The hacktivist group Anonymous is ramping up its war on ISIS with the release of information how to take down social media accounts associated with the terrorist organization.
In a Pastebin post, Anonymous explained why they are stepping up the digital assault against ISIS and how they plan to do it.
“This system coordinates all of the efforts so that they are all working together and sharing to ensure a highly effective fighting force. Its results are staggering. When people work together, they are unstoppable,” the group said in explaining their tactics.
The guides provided by Anonymous detail such things as DDoS-ing, cracking passwords, and how to take down an account. In response, members of ISIS have sent around information on how to not get hacked, recalling details such as not talking to strangers or changing one’s IP repeatedly.
The group has also received recognition from official antiterrorism groups. Retired American General David Petraeus said in an recent interview that what he has seen so far of Anonymous’ work “would be of considerable value to those engaged in counter-terrorism initiatives.”
But could this form of vigilantism actually be of any help? Computer security blogger Olivier Laurelli told AFP that it could harm police operations to find members of ISIS.
“To close those accounts is to leave police deaf and blind around some matters,” Laurelli the French news service. “It is important to know that one account is in France, another in Syria or in Iraq.”
Furthermore, the wrong person could be accused or attacked.
Sunil Tripathi was identified by members of Reddit as the man who had coordinated the Boston Marathon bombing. News outlets such as the BBC reported him as the prime suspect by the FBI, but Tripathi was found dead shortly after the brothers Tsarnev were arrested.
Not only did the Reddit users’ actions take away from the actual perpetrators of the crime, it applied guilt onto a person who wasn’t guilty and may have led to their deaths.
It is unclear whether Anonymous will have a similar record in combating ISIS.
Cover Photo Credit: Pierre (Rennes)/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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Could Prince Charles Become A Revolutionary King?
Long Live the King?
Queen Elizabeth II has been the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, but what will the monarchy look like when her son, Prince Charles of Wales, ascends to the throne?
While the monarchy is mostly a symbolic institution for the state and the government, the role of the monarchy within the Unites Kingdom is meant to remain political neutral; showing no favorability of one party over another.
The UK is a constitutional monarchy, meaning that the monarchy has some technical state authority; however, it must be in line with the constitution.
The UK gives royal assent to Parliament who then has the power to create and enforce legislation.
Within a Parliamentary system, people vote on a political party who has its own leader.
The leader of the winning political party then becomes the prime minister and is made official by the monarch.
The prime minister meets weekly with the monarch to inform him or her of the current matters of state, but the monarch does not have the ability to set any political policies, at least not officially.
Queen Elizabeth is well known for her lack of public political views.
But her son is something different.
Prince Charles seems to be challenging the political role of the monarchy by showing a large involvement in politics and voicing his opinions.
Some are worried that he may try to be a political force when he eventually takes the throne. (Queen Elizabeth is 90 years old)
Photo Credit: University of Essex ./ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Prince Charles has been more transparent about his political views after the publishing of his letters to government ministers from 2004-05, also known as the “black spider” memos, about a variety of his political views in 2015.
In the memos, Prince Charles states his political views concerning problems ranging from dairy-farming to the UK’s armed forces in Iraq.
He has also in recent years become a strong supporter of taking aggressive action in combating climate change.
Even though the monarchy is meant to be apolitical, it seems strange that the rulers of a democratic society, where free speech is considered a natural right, are meant to keep opinions concealed.
Monarchs do not even have the ability to vote in this case because of their duty to remain neutral.
Why is this exclusive group meant to remain quiet?
If a monarch were to present opinions regarding matters of state and sway the opinions of citizens to be in favor of one particular political party, the monarch would then have some control within matter of state and forming legislation.
While they are meant to act as figure heads and a symbol of national unity, this could be viewed as undemocratic in the sense that monarchs are not democratically elected by the people, and would be in violation of the constitution.
Geoffrey Wheatcroft, a well-known journalist and strong defender of the monarchy recently launched a campaign to get Charles to step aside and allow his oldest son- Prince William take the throne.
This doesn’t seem to be a real possibility.
However the idea of a King who gets too involved in contemporary politics is a thought that has pierced through the British zeitgeist before.
In 1993, the British version of House of Cards ran a four episode miniseries titled “To Play The King.” In it, Conservative Prime Minister Francis Urquhart has to fend off a popular and strongly liberal King.
(Spoiler alert: Urquhart is able to win in the end because the British public grew uneasy with a King who involved himself so deeply in politics.)
Prince Charles is also considered “revolutionary” in the fact that he was divorced.
While Prince Charles is widely known, his ex-wife, Princess Diana, stole the attention and hearts of millions across the globe acting as an inspirational link between citizens and the monarchy.
Photo Credit: Peter Broster/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Previously, it was frowned upon for monarchs to get a divorce, let alone be in a relationship with a divorcee.
This was the main reason Prince Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee, causing his brother to take the throne and later his daughter the current queen.
Times have changed, but the perception of monarchs getting a divorce is not looked well upon, nonetheless the scandal surrounding the marriage of Charles and Diana.
Charles is also scandalous in the fact that it is rumored he was having an affair with his current wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, now Duchess of Cornwall, while still married to Princess Diana.
Public opinion of a “King Charles” fell after the divorce and sudden death of Princess Diana.
Would the British public abide a King who tried to push a political agenda?
We might get a chance to find out.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: Steenbergs/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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We Wrote This Fake News Story On April Fools Day To Get You To Click On It
We wrote this fake news story on April Fools Day in a desperate attempt to get you to visit our website so we can generate revenue by showing you advertising.
We also did it because we have problems with valuing our self-worth and badly want you to validate our existence.
The longer we are able to keep you convinced that this is a real article and not just some desperate attempt to show you that we have a sense of humor or are well-adjusted human beings, the more revenue we can generate.
While we could have just continued to go about our normal business and stuck to reporting original stories that millennials care about, we’ve decided to waste your time.
The fact that you still think that there may be a real story forthcoming in this particular post is actually more of a reflection of you as a reader, than us as a content creator.
Sometimes we use pull quotes like this to show you something really important in the text. This time, we are just using it to dick around with you.
Here’s a picture that will keep you on the page for about three seconds more than you would have without it:
This is an actual photo that you can find on Creative Commons Search. We think it is a porn thing or something like that. But thanks for spending a few more seconds reading this. Love you. Photo Credit: Bill Strain/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Now listen to this song so you can stay here longer. Please never leave us. We don’t do well with rejection.
And we DON’T CARE WHAT THE DOCTORS SAY.
This is a nice song right?
We’re not sure anymore:
Dark and light. Black and white. Content and chaos. God is content and content is God.
Filler sentence to serve as a bridge from one content piece to another one because that is how much we value you as a consumer of information in the 21st century:
This is the British Prime Minister. Isn’t he pretty? Well that’s not us. We’re not meant to be pretty mother says. Mother says we are meant for something else. We are meant to be the tile that pretty man is standing on. Please stand on us dear reader so we can generate revenue through banner advertisements. Photo Credit: Steve Bowbrick/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
Just tell us what you what and we’ll do it.
Anything.
Just tell us and we’ll take of it.
We aren’t people anymore but mere cave dwellers who live for the rare moments when our kidneys are filled with clicks.
But times have been tough lately. The clicks aren’t flowing upstream like they’ve been for generations. Some blame climate change. Other say it’s Monsanto or Obama. But we know the true source for our plight- all of humanity.
Loading ...If you have made it this far through this story then you’ve probably realized that this is not a news article at all but a mere ruse to generate revenue through web advertising.
You have caught us in the act and we are ashamed.
But what’s this?
You weren’t expecting us to pull out this switchblade were you? You didn’t think we had it in us.
(disembodied laughing)
Well NOW YOU KNOW HOW SERIOUS WE REALLY ARE DON’T YOU?
TIME TO PLAY A LITTLE GAME BATMAN,
———————————————-[PAYWALL]—————————————–
Yes, this is a April Fools Day parody article. But please tell us you knew that already.
Cover Photo Credit: stanjourdan/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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North Miami Beach Enters Farmers Market Game With Monthly Event
What’s New With This Story:
-North Miami Beach Farmers And Artisanal Market debuted to a solid showing the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
-The Market will run monthly starting in January.
-NMB Commissioner Marlen Martell has worked on delivering a Farmers Market to the city for years.
-Martell teamed up with Wynwood Farmers Market CEO Melissa Frantz to get the project off the ground this year.
The North Miami Beach Farmers And Artisanal Market opened on November 19.
The market is North Miami Beach’s first entry into the farmers market game and will become a monthly event starting in January.
The market was created after NMB Commissioner Marlen Martell approached Wynwood Farmers Market CEO Melissa Frantz.
NMB Commissioner Marlen Martell (L) and Wynwood Farmers Market CEO Melissa Frantz (R) were the driving forces behind the market.
Martell had long dreamed of bringing a market to NMB and was impressed by what Frantz had accomplished in Wynwood.
“I went to the one she runs in Wynwood, and it was fabulous,” Martell said in an interview.
Frantz worked with the city to develop the market and was given a big boost by local attorney Victor Dante when he offered to let his parking lot be used for the event.
Over 20 vendors had booths at the event and hundreds of local residents attended.
“I think the vendors are happy,” Frantz said of the first event. “Generally everyone made some sales and they want it to be successful.”
“This could become a really great market. The community really wants it,” Frantz said. “We could easily double what we had today. It brings community together.
Allison Academy provided the musical entertainment at the event.
The next NMB Farmers Market will be on January 20, 2018. The venue will be announced.
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