I expect that different past presidents and their bodyguards have a different perception of their personal risk level: I don't believe that Carter did anything that would particularly make him a target, so going somewhere busy without the men in suits would be fine. On the other hand the Bushes upset enough people who have a "direct" approach to settling scores that it would be unwise for them to go out and about without some form of protection.
It was a fairly big thing over here at the time that Mo Mowlam refused the ongoing security detail that all her predecessors as Northern Ireland Secretary have been given. It was an endorsement of the new status quo following the Good Friday Agreement, but past events made it wise for everyone before her to have the bodyguard for life.
I would think he'd probably have to be in solitary confinement, or maybe some place that has groups of small groups. Of course, AIUI, the latter involves good behavior, which is not in his wheelhouse. And being incarcerated *with* him might well be "cruel and unusual punishment" for those unlucky prisoners.
Surely, if he's in prison under the care of professional, highly trained and well paid guards* there'd be no need for Secret Service until he's let out.
* yes, I know. But, wouldn't improving the training and salaries of prison guards be a better use of the secret service budget than putting extra guys in the jail.
Except national security and all that. If a former president is in danger from enemies that might kidnap or kill the president, unless a ransom is paid, secrets are revealed, etc., Secret Service (as good, or near its best) needs to keep the ex-pres safe.
Prison guards probably do need raises and training. But since horrible things happen in prisons all the time, they can't be relied on to keep an ex-pres safe.
Not the paste, but the actual wallpaper, since arsenic was used for the green colour. And not just in the 18teens - Mr Morris's admired designs were still being printed with arsenic ('Scheele's Green') in the 1860s.
I suppose you could have one guy sitting outside his cell all the time. Mealtimes, exercise, showers--well, that would all depend on the kind of treatment he a) merits b) manages to unjustly scrounge. But I think they'd be justified in severely limiting his contacts with the rest of the population on grounds of risk. Which in turn lowers his call on Secret Service agents.
Not the paste, but the actual wallpaper, since arsenic was used for the green colour. And not just in the 18teens - Mr Morris's admired designs were still being printed with arsenic ('Scheele's Green') in the 1860s.
When he was also a director of an arsenic mine, I believe.
Egg curry for tea, which is really boiled eggs with the remains of last night’s Thai green lentil curry.
I’m teaching in an hour (an introduction to a module on death, dying and bereavement) but after this evening I get a couple of week’s respite from evening tutorials. Hooray!
Not the paste, but the actual wallpaper, since arsenic was used for the green colour. And not just in the 18teens - Mr Morris's admired designs were still being printed with arsenic ('Scheele's Green') in the 1860s.
I stand corrected, and will amend my Directory of Murder Methods accordingly.
Indeed it might. It's not quite orange, but it would do.
Imagine, if you will, a spacious cell, sunny, light, and papered in a pleasant Naples Yellow coloured patterned wallpaper.
Bearing in mind that the paper is impregnated with a form of antimony, consider now the following abstract from Wikipedia:
Antimony toxicity occurs either due to occupational exposure or during therapy. Occupational exposure may cause respiratory irritation, pneumoconiosis, antimony spots on the skin and gastrointestinal symptoms.
O dear. The paste used was not strong enough, and the inmate of the cell will therefore have to be constantly re-sticking his wallpaper to the walls.
A useful addition to my Directory of Murder Methods ('Subtle' section).
If Napoleon died from arsenic, then I presume he wasn't one of the rulers who took gradually-increasing doses of arsenic to build up a tolerance, just in case?
You don’t need to go to all that trouble with wallpaper. Just feed him a lot of burned starchy food. That contains acrylamide which is toxic when taken in high enough quantities
You don’t need to go to all that trouble with wallpaper. Just feed him a lot of burned starchy food. That contains acrylamide which is toxic when taken in high enough quantities
You may think that ... but speculating about how a historical figure may have been exposed to toxins is a lot less likely to lead to legal complications.
I somehow don't think the Admins would be convinced...
It might, however, be mildly entertaining to consider how Napoleon, or any other historical figure, would tackle the Covid-19 business, were s/he alive today, but that's probably a Circus thread...
Did Napoleon have any sort of inventive tech "wizard"? Like Eliz. I's John Dee, or Q in the Bond movies? Or a skilled {apothecary, herbalist, alchemist, healer}?
It is recorded that after the failure of the siege of Acre 1799, Napoleon dealt with plague-stricken men thus:
Bonaparte began with an army of 13,000 men; 1,500 were reported missing, 1,200 died in combat, and thousands perished from disease—mostly bubonic plague. He failed to reduce the fortress of Acre, so he marched his army back to Egypt in May. To speed up the retreat, Bonaparte ordered plague-stricken men to be poisoned with opium; the number who died remains disputed, ranging from a low of 30 to a high of 580.
Perhaps he didn't need an assistant...
OTOH, perhaps those who would have died from the bubonic plague in any case had an easier death than they might otherwise have had.
Did Napoleon have any sort of inventive tech "wizard"? Like Eliz. I's John Dee, or Q in the Bond movies? Or a skilled {apothecary, herbalist, alchemist, healer}?
I think Mr Johnson (or, maybe Cummings) has a homoeopath, certainly the government seems to think that watering down scientific advice will still be effective.
Comments
It was a fairly big thing over here at the time that Mo Mowlam refused the ongoing security detail that all her predecessors as Northern Ireland Secretary have been given. It was an endorsement of the new status quo following the Good Friday Agreement, but past events made it wise for everyone before her to have the bodyguard for life.
Correction due to cross-posting:
My
on this page was in response to
on the previous page.
Sorry for any confusion.
Doing it at either Leavenworth or Marion works!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Penitentiary,_Marion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Penitentiary,_Leavenworth
Leavenworth is a better-looking building, and might remind Trump of Washington DC...
"Club Fed" as I have heard it called.
For federal crimes, unfortunately yes.
Would he have Secret Service?
* yes, I know. But, wouldn't improving the training and salaries of prison guards be a better use of the secret service budget than putting extra guys in the jail.
Except national security and all that. If a former president is in danger from enemies that might kidnap or kill the president, unless a ransom is paid, secrets are revealed, etc., Secret Service (as good, or near its best) needs to keep the ex-pres safe.
Prison guards probably do need raises and training. But since horrible things happen in prisons all the time, they can't be relied on to keep an ex-pres safe.
Some say the damp atmosphere of St Helena, and the arsenic in the wallpaper paste (!), contributed to His Imperial Majesty's premature death.
Egg curry for tea, which is really boiled eggs with the remains of last night’s Thai green lentil curry.
I’m teaching in an hour (an introduction to a module on death, dying and bereavement) but after this evening I get a couple of week’s respite from evening tutorials. Hooray!
I stand corrected, and will amend my Directory of Murder Methods accordingly.
Imagine, if you will, a spacious cell, sunny, light, and papered in a pleasant Naples Yellow coloured patterned wallpaper.
Bearing in mind that the paper is impregnated with a form of antimony, consider now the following abstract from Wikipedia:
Antimony toxicity occurs either due to occupational exposure or during therapy. Occupational exposure may cause respiratory irritation, pneumoconiosis, antimony spots on the skin and gastrointestinal symptoms.
O dear. The paste used was not strong enough, and the inmate of the cell will therefore have to be constantly re-sticking his wallpaper to the walls.
A useful addition to my Directory of Murder Methods ('Subtle' section).
If only for worms.
I saw what you did there @Firenze
Which, of course, will have been purchased quite openly, for the purpose of cleaning off the mould behind the green wallpaper...
(BTW, I rather thought we were considering Simple but Effective ways of disposing of a more present-day Emperor...).
I'm afraid I was letting my imagination run away with me...
It might, however, be mildly entertaining to consider how Napoleon, or any other historical figure, would tackle the Covid-19 business, were s/he alive today, but that's probably a Circus thread...
Bonaparte began with an army of 13,000 men; 1,500 were reported missing, 1,200 died in combat, and thousands perished from disease—mostly bubonic plague. He failed to reduce the fortress of Acre, so he marched his army back to Egypt in May. To speed up the retreat, Bonaparte ordered plague-stricken men to be poisoned with opium; the number who died remains disputed, ranging from a low of 30 to a high of 580.
Perhaps he didn't need an assistant...
OTOH, perhaps those who would have died from the bubonic plague in any case had an easier death than they might otherwise have had.
Off to eat some word salad.