# Secret Service and a plotzed prez **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [December 4, 2009, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978 "2009-12-04T13:21:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/41 "2013-01-24T15:57:13Z")
Although in Yiddish it only means “explode,” in Yinglish (English as spoken by people influenced by Yiddish) it also means “faint.” It has expanded further in meaning by English speakers who don’t know anything about Yiddish to mean “shit” and “garble” and “be plotzed” has expanded to mean “be drunk.” So most of the expansion in meaning has happened in English, not in Yiddish. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/42 "2013-01-25T01:14:34Z")
“Burst” is often a better translation than “explode”. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/43 "2013-01-25T01:23:34Z")
> [@John\_W.Kennedy](#): > > “Burst” is often a better translation than “explode”. You’re correct. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/44 "2013-01-25T03:50:39Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > …Does Margaret Thatcher get some sort of protection, for example? Former British prime ministers get lifetime police protection if they wish it, IIRC, but as time passes it tends to diminish; probably just a single plainclothes cop by the end. There are still concerns about unreformed IRA or Islamic militant terrorist threats. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/45 "2013-01-29T16:18:03Z")
> [@palindromemordnilap](#): > > … > > Bush stayed in the classroom for several minutes after being informed of the second attack, and then met with his staff in another room to develop a statement (although no statement was delivered at this time), THEN made a speech about education to the students as pre-planned. He left for the airport about a half-hour after the SS became aware of the second attack. > > Moore’s movie used this lag as evidence of GWB’s lack of leadership.. IMO, those few minutes of concern for the children, when he saw that the time “loss” would have made zero difference to the task of responding to the attack after the discussion with staff, is a beautiful example of caring for others, especially, of course, those children then and there. No need to go citing Bush’s examples of “not caring for others.” That’s not my point. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/46 "2013-01-29T16:20:23Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Although in Yiddish it only means “explode,” in Yinglish (English as spoken by people influenced by Yiddish) it also means “faint.” It has expanded further in meaning by English speakers who don’t know anything about Yiddish to mean “shit” and “garble” and “be plotzed” has expanded to mean “be drunk.” So most of the expansion in meaning has happened in English, not in Yiddish. Correct. Like the transitive use of “schmooze,” which still pisses me off, but I suppose is here to stay. ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/47 "2013-02-01T16:48:17Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Correct. Like the transitive use of “schmooze,” which still pisses me off, but I suppose is here to stay. I’ve never heard that use before. What the heck is involved in schmoozing something? Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/48 "2013-02-01T16:51:19Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > IMO, those few minutes of concern for the children, when he saw that the time “loss” would have made zero difference to the task of responding to the attack after the discussion with staff, is a beautiful example of caring for others, especially, of course, those children then and there. Well, yes, if you accept that particular explanation for the delay. And even if that was his thinking at the time, I daresay it was misplaced. The children would not have been harmed by being told the President of the freaking United States had to cut short his visit to go take care of President-y stuff. To be clear, I’m not saying I accept Moore’s explanation, that the President was paralyzed with fear, either. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/49 "2013-02-01T17:46:34Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Correct. Like the transitive use of “schmooze,” which still pisses me off, but I suppose is here to stay. Ok, this caught my attention. Are you arguing that the prescriptively accepted (i.e., in the actual dictionary) use of “schmooze” as a transitive verb in English is somehow grammatically incorrect? I’d be curious of the basis of your position. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/50 "2013-02-01T18:56:33Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > Not to start drifting too far off-topic, but does anybody know what the equivalent is in other, established 1st world countries? > > Does Margaret Thatcher get some sort of protection, for example? I used to work in a building that also contained the law firm of former Canadian prime minister [John Turner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Turner) and we’d sometimes see him in the elevator. I never noticed anyone with him. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/51 "2013-02-01T22:50:06Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I used to work in a building that also contained the law firm of former Canadian prime minister [John Turner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Turner) and we’d sometimes see him in the elevator. I never noticed anyone with him. Canadian ninja bodyguards. You never will notice anyone with him, unless you try something… and then it’ll be the last thing you notice. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/52 "2013-02-01T23:23:57Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Canadian ninja bodyguards. You never will notice anyone with him, unless you try something… and then it’ll be the last thing you notice. 🙂 But they will be extremely polite about it:p ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/53 "2013-02-02T04:32:05Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > But they will be extremely polite about it:p “I’m gonna have to kill you now, OK, eh?” ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/54 "2013-02-02T05:34:48Z")
I can understand why lifetime protection for ex-Presidents would be reinstated in the current environment, but I would hope at some point it can be curtailed as they tried to do back in 1995. Aside from the budget issue, it brings one more small taint of Caesarism to the office, IMHO. Regarding 9/11, I remember some people at the time (maybe on this board?) complaining that going up in Air Force One for several hours as an aerial command post, and not appearing in front of the public right away, made him look clueless and cowardly. Can’t please some people, I guess. As for how a President can get his liquor, he can get [crack cocaine](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/07/28/128830131/house-votes-to-narrow-crack-powder-cocaine-penalties) if he wants it . . . ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/55 "2013-02-02T16:03:19Z")
We’ve secretly replaced the president’s coffee with Crak® let’s see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978/56 "2013-11-23T15:53:06Z")
How the tragedy in Dallas changed the Secret Service: [http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/23/politics/jfk-secret-service/index.html?hpt=hp\_c2](http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/23/politics/jfk-secret-service/index.html?hpt=hp_c2) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-service-and-a-plotzed-prez/519978.md?page=2)