Benjamin Reese
Bio
A journeyman.
Stories (19/0)
The Trial of Ghislaine Maxwell
As I write this editorial, one of the most problematic and controversial trails of our lifetime is unfolding. The trial of the United States vs. Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell is a former socialite charged with the recruiting, grooming, and exploitation of under-aged girls for sex and sexual favors for the now deceased and disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein. Maxwell is also accused of joining in on the acts themselves as well as administering profuse harassment after the encounters. Formally, Maxwell is being charged for the following;
By Benjamin Reeseabout a year ago in Criminal
Fight Thoughts
The weekend of Friday November 5th to Saturday November 6th 2021 brought an astronomical amount of anticipation for combat sports fans. From live crowds back in the O2 in Dublin, to Madison Square Garden completing another chapter in their endless epic of fight history, this star-studded weekend did not disappoint. With every contest came queries after. You could argue that for the fans and pundits alike, we were all left with more questions than answers once the dust had settled in regards to what’s next for some these athletes. With that said, let’s take a look at each major event throughout the weekend and try and make sense of the chaos that unfolded.
By Benjamin Reeseabout a year ago in Unbalanced
The Fall of Afghanistan
Twenty years. Twenty grueling years the United States occupied the Afghan countryside with a security presence unlike any operation previously performed by our military. October 15th, 1999 would be the catalytic day in Afghan history when the United Nations would adopt Resolution 1267. This resolution effectively recognized Al-Qaeda and the Taliban as a global threat to peace and sovereignty. The resolution would sanction the group’s ability for funding, travel, and arms shipments. Regardless, the post-Soviet civil war provided a sanctuary for the growth of Al-Qaeda and their operations. On September 9th, 2001 Ahmad Shah Massoud, commander of the Northern Alliance, an anti-Taliban coalition, was assassinated by Al-Qaeda. This would open the doors even wider for the extremists, by affectively eliminating the lone, in-country, resistance towards their unforgiving crusade. With Massoud gone, this ensures protection for Al-Qaeda’s leader Osama Bin Laden.
By Benjamin Reese2 years ago in The Swamp
The Real Threat
At this very moment, there are world powers that hold the capability to end 90 percent of the United States population without the use of direct force. Instead of automatic weapons and nuclear bombs, the tactics of choice include phishing, ransomware, malware, watering hole attacks, and numerous other developed techniques that derive from the space of online warfare. Cyber Terrorism is this countries greatest threat to liberty, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. In the last 2 years alone the United States has been teased by attacks from foreign adversaries targeting core pillars in American infrastructure. The examples highlighted in this op-ed are what seemed to be the most alarming cases of cyber terrorism directed towards the United States.
By Benjamin Reese2 years ago in 01
A United Ireland
Ireland has been torn between two ideological religions; The Protestants in the North, and the Catholics in the South. This divide has led to bloodshed, and political turmoil for the Irish. As a proud Irish-American descendant, I would argue that what’s best for the island is a united Ireland. Economic status would be revamped drastically for the better. The benefit towards enterprise and business will generate employment and a better condition under infrastructure. The costs generated towards the upkeep of the hard border should be dispersed towards other factions of infrastructure that support the quality of living standards, especially in and around the border towns. Political identity will become political individuality in a united Ireland. Conflict will see a drastic decline, if not an end; but there are always factors that come into play when the game of diplomatic chess is being played.
By Benjamin Reese4 years ago in The Swamp
Thank You, Mr. Bourdain
I'm not really sure where to begin. June 8, 2018 the world lost one of its greatest admirers in Anthony Bourdain. He was an American icon. A celebrity chef, author, and television personality by profession, but as a human being, he was a rebel, a bad boy, and an absolute inspiration. His work opened the eyes of millions towards what this world has to offer us. Every night at 9 o'clock we escaped on a journey with Tony for one hour, to wherever he found himself on this Earth. With those travels, Tony revealed culinary culture, exposed tribal tendencies, and pushed the limit towards what we, the human being, accept as normality. It was always a reminder that there is so much more to this life than our cell phones and Starbucks. Maybe that reminder is what killed him.
By Benjamin Reese5 years ago in Psyche
Progression of Depresison
Every morning at 3:30 I reluctantly roll out of bed and take 150 milligrams of Zoloft, a prescribed anti-depressant that I've been on since the age of 12. Originally I had been prescribed it for anger issues. But throughout my physical development as a young man, the anger that derived from the chaotic environment I was surrounded by eventually morphed into depression. That depression has led me down paths in life that a 21-year-old shouldn't have had to go through. Lack of confidence topped with the fear of loss was more then a cloud above my head, but more so a noose around my neck. My anger was unstable. Every encounter with an individual would require an analysis of their character, and a thought on how to break them. Confrontation was comfortable.
By Benjamin Reese5 years ago in Psyche
