Is the US Secret Service being used as thought police?

Back in April, two U.S. Secret Service agents paid a visit to a controversial art exhibit in Chicago, which included an image of President Bush with a revolver pointed at his head. There was no evidence of any threat to the president emanating from the mock 37-cent stamp on display, which was titled "Patriot Act." But there was considerable public outcry about the chilling effect the visit could have on artistic expression of the political variety -- especially after the agents pursued not only the exhibit's curator, but also asked the museum director for the names and phone numbers of all 47 artists whose work was on display.

And when a Portland publisher put together a website of pictures of guns and the president as a response to the Chicago action by USSS, he was visited too.

Lassen says the agents started out friendly enough, listening to his explanation that the work was political commentary, but that they soon made him feel "cold as ice." He says they asked him about his psychological history, and for permission to access his medical records. He says they also suggested that he "retract" the pictures.

"After speaking to me," Lassen wrote, "they asked to interview my boss. They also asked me to help put them in touch with my wife, who was out of town -- they would need to interview her also. They also mentioned the possibility of interviewing members of my family... my mother in particular...

Full story at http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/archive.html?blog=/politics/war_room/2005/06/14/patriotact/index.html

This is unacceptable. This is the USSS using their authority to investigate "threats" to the president as a means to suppress free speech. The agents involved should be disciplined and the entire Serivce given rremedial classes in teh Constitution. Why do I think that that won't happen? I have a feeling they're "just following orders" from above.

an entertaining collection of words and phrases

I was looking up a word to be sure it meant what I thought it did (it does--points if you can guess what it was) and found this page, which is a slection of words and phrases from the memoirs of a Revolutionary War soldier. It's not only interesting to see old expressions that have died out, but also what the webpage owner thinks are not common words and phrases today.