WASPI's Is (Mostly) a Campaign for Inequality

Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) has mounted a vociferous campaign for full compensation to be given to ‘1950s women’ who, it argues, have suffered severe financial hardship as a result of the rise in their state pension age from age 60. That campaign has gained significant political traction, with much sympathy expressed for the plight of those affected and acceptance (most notably by the Scottish National Party and the Labour Party) that some form of compensation is urgently needed. But WASPI fails to acknowledge the rise in the state pension age's roots in the fight for women's equality, disregards the fact that the problems experienced by this cohort as they near retirement are faced by both women and men and glosses over the fact that the increase in pension age above 65 applies to both genders equally. Its campaign obscures deeper and more important issues in old‐age income replacement.     

Compressed Development

In this paper we argue that the path of economic development for would-be developers has changed fundamentally since the 1980s. Focusing on East Asia, and taking a broad perspective that spans the economic and social dimensions of development, we contend that the path charted by the “late development” model has become all but impassible. The path is now better conceived as one of “compressed development.” Key differences are 1) the extent and consequences of compression; 2) the primary mode of engagement with the world economy—via global value chains; and 3) the interaction of these. Compressed development forces states to address a number of simultaneous challenges, resulting in “policy stretch.” We identify key features of an “adaptive state” suited to navigating the path of compressed development.     

Tanzania's expert-led planning: An assessment

In common with most other African nations, a combination of expanding aid inflows and critical manpower shortages in Tanzania has enabled foreign planning experts to exert a growing strategic influence over the design of regional and rural development. Despite certain undoubted benefits attributable to the work of these experts, this broader assessment concludes that their contribution is often ineffective in the shorter term, and frequently damaging and distorting in the longer term. Widespread procedural problems ranging from time and logistic constraints and relative ignorance, together with the difficulties arising from the role of outside experts vis-à-vis the local planning bureaucracy, including elitism, poor communication and excessive demands, partly explain this. More fundamental distortions are the result of their tendency to displace rather than supplement local capacity, the perpetuation of dependence mentality, their removal from the implementation process and unfortunate demonstration effects consequent upon their privileged working and personal lifestyles. The negative outcome of Tanzania's continuing expertise dependence is discussed, and doubt is cast on the transferability of planning expertise from rich to poor nations.     

Credit cards and the forensic document examiner

Credit card fraud has spiraled to incredible heights. With this increase the requests for document analysis has also spiraled. The questioned document examiner is now confronted with a new medium of fraud, the credit card. Here handwriting comparisons alone are not sufficient. This paper examines the technical procedures used by the credit card industry as it applies to the questioned document examiner. It discusses the gamut of techniques from who makes the plastic to the finished card. Special attention is given to the manufacturers of embossers and imprinters.