We are the people our parents warned us about

Meanwhile, I'd like to add another term: "Useful SOB". I was on a youth trip to Russia when it was the Soviet Union. We had a group of adults as chaparones but for some reason it was obvious to me that the most senior of them was, well 'useless'. You just knew that all he could do was bluster. My high school Russian teacher, Mr. Morse, was with us, a perfectly nice man and an excellent educator, but he was large and strong and could go from zero to bastard in about 1/8th of a second. I knew if there was any trouble he'd get us out.

(There was no need, the Russians treated us pretty well, we were just spoiled Americans who didn't know what to do with black bread and acidophilus!)