Saturday Morning Confusion #276

A lot of thing don't make sense to your confused reporter, but this one is high on the list!
Michigan troopers spotted a driver going 79 in a 70mph zone and got ready to pull him over for a run-of-the-mill speeding ticket. Next thing they know, the old Dodge station wagon had sped up to a staggering 153mph on the I-75, reports CBS Detroit. (This makes me wonder what sort of engine was in this thing?)

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Well thank God for small miracles: "ISIS fighters enter Palmyra museum, but artifacts reportedly safe."

Seems that museum workers removed the artifacts when it became apparent that ISIS would take the city.

Like most fundamentalist Muslims, they like to destroy anything they consider sacrilegious. (At least as far as they are concerned. Remember when the Taliban bombed national Heritage Sites in Afghanistan?)

Meanwhile:

The recent capture of Ramadi in central Iraq by ISIS fighters has prompted heated discussion around the world about the significance of the city – just 120 kilometres from Baghdad -- in the fight against the Sunni jihadists.

Many military analysts say Ramadi's capture represents a devastating blow to the anti-ISIS coalition, while the U.S. government casts it as only a minor setback.
Most experts agree, however, that losing Ramadi – in the heartland of Sunni Iraq -- raises serious questions about the efficacy of the current U.S. strategy.

The takeover of Ramadi "is a significant victory for ISIS that essentially shows the failure of the U.S. effort," says Marina Ottaway, a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars in Washington, D.C.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/why-u-strategy-isis-isnt-090000609.html

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A lot of places in Canada have a doctors shortage and that even includes cities, let alone the smaller communities.

That is why I was surprised to learn that here in London there are over twenty doctors who were promised big things if they moved to Canada ...., and once they got here all sorts of road-blocks were thrown up preventing them from practising medicine here.

Rumour has it that a couple of them are even driving cab!

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Ireland is poised today to become the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by national referendum, a vote that has highlighted the dramatic pace at which this traditionally conservative Catholic nation has changed in recent times.

No tallies or results have been officially released yet in the nation, which only decriminalized homosexuality 22 years ago. However, leading figures from both sides said voting patterns signal a major victory for the "Yes" vote.

We here at Perspective wonder why it took so long since it's common knowledge that all Leprechauns are gay.
After all, why do you think they keep talking about their "Lucky Charms!"
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AND FINALLY: This is one thing I'm NOT confused about!


We got THIS in the mail today!
WATCH OUT NEW AREA CODE
Costly NEW AREA CODE: READ AND PASS ALONG - 809 Area Code . We actually received a call last week from the 809 area code . The woman said 'Hey, this is Karen. Sorry I missed you- get back to us quickly. I have something important to tell you.' Then she repeated a phone number beginning with 809.
We did not respond. Then this week, we received the following e-mail:  Do Not  DIAL AREA CODE 809, 284, AND 876 from the U.S. or Canada THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US BY AT&T. DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE 809. This one is being distributed all over the US ... This is pretty scary, especially given the way they try to get you to call.
Be sure you read this and pass it on.
They get you to call by telling you that it is information about a family member who has been ill or to tell you someone has been arrested, died, or to let you know you have won a wonderful prize, etc.
In each case, you are told to call the 809 number right away.
Since there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return these calls. If you call from the U.S. or Canada , you will apparently be charged a minimum of  $2425 per-minute.  And you'll also get a long recorded message. (The point is, they will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges. )

 WHY IT WORKS:

The 809   area code is located in the Dominican Republic. The charges afterward can become a real nightmare. That’s because you did actually make the call. If you complain, both your local phone company and your long distance carrier will not want to get involved and will most likely tell you that they are simply providing the billing for the foreign company. You’ll end up dealing with a foreign company that argues they have done nothing wrong.

Please forward this entire message to your friends, family and colleagues to help them become aware of this scam.

AT&T VERIFIES IT'S TRUE: http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=6045 <http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=6045    >

SNOPES VERIFIES IT'S TRUE: <http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/809..asp >http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=area+code+809&x=26&y=15&sp-a=00062d45-sp00000000&sp-advanced=1&sp-p=all&sp-w-control=1&sp-w=alike&sp-date-range=-1&sp-x=any&sp-c=100&sp-m=1&sp-s=0