1-800-Hoser-Eh?

No doubt, everyone has their favorites saved in their internet browser of their choosing. For most, these are hotlinks to frequently accessed webpages, such as the local weather or maybe the sign-on screen for their bank. Perhaps a local newspaper or a blog that still plans to “Bring the Funny” 10 times this week (this would be number 8, scorekeepers). Hotlinks are all well and good, and should make your life easier. Would you care to know what the number one Favorite is here at the YABDesk is?

Area Code Listing, by Number

I don’t who which you will choose to question first – the reason that I have this leading off or that someone at bennetyee.org took the time to create a detailed list of all area codes in North America, when if he needed the info, he probably could have just hit up the phonebook. (Then again, if your name is Bennet Yee, you probably don’t have a whole lot of events lighting up your social calendar, and needed to pass the time.)

We’ll tackle the first question, of course.

In my job, I sit by a telephone with a nice screen that alerts me from where an incoming phone call is coming. It’s not an uber-fancy model that gives me the caller’s name or place of business; it’s just the phone number. If I don’t recognize the phone number, I have approximately 18 seconds to research it before the Voice Mail Monster intervenes. With a Internet favorite at the top of the list designed to help explore incoming phone numbers at my finger tips, I’ve probably got a lock on the number ab the 13th or 14th second.

(I totally understand that if I worked for the FBI, this would be a WAY cooler story.)

Why do I do this? Very often I will get calls from vendors seeking payment for various debts and when engaging in one of these conversations, I like to have the information ready to present. A cold call from a strange number rarely allows me to do this. So if I don’t recognize the area code, there’s a damn good chance that it’s from some strange part of the country (you have no idea how many AR departments reside in Nevada), I’m going to make sure I know who it is before picking up the phone.

Why do I write about this now, though? Oh boy.

Last week, I received a phone call from a number in the 647 area code. Having no idea where the 647 calls home, I did my area code search in record time – probably had it by 9 seconds with two rings to go. I figured 647 seems harmless enough – maybe Kansas City, perhaps Boston – I had no idea. But scrolling down on the list, I was honestly a little surprised to see who was dialing me…

647 -- Canada: S Cent. Ontario: Toronto

Ah, so apparently Canada was calling me to settle the score. Despite the gift of hockey, I have held a long grudge against our Neighbors to the North with little reason other than spite. Sure, I may have mocked their ways publicly in 2004 in a Stanley Cup preview and two months later in a special YABNews mythbusting edition. But all in all, I was unsure as to what vendor called Canada home, so after the third ring, I picked up the phone.

”Finance – this is Chris.”
*-click-*

Holy hell.

I just got prank dialed by Canada. This means war.