Oli's blog

Civil liberty. It's a funny thing. Far too much of it and you risk anarchy. Far too little? Oh, you only risk a totalitarian state. It would appear today that two passengers, who were Muslim (shock, horror, catastrophy), were refused to board a flight to Pakistan after they objected to being put through the full body scanner at Manchester Airport. This scanner scans your full body and the resultant image provides an under-clothing gawp for the security drone, including a pretty intimate outline of your genitals. I'm not saying we should remove airport security, but I am wondering why on Earth we suddenly need these new full body scanners.

What, please tell, was wrong with the older scanners? If the argument is that they're not as effective as the new machines, why are passengers that fly from any UK airport other than Heathrow or Manchester (owned by BAA) being put as risk? If it's because the old machines made processing passengers more efficient, why do we not have these new fangled gadgets of oppression at Gatwick and Stansted (also owned by BAA) - they're far busier than Manchester? No, sadly, the answer is alot more simple.

Aviation security in the western world has become a bit of a farce. Governments and airport companies and authorities need to ensure that they look like they're doing something to prevent terroism. There's a string of bureaucracy involved on an unprecedented level. Instead of making aviation security effective and as compliant with basic civil liberty as is possible (without impeding the task at hand), we come up with expensive and authoritarian rules that don't seem very effective and yet have one over on us. Fantastic. Splendid. The terrorists really are winning. I know a few pilots and have seen the opinions of many others and many hold contempt for the whole sham. Can you really blame them?

Nevermind. What can we do? Afterall, they have our best vote, err, I mean interest at heart. I suppose it's another record for Manchester Airport, not only do they now have the most rude security staff, but they're also the first UK airport to flex this new muscle. Anyway, let's raise a glass - here's to one more victory against personal privacy.

No, I'm not referring to the martial-arts-packed film. I'm referring to me. Don't worry, I do still remember my name, but instead I'm talking about who I am as a person. I felt this would satisfy as an introduction.

My name, rather uninspiringly, is Oliver Batt and I'm, at the time of writing, seventeen years of age. I live in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, United Kingdom; not very far from Cardiff. I'm currently in my first year of Sixth Form studying History, Politics and Geology. I'm particularly interested in history, politics and economics and, subject to a few possible courses of action, I intend to study either Politics and Economics or Economics at Bath University. Other interests of mine include science, computing and travel. I'm becoming more interested in the creative arts as well, such as the theatre and ballet. Musically, I like classical, with my favourite composers including Handel, Bach and Mozart as well as more contemporary artists such as Einaudi; though I will listen to other styles as well. I'm utterly useless at foreign languages, but have toyed with learning French and/or Italian. In addition, I'm keen about flying.

Telling you what I like is rather easy and it may help you build up an idea of who I am, but there's a far better way of doing this - learning who someone is politically. Unfortuantely, this is far more difficult to answer. I can begin by telling you that I'm right of centre and I dabble with several principles of conservative ideology. I don't always fully agree with the Conservative Party, but I am more likely a Tory than anything else. I'm in some way a mix between a Free-Market Conservative and Traditional Conservatism. My belief in free enterprise and business, small government, less taxation and a reduced (but not destroyed) welfare state would be my more Free-Market Toryism, though I am not an Atlanticist. More Traditionally Tory, I believe in the established church, a united Britain (opposing devolution and the EU) and the family, however, I am happy with the abortion laws as they are now. I am, of course, a strong monarchist and nationally conservative. As I am socially and economically liberal, mixed with conservative ideals, I would describe myself as a liberal conservative and a Tory.

 So, that's about it. There's not much more I could say without sending you to sleep; a rather arrogant assumption that I haven't already.