Caller I.D.

Many people, nowadays, have Caller I.D., a feature from their local phone company, which enables them to know who's on the phone before they pick up. I don't.
Why?
For the same reason I wouldn't want to know the sex of a child before giving birth; I like surprises! That said, I'm quickly reassessing my position in light of our president's recent attempts at justifying tapping the telephones of his esteemed citizens.

"If somebody from Al Qaeda is calling you, we'd like to know why," asserts Mr. Bush.
So would I, Mr. President, especially if they're calling collect!

It seems having Caller I.D. might prove useful, after all, but the question is whether or not to pick up if it says "White House" on the display.