Patrick Dickson
Illinois
Xenophile, blue collar ethicist, 7th Beatle, part-time renunciate. "Know it all" is ironical, you see. Tikkun olam!
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Articles by Patrick Dickson
From the archives, 2005: Multiple messages delivered in huge DC protest
This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Mideast edition, Sept. 25, 2005. It is republished unedited in its original form. WASHINGTON — They came by bus from California. And Illinois. And New Mexico. And New York. Their message was simple. End the Iraq war. And Haiti interventionism. And torture. And the John Roberts nomination. And bigotry. Though the message drifted, the protesters were there in number.
From the archives, 2015: ‘Without polar bear, we are nothing’; Inuits bring hunting, heritage to Thule
This article first appeared in print in the Stars and Stripes Global edition, Jan. 15, 2015. It is republished unedited in its original form. THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — On a bitter late September day, in water temperatures at the base pier around 32 degrees, two Inuit men visiting Thule to demonstrate their culture took to the harbor in kayaks to show how they maneuver and roll and, mostly, how they stay alive.
From the archives, 2015: Missile Warning Operations Center keeps continuous eye out for missiles ‘launched in anger’
This article first appeared in print in the Stars and Stripes Global edition, Jan. 15, 2015. It is republished unedited in its original form. THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — In the dimly lit Missile Warning Operations Center, scrubbed of classified information before visitors enter, two airmen monitored the computer screens, watching for the telltale indicators of ballistic missile launches.
From the archives, 2015: Extreme conditions part of the landscape
This article first appeared in print in the Stars and Stripes Global edition, Jan. 15, 2015. It is republished unedited in its original form. THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — Legend has it that Eric the Red, father of famed explorer Leif Ericson, gave Greenland its name to attract settlers. It’s a plausible theory; the island is inhabited in dots along the southern coasts, since the interior is a frozen wasteland.
From the archives, 2015: At Thule Air Base in Greenland, vigilance and community
This article first appeared in print in the Stars and Stripes Global edition, Jan. 15, 2015. It is republished unedited in its original form. THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — It’s 8:36 on this early October morning, and the sun is starting to peek out from beyond South Mountain. The weekly charter flight is bringing people and supplies. It, too, makes an appearance over South Mountain as it begins to bank right, approaching the only runway here at Thule Air Base, America’s northernmost military base.
Is Your Bank's Overdraft Strategy Letting You Down?
Subscribe Now Get The Financial Brand's FREE Email Newsletter Many financial institutions are looking to use noninterest income to make up shortfalls in lending revenues. But with neobanks and megabanks slashing overdraft fees, community banks are in a tough spot. Here are some options to help solve the dilemma. By Patrick Dickson, SVP, Chief Research Analyst and Executive Strategist at Kasasa Subscribe Now! Stay on top of all the latest news and trends in banking industry.
Is Your Bank's Overdraft Strategy Letting You Down?
Many financial institutions are looking to use noninterest income to make up shortfalls in lending revenues. But with neobanks and megabanks slashing overdraft fees, community banks are in a tough spot. Here are some options to help solve the dilemma. By Patrick Dickson, SVP, Chief Research Analyst and Executive Strategist at Kasasa Subscribe Now! Stay on top of all the latest news and trends in banking industry. Untitled(Required) I accept the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Land Commission removes bottlenecks in land administration
Mr James E. K. Dadson Ag. Executive Secretary of Lands Commission addressing the institutional Excellence in Services Delivery through Modern Technology in Accra. Follow @Graphicgh The Acting Executive Secretary of Land Commission, James Kobina Dadson says measures had been put in place to address bottlenecks hampering effective land administration and management in the country.
How Banks Must Recalculate the True Value of Checking Accounts
Subscribe to The Financial Brand via email for FREE! We all received the same lecture on the first day of banking school, and it started with the professor writing three large letters on the freshly-cleaned blackboard: C. O. F. For good reason. Without a sharp eye on cost of funds (COF), banks and credit unions can expose themselves to interest rate risk (among many other pitfalls), with likely detrimental long-term effects.
Don't Surrender Retail Banking to Fintechs and Megabanks
Subscribe to The Financial Brand via email for FREE! Retail banking is enjoying a resurgence on all sides. Megabanks have been steadily corralling consumer deposits for decades, and their pace has quickened. Meanwhile, fintechs and neobanks continue to creep into consumers’ smartphones and wallets, positioning themselves as alternatives to the conventional banking ecosystem.
5 Growth Strategies Financial Institutions Can Use for 2021 and Beyond
Subscribe Now Get The Financial Brand Newsletter for FREE - Sign Up Now Comparing the pandemic to the Great Recession reveals some surprising, and crucial, differences. It tells us a lot about where the market is headed and which approaches community financial institutions can use to grow sustainably over the next five to ten years.
Unplug from cable news
This year, I ran for a trustee position in the village of Lindenhurst. Here are some observations from my campaign. Before I start, it's important I state this: Trustees are the legislative body in our village, determining matters of policy, approving ordinances and resolutions and shaping and approving the annual budget. Among the many things we don't decide is constitutional issues, such as the Second Amendment. We don't rule on abortion.
In fighting pandemic, pure individualism is a handicap
By Patrick Dickson Guest columnist Updated 4/2/2020 10:15 AM "Each person, withdrawn into himself, behaves as though he is a stranger to the destiny of all the others. His children and his good friends constitute for him the whole of the human species ... there no longer remains a sense of society." -- Alexis de Tocqueville There comes every few years a phrase that perfectly captures a cultural moment. "Irrational exuberance" was Alan Greenspan's way of telling investors to tread lightly.
Dec. 23 Army message on leaves, passes was meant to clarify existing policy
The Army has clarified its policy on leaves and passes and the rules for taking them consecutively. An Army MILPER message, #08-004, sent out Dec. 23 did not establish policy, but was intended to clarify existing policy. On Jan. 9, Stars and Stripes published a story that said a new leave policy meant that soldiers who combined leave with special holiday passes would now see the entire period charged to them as annual leave.
Remembering the victims of Kabul airport shooting
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — An Air Force Academy professor. An F-16 pilot. A contractor who had trained Iraqi helicopter pilots, himself a retired lieutenant colonel. As names of the nine U.S. personnel killed in Wednesday’s Kabul airport shooting trickled out in the media, it became clear that unlike many of the killings in Afghanistan, the victims were mostly officers, many with long Air Force careers.
VA announces high-level visit to ‘Candyland’ medical center
WASHINGTON — The VA announced Tuesday morning that Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson would later in the day visit a Wisconsin VA Medical Center known as “Candyland” by some veterans for its penchant for handing out painkillers. During Gibson’s visit, he will meet with “employees, facility leadership and stakeholders,” the Department of Veterans Affairs noted in its news release.
The best war movie ever? Results are in...
WASHINGTON — Stars and Stripes conducted a poll to see which war movie our readers thought was the best of all time. After 30 days, and more than 4,300 votes, we have a winner. Participants in the online poll overwhelmingly picked Steven Spielberg’s World War II masterpiece, “Saving Private Ryan,” as the best war movie of all time.
The best war movie ever? Results are in...
WASHINGTON — Participants in a Stars and Stripes online poll overwhelmingly picked Steven Spielberg’s World War II masterpiece, “Saving Private Ryan,” as the best war movie of all time. Its primary draw, as one commenter noted, is “that twenty-minute stretch for the beginning will captivate anyone who watches,” referencing the film’s gripping depiction of Ranger Capt.
Veteran recounts Brian Williams ditching Medal of Honor event for SNL
WASHINGTON — Brian Williams’ on-air apology last week rang hollow to a number of veterans. Perhaps none more so than Boston firefighter Neal Santangelo. In Sunday editions of the Boston Herald, Santangelo recounted for columnist Peter Gelzinis how, at the last minute, Williams had told organizers of a 2006 Congressional Medal of Honor banquet in the city that a “pressing engagement” would prevent him from serving as master of ceremonies and keynote speaker, as he’d agreed to do six months earlier.
Brian Williams suspended from NBC News for 6 months without pay
WASHINGTON — NBC has suspended Nightly News anchor Brian Williams for six months without pay for fabricating stories about his time in Iraq and elsewhere, the network announced late Tuesday. "We have decided today to suspend Brian Williams as Managing Editor and Anchor of NBC Nightly News for six months," the president of NBC News, Deborah Turness, wrote to the staff.
Veteran recounts Brian Williams ditching Medal of Honor event for SNL
WASHINGTON — Brian Williams’ on-air apology last week rang hollow to a number of veterans. Perhaps none more so than Boston firefighter Neal Santangelo. In Sunday editions of the Boston Herald, Santangelo recounted for columnist Peter Gelzinis how, at the last minute, Williams had told organizers of a 2006 Congressional Medal of Honor banquet in the city that a “pressing engagement” would prevent him from serving as master of ceremonies and keynote speaker, as he’d agreed to do six months earlier.
Boston veteran recounts Brian Williams ditching event for SNL
WASHINGTON — Brian Williams’ on-air apology last week rang hollow to a number of veterans. Perhaps none more so than Boston firefighter Neal Santangelo. In Sunday editions of the Boston Herald, Santangelo recounted for columnist Peter Gelzinis how, at the last minute, Williams had told organizers of a 2006 Congressional Medal of Honor banquet in the city that a “pressing engagement” would prevent him from serving as master of ceremonies and keynote speaker, as he’d agreed to do six months earlier.
Williams steps away from news desk after Iraq story called into question
WASHINGTON — NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, facing withering criticism for “misremembering” events in Iraq in 2003, is voluntarily taking a leave of absence while the network investigates his reporting. On Friday, NBC Universal sent out a news release in which the news division’s president, Deborah Turness, said in part: “We have a team dedicated to gathering the facts to help us make sense of all that has transpired.
Brian Williams steps away from news desk after Iraq story called into question
WASHINGTON — NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, facing withering criticism for “misremembering” events in Iraq in 2003, is voluntarily taking a leave of absence while the network investigates his reporting. On Friday, NBC Universal sent out a news release in which the news division’s president, Deborah Turness, said in part: “We have a team dedicated to gathering the facts to help us make sense of all that has transpired.
Army to award Purple Heart to Fort Hood shooting victims
WASHINGTON — The Army announced Friday that it will award the Purple Heart and its civilian counterpart, the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom, to victims of a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 wounded in the attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan, who was convicted in August 2013, of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder.
The Inuits
THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — On a bitter late September day, in water temperatures at the base pier around 32 degrees, two Inuit men visiting Thule to demonstrate their culture took to the harbor in kayaks to show how they maneuver and roll, and mostly, how they stay alive. “Cold,” said Outdlaq Qujaukitsoq, as he splashed water on his face before executing rolls in the frigid water.
Life at Thule - Stars and Stripes
THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — It’s 8:36 on this early October morning, and the sun is starting to peek out from beyond South Mountain. The weekly charter flight is bringing people and supplies. It too makes an appearance over South Mountain as it begins to bank right, approaching the only runway here at Thule Air Base, America’s northernmost military base. Inside the operations building, the command staff is joking with each other and getting ready for a weekly ritual. “Ready?” Out they go.
Top of the World
THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — It’s 8:36 on this early October morning, and the sun is starting to peek out from beyond South Mountain. The weekly charter flight is bringing people and supplies. It too makes an appearance over South Mountain as it begins to bank right, approaching the only runway here at Thule Air Base, America’s northernmost military base. Inside the operations building, the command staff is joking with each other and getting ready for a weekly ritual. “Ready?” Out they go.
Home
THULE AIR BASE, Greenland — It’s 8:36 on this early October morning, and the sun is starting to peek out from beyond South Mountain. The weekly charter flight is bringing people and supplies. It too makes an appearance over South Mountain as it begins to bank right, approaching the only runway here at Thule Air Base, America’s northernmost military base. Inside the operations building, the command staff is joking with each other and getting ready for a weekly ritual. “Ready?” Out they go.
Troops in Iraq: We were exposed to chemical warfare agents
A New York Times investigation this year found a “previously untold chapter” of the U.S. campaign in Iraq, with more than 600 servicemembers coming forward to say they believe they were exposed to chemical warfare agents.
Capitol improvements: 2-year project refurbishes Washington's most famous dome
Scaffolding covers the dome of the U.S. Capitol during the restoration project. WASHINGTON — Dirty work is going on at the highest levels of government. Atop the roof of the U.S. Capitol, in front of its apex covered in scaffolding, officials on Tuesday provided an update on a two-year restoration project that planners say will add 50 to 75 years to the life of the cast-iron dome.
President salutes troops with White House concert
The White House is colored in red, white and blue to celebrate "A Salute to the Troops: In Performance at the White House" on the South Lawn on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014, in Washington, D.C. The President and first lady invited music legends, members of the U.S. military, military veterans, and their families to the White House for a celebration of the men and women who serve the United States.
Republican triumph could force Obama’s hand on Islamic State
WASHINGTON — The Republican rout in Tuesday’s midterm elections is widely seen as a repudiation of President Barack Obama’s policies, and high on the list of public discontent is the White House’s foreign policy. Democrats took a beating at all levels, but the most significant defeat came in the Senate. By taking seven seats from the Democrats with three still in play Wednesday morning, Republicans commandeered both Houses of Congress, and will in January take over committee chairmanships.
Dachau: Concentration camp exterminated thousands in the midst of everyday life
It seems to me that there are three reasons to visit a concentration camp. One is a morbid curiosity about the mechanics of evil, the weird desire to see exactly where and how the worst crimes in the 20th century were perpetuated. The second would be a more general desire to touch history, the same desire that makes people want to visit Hadrian’s Wall or the Vatican. The third, and the reason I went (though Nos. 1 and 2 figured into it), was to pay my respects.
Air assets from Arab nations joining coalition against Islamic State
WASHINGTON — The United States has enlisted the help of Arab militaries in pursuing attacks on fighters of the Islamic State within Syria. The Pentagon said that Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates participated in air attacks, with Qatar’s air force providing unspecified support though not attacking ground targets.
Obama to award 3 Medals of Honor
WASHINGTON — The White House announced late Tuesday that President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor to two soldiers who fought during the Vietnam War. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins and Army Spc. 4 Donald P. Sloat will be honored Sept. 15 for conspicuous gallantry. Adkins will receive the Medal of Honor for his actions while serving as an intelligence sergeant assigned to Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. Then-Sgt.
Former Stars and Stripes reporter Foley beheaded by militants
Former Stars and Stripes reporter James Foley in Syria, 2012. WASHINGTON — Former Stars and Stripes reporter James Foley has been beheaded by Islamic State militants after being held in Syria for more than two years. Reports, some including grotesque photos and video, surfaced late Tuesday on Twitter. Foley deployed to Afghanistan for Stars and Stripes in 2011. He disappeared while working as a freelance journalist in northwest Syria on Nov. 22, 2012.
Former Stars and Stripes reporter Foley beheaded by militants
Former Stars and Stripes reporter James Foley in Syria, 2012. WASHINGTON — Former Stars and Stripes reporter James Foley has been killed by Islamic State militants after being held in Syria for more than two years. Reports, some including grotesque photos and video, surfaced late Tuesday on Twitter. Foley deployed to Afghanistan for Stars and Stripes in 2011. He disappeared while working as a freelance journalist in northwest Syria on Nov. 22, 2012.
Former Stars and Stripes reporter Foley beheaded by militants
WASHINGTON – Former Stars and Stripes reporter James Foley has been killed by Islamic State militants after being held in Syria for more than two years. Reports, some including grotesque photos and video, surfaced late Tuesday on Twitter. Foley deployed to Afghanistan for Stars and Stripes in 2011. He disappeared while working as a freelance journalist in northwest Syria on Nov. 22, 2012.
USA Discounters fined, ordered to stop unfair sales practices
A location of USA Discounters is seen on June 24 in Norfolk, Va. WASHINGTON — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Thursday ended a scam run by USA Discounters, Ltd., a company that operates a chain of retail stores near military bases and offers financing for purchases, according to a news release. The CFPB said it has obtained more than $350,000 in refunds for servicemembers harmed by this scam, and USA Discounters will pay an additional $50,000 civil penalty.
Marine who urinated on Taliban in video found dead
WASHINGTON — A Marine Corps combat veteran at the center of controversy when a video surfaced showing Marines urinating on Taliban corpses was found dead Wednesday night, according to a report in the Marine Corps Times. Retired Cpl. Robert Richards, 28, died at his home in Jacksonville, North Carolina, according to Guy Womack, his attorney and friend. An autopsy is being conducted, Womack said, adding that the cause of death does not appear to be self-inflicted.
McDonald announces outside audit for VA schedulers
WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs has begun an independent, nationwide review of all scheduling practices at VA medical facilities, according to new VA Secretary Bob McDonald. During a visit to the Phoenix clinic where reports of bad scheduling practices first surfaced, McDonald also announced a series of additional actions to improve veterans’ access to timely, quality health care following a series of meetings with veterans and employees, according to a VA news release.
Pitt to star as Gen. McChrystal in Afghanistan war flick
WASHINGTON — Hollywood is going to war again, and this time, Brad Pitt is in charge. Pitt will star as Gen.
Hearing delayed for Fort Hood soldier implicated in sex ring
WASHINGTON — The Article 32 hearing for an Army sergeant at Fort Hood in Texas, who was tasked with helping prevent sexual assault but is alleged to have prostituted junior soldiers, has been delayed. According to a Wednesday news release from Fort Hood, a defense counsel request for a delay of the hearing for Sgt. 1st Class Gregory McQueen.
Commissaries avoid cuts, but at cost to customers
WASHINGTON — The long-feared cuts to military commissaries appear to be real: The Defense Department subsidy would drop from $1.4 billion annually to $400 million under a defense budget proposal the Obama administration plans to deliver to Congress next week, Pentagon officials announced Monday. The commissary cut will be accomplished not by eliminating any commissary locations, but by reducing the amount of savings over civilian markets that servicemembers enjoy.
Obama orders DOD to plan for full withdrawal from Afghanistan
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has ordered the Defense Department to begin planning for a full U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan if a key security agreement between the two countries is not signed, the White House announced Tuesday. In a phone call to Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Obama said that United States was still willing to negotiate a limited U.S. troop presence to train Afghan security forces and hunt al-Qaida.
Obama orders DOD to plan for full withdrawal from Afghanistan
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has ordered the Defense Department to begin planning for a full U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan if a key security agreement between the two countries is not signed, the White House announced Tuesday. In a phone call to Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Obama said that United States was still willing to negotiate a limited U.S. troop presence to train Afghan security forces and hunt al-Qaida.
Commissaries avoid cuts, but at cost to customers
WASHINGTON — The long-feared cuts to military commissaries appear to be real: The Defense Department subsidy would drop from $1.4 billion annually to $400 million under a defense budget proposal the Obama administration plans to deliver to Congress next week, Pentagon officials announced Monday. The commissary cut will be accomplished not by eliminating any commissary locations, but by reducing the amount of savings over civilian markets that servicemembers enjoy.
Commissaries avoid cuts, but at cost to customers
Customers wait in line for the grand opening of the new commissary at Fort Campbell, Ky. on June 13, 2012. WASHINGTON — The long-feared cuts to military commissaries appear to be real: The Defense Department subsidy would drop from $1.4 billion annually to $400 million under a defense budget proposal the Obama administration plans to deliver to Congress next week, Pentagon officials announced Monday.
Obama to award 24 Medals of Honor
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor to 24 Army veterans for conspicuous gallantry, correcting what was in some cases decades of discrimination. These veterans will be honored for their valor during major combat operations in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, the White House announced late Friday. Among the recipients will be 19 Hispanic, Jewish and African-American veterans overlooked previously because of their racial or ethnic backgrounds.
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