To monitor - to watch what you're doing
Rumor floating around - hearing rumors here and there, you don't know exactly where its coming from or where its going but its out there, somewhere.
I didn't buy it - means you don't believe it
I got it right from the horse's mouth - means you got it straight from the number one source or an important source
To go to those lengths - to go far out of his way, why would he take such measures
Big brother tactics - invading privacy, looking your shoulder all the time
Counter productive - not useful
Will not playing along - will not agree, will not allow something to happen
Petition - a list of names that you sign on a piece of paper saying you are against something
Skating on thin ice - you're doing something that is kind of dangerous
Singled out - people blame only you for doing something out of a group
I'll sniff around - will try to find some information or ask a few questions indirectly
Which way the wind is blowing - to find out what the people were thinking, their tendency