you never heard Michael Jordan talking about the O.J. Simpson case and you never heard Wayne Gretzky weighing in on Quebec separatism.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
Commuting is enjoyable and relaxing? Now, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard!
So a new study came out yesterday, showing that three quarters of people who commute to and from work actually enjoy their commute and find it relaxing. This study only confirms my long-standing suspicion that three quarters of the commuters I’m forced to share the road with are on crack.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
At what point are we abusing what is deemed abuse?
So what exactly is the statute of limitations on child abuse? I need to set up a court appointment for my parents. And my elementary principal. And my high school gym teacher.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
Please don't use a soldier's death to encourage me to buy a pizza
I’m a big proponent of good causes, and it warms the cockles of my heart when a big company donates money to a good cause. Private companies run our economy, and in almost all cases, they have the most money to give.
9 years ago
The Surly Old Man
Work for free? Sure, because there's much more to a job than just a salary
It’s true, I get it. Working for free doesn’t pay the bills and would be quickly exploited by companies always on the lookout for cost-cutting measures. And working for free doesn’t do anything to cut into those massive student loans. But at the same time, there is something to be said about working for something other than money when the prospects are lean.
9 years ago