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MIKE D.
Co-founder of Newsvine.
Articles Posted: 12; Links Seeded: 122
Member Since: 8/2005Last Seen: 11/06/2009
Member Since: 8/2005Last Seen: 11/06/2009
239 Comments
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John McCain's MySpace page, with artificial lifestyle-tolerance implant.
The red herring that tipped me off. Who sends design requests to John McCain???
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If you visit John McCain's MySpace page (as of 9am PST Tuesday morning), you will notice an interesting announcement from him. He's apparently reversed his position on gay marriage as well as revealed a bias towards attractive lesbians.
Why would a presidential candidate make such an important announcement on his MySpace page?
The answer? He wouldn't.
But I would.
You see, John McCain's people commandeered my world-renowned MySpace design template and did a few things wrong:
- They did not credit me for the template, even though the template explicitly requested credit.
- They used my own unmodified imagery, specifically for the "Contacting John McCain" table.
- As if #2 wasn't bad enough, the McCain crew is actually pulling their image directly from my server on each page load. So every time someone visits the McCain MySpace page, my bandwidth is being used to deliver part of the page! Bad McCain!
So...
Numerous people have written me over the last few weeks to tell me that McCain has been using my code, but up until I realized he was pulling images from my server, I didn't really care. A lot of celebrities including Ryan "Van Wilder" Reynolds and the beautiful Nelly Furtado use my code and I'm totally cool with it.
But then I read the article in today's Newsweek about how politicians are all setting up MySpace pages in order to "connect" with younger audiences. McCain's MySpace page is listed, as are the pages from several other candidates. I think the idea of politicians setting up MySpace pages and pretending to actually use them is a bit disingenuous, so I figured it was time to play a little prank on Johnny Mac.
Luckily, I had already set up a special .htaccess rule on my server which served my real "contact me" image if the image was referenced from my own MySpace page, and served up a sample image if it was served from anywhere else. This is the whole reason I even figured out what was going on. I had my real image in cache and upon loading McCain's page, the real image showed up (including my special note that said "NO REQUESTS FOR DESIGN HELP PLEASE"). Thinking it was weird that McCain would get any requests for design help, I immediately realized what happened.
So, the only thing necessary to effectively commandeer McCain's page with my own messaging was to simply replace my own sample image on my server with a newly created sample on my server. No server but my own was touched and no laws were broken. The immaculate hack.
Abortion? The Iraq War? Probably too heavy to joke about. Gay marriage seemed like a more of a non-lethal subject to center the prank around.
So with a few minutes in Photoshop and a quick FTP, a new John McCain was born...
...and The Straight-Talk Express isn't just for straight people anymore.
Note: Before McCain fans comment on this, let me reiterate that this was a prank. I'm not politically inclined, I'm not anti-McCain, and I'd have a beer with the guy anytime. Election season on Newsvine is sure going to be fun though.
355 Votes- Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.
Published to:
- Mike D.'s Column, All of Newsvine
- Groups: Queer Finds on "Straight Talk", The Drollhouse
- Regions: none
 | Newsvine founder hacks McCain's MySpace page | Daily Kos | Wed Mar 28 | 0 |
| Mike, You Are On Ananova! | Ananova | Thu Mar 29 | 0 |
| Sen. McCain's MySpace page commandeered for a 'prank' | Computerworld | Tue Mar 27 | 7 |
| Seattle Internet CEO 'traps' Sen. McCain | Seattle Post-Intelligencer | Wed Mar 28 | 0 |
| "Straight-Talk Express" not just for straight people anymore? | Wired News | Tue Mar 27 | 0 |
- Public Discussion (238)
- Queer Finds on "Straight Talk" (0)
- Public Discussion (0)
- The Drollhouse
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139
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17
4.2
{"commentId":609322,"authorDomain":"shpigford"}
Classic. I've worked with my fair share of political campaigns and can vouch for the fact that a large percentage of those involved are world class idiots.
{"commentId":609322,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"shpigford"}
- 15 votes
#1 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:12 PM EDT{"commentId":613949,"authorDomain":"ISPY"}
{"commentId":613949,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"ISPY"}
{"commentId":614080,"authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}
What does that have to do with Josh's comment besides a bit of self-promotion?
{"commentId":614080,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":609334,"authorDomain":"catherine"}
This is hysterical - reminds me of when Ronald Reagan used Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA". Nice catch!
{"commentId":609334,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"catherine"}
- 12 votes
#2 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:16 PM EDT{"commentId":609381,"authorDomain":"baxter"}
Beautiful. Mike, you rock.
{"commentId":609381,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"baxter"}
- 14 votes
#3 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:37 PM EDT{"commentId":609385,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
Hahaha, fantastic. Though next time I think you should hack the Gibson.
{"commentId":609385,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
- 11 votes
#4 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:41 PM EDT{"commentId":609387,"authorDomain":"darkside"}
You're my hero, Mike.
{"commentId":609387,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"darkside"}
- 23 votes
#5 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:42 PM EDT{"commentId":609410,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
I'll hop on that bandwagon as well :-)
{"commentId":609410,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
- 11 votes
{"commentId":610257,"authorDomain":"2timothy42"}
As will I
{"commentId":610257,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"2timothy42"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":612183,"authorDomain":"ellermets"}
me too.
{"commentId":612183,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"ellermets"}
{"commentId":609388,"authorDomain":"jcroft"}
Mike, your testicals are very, very large.
{"commentId":609388,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"jcroft"}
- 22 votes
#6 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:43 PM EDT{"commentId":609521,"authorDomain":"mike"}
Thank you. Please spellcheck your genitalia references though. :)
{"commentId":609521,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"mike"}
- 43 votes
{"commentId":609565,"authorDomain":"dturnbull"}
Mike D , You're The Man!!
My respect for you has gone up 10-fold.
LMAO!!
{"commentId":609565,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"dturnbull"}
- 8 votes
{"commentId":609834,"authorDomain":"gashead"}
Please spellcheck your genitalia references though. :)
bawls.
{"commentId":609834,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"gashead"}
- 11 votes
{"commentId":610926,"authorDomain":"acidreflux"}
Thank you. Please spellcheck your genitalia references though. :)
Now if that doesn't have tagline written all over it, I don't know what does.
{"commentId":610926,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"acidreflux"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":610955,"authorDomain":"denmojo"}
"Thank you. Please spellcheck your genitalia references though. :) - Mike D." just became my new signature. LMAO! BTW, this site's spellchecker doesn't like the word "spellcheck".
{"commentId":610955,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"denmojo"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":611795,"authorDomain":"venema65"}
This has got nothing to do with having balls or not. The only thing you could say is that McCain has some nerve to steal content from Mike's server and eat up Mike's bandwidth in the process. McCain is running for president, I read here? Well it seems he's brushing up his stealing and cheating skills already. Better wait for the votes to come in, old guy!
{"commentId":611795,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"venema65"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":612076,"authorDomain":"jasonbuckley"}
"Well it seems he's brushing up his stealing and cheating skills already."
He's a republican. That's what they do.
{"commentId":612076,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"jasonbuckley"}
{"commentId":619401,"authorDomain":"zesow"}
That was clever!! :D
{"commentId":619401,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"zesow"}
{"commentId":609404,"authorDomain":"indecent"}
This is the funniest thing I have read in a LONG time. I'm sitting here laughing my ass off and clapping in my cubicle. If I'm fired today, I'll know why.
DAMN, Mike. You're awesome. Huge kudos.
{"commentId":609404,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"indecent"}
- 10 votes
#7 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:49 PM EDT{"commentId":609413,"authorDomain":"stolte-sawa"}
Oh, brilliant! Stick it to the man!
{"commentId":609413,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"stolte-sawa"}
- 10 votes
#8 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:52 PM EDT{"commentId":610047,"authorDomain":"dwing"}
That's what she said.
{"commentId":610047,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"dwing"}
- 8 votes
{"commentId":609428,"authorDomain":"aine"}
*grinning... just... GRINNING*
Sounds like something I would do.
{"commentId":609428,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"aine"}
- 7 votes
#9 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:59 PM EDT{"commentId":609434,"authorDomain":"visicswire"}
:)
!LAUGH!
{"commentId":609434,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"visicswire"}
- 1 vote
#10 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:02 PM EDT{"commentId":609435,"authorDomain":"visicswire"}
Whoops, it just got taken down.... :(
{"commentId":609435,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"visicswire"}
#11 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:02 PM EDT{"commentId":609437,"authorDomain":"vicaxp"}
Phenome@!$%#inal, Mike! Nice hack!
{"commentId":609437,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"vicaxp"}
- 6 votes
#12 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:03 PM EDT{"commentId":609442,"authorDomain":"brianford"}
Well -- that didn't stay up long -- but...great job nonetheless.
Frankly -- I think the "fake myspace presence" is annoying whether it's a band, or a politician.
The fact that people seem to believe that members of a band are going to personally respond to comments makes it all the more frustrating.
{"commentId":609442,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"brianford"}
- 12 votes
#13 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:05 PM EDT{"commentId":609445,"authorDomain":"darkside"}
I never get tired of reading "Thanks for the add, Tom Waits! Here's my number call me if you're ever in Iowa..." :-D
{"commentId":609445,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"darkside"}
- 8 votes
{"commentId":609497,"authorDomain":"aine"}
Yeah, but at least he has the screenshots to prove it. This was priceless.
{"commentId":609497,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"aine"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":610214,"authorDomain":"strongbad"}
Pam from The Office has a real Myspace. Her blog is the only reason I ever go to that site.
{"commentId":610214,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"strongbad"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":609462,"authorDomain":"htmlor"}
老兄你太逗了，太能玩了。也得亏是在美国。
{"commentId":609462,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"htmlor"}
- 2 votes
#14 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:11 PM EDT{"commentId":609525,"authorDomain":"mike"}
I totally disagree.
{"commentId":609525,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"mike"}
- 34 votes
{"commentId":609633,"authorDomain":"tschreck"}
chinese tranlation (rough)
The friend you too has teased, too could play. Also it is fortunate that is in US.
{"commentId":609633,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"tschreck"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":609796,"authorDomain":"jazzviolin"}
Not to be a stickler, but that translation is completely wrong. He's saying, "Old friend (or as we would say, Man), you're way too much. This is too funny. This is [a/the] problem with America."
{"commentId":609796,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"jazzviolin"}
- 9 votes
{"commentId":610025,"authorDomain":"LAUHAL63"}
You're both wrong. It says, "Man who make pleasure ha ha is man who make woman pleasure long time."
{"commentId":610025,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"LAUHAL63"}
- 23 votes
{"commentId":610242,"authorDomain":"marilynl"}
That's what she said.
{"commentId":610242,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"marilynl"}
- 12 votes
{"commentId":611093,"authorDomain":"kenbell"}
I think the translation may be more along the lines of "Old brother, you have been tempted; it is very easy to joke. You can also harm America." (I'm just trying to make sense out of what a character dictionary provides.)
{"commentId":611093,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"kenbell"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":617361,"authorDomain":"jrobinson6"}
You know it's a good language when four different people can translate it and come up with four completely different translations. :)
James
{"commentId":617361,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"jrobinson6"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":609502,"authorDomain":"cmak"}
good show!
{"commentId":609502,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"cmak"}
- 2 votes
#15 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:30 PM EDT{"commentId":609518,"authorDomain":"spring"}
I bow before you, Mike.
{"commentId":609518,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"spring"}
- 4 votes
#16 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:37 PM EDT{"commentId":609519,"authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}
If this gets picked up by national media, it will be what puts Newsvine on the map.
{"commentId":609519,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"bmvaughn"}
- 17 votes
#17 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:37 PM EDT{"commentId":609575,"authorDomain":"PamelaDrew"}
Newsvine is on the map. MSM just don't like to credit the better player. As this brilliant turnabout shows all the money and media can't beat an honest genius, playing with brainpower matched against big heads. Go Mike!
{"commentId":609575,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"PamelaDrew"}
- 14 votes
{"commentId":610218,"authorDomain":"strongbad"}
I don't think I want Newsvine to be "on the map". I don't know how many of you go to digg on a regular basis but I do and the comments on there are nearly worthless (I do find it to be a good news source though). The Newsvine community is great and I'm worried that if we ever do get on the map the community will go downhill quickly.
{"commentId":610218,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"strongbad"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":609520,"authorDomain":"insert"}
That's pretty awesome!
TechCrunch's story about this made digg - they linked to Newsvine, but not to this column specifically.
{"commentId":609520,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"insert"}
- 4 votes
#18 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:37 PM EDT{"commentId":609528,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
Do you have a link to the TechCrunch story?
{"commentId":609528,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":609530,"authorDomain":"deatienza"}
Nevermind, found it. It's currently their front page. They've edited the article to point to this column.
{"commentId":609530,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"deatienza"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":609547,"authorDomain":"atvance"}
Do you have a link to the TechCrunch story?
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/03/27/john-mccains-myspace-page-hacked/
{"commentId":609547,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"atvance"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":609545,"authorDomain":"ISPY"}
***** Mike:D
In an oppressive political system. Every Joke is a Tiny Revolution.
George Orwell
{"commentId":609545,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"ISPY"}
- 19 votes
#19 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:47 PM EDT{"commentId":609582,"authorDomain":"PamelaDrew"}
ISPY, do you think we could we modify that to be every server visit~page hit is a tiny revolution?
{"commentId":609582,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"PamelaDrew"}
- 6 votes
{"commentId":610941,"authorDomain":"ISPY"}
Touché Considering there were no Page hits in his time, I rthink he would approve :)
{"commentId":610941,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"ISPY"}
{"commentId":609557,"authorDomain":"tigerblade"}
The best part is, no one on their team can complain about it. There's nothing they can do but fix their own mistake.
Serves them right.
{"commentId":609557,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"tigerblade"}
- 4 votes
#20 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:51 PM EDT{"commentId":617861,"authorDomain":"mjharder"}
"Serves", indeed.
{"commentId":617861,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"mjharder"}
{"commentId":609563,"authorDomain":"brianjemail"}
Just the other day i got a friend request from Hillary Clinton on MySpace. Can you believe Hillary Clinton has a robot running to add you as a friend on MySpace! wtf, they are all doing it. This is as low as the porn spam in myspace.
Its e-BS. I would not doubt they paid some dumb ass to make that page for McCain and did not share the bread with Mike... This was good, i sent a link to Jon Stewart, this is too funny...
{"commentId":609563,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"brianjemail"}
- 9 votes
#21 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:52 PM EDT{"commentId":609569,"authorDomain":"northern"}
"The red herring that tipped me off."
Not really on topic, but it sounds like you're confused about what a red herring is :-D
{"commentId":609569,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"northern"}
- 6 votes
#22 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:55 PM EDT{"commentId":609639,"authorDomain":"mike"}
Yeah, believe it or not, I actually realized that as I was typing the sentence but still typed it anyway. I blame the scotch.
{"commentId":609639,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"mike"}
- 16 votes
{"commentId":609571,"authorDomain":"stolte-sawa"}
As of 2PM EST, it looks like the box has disappeared from the McCain site.
{"commentId":609571,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"stolte-sawa"}
- 2 votes
#23 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:57 PM EDT{"commentId":609576,"authorDomain":"spring"}
On a related note, I would like to take this oppurtunity to announce I that I myself have reversed my position on McCain and will now be fully supporting him and his girl on girl platform in the upcoming election.
{"commentId":609576,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"spring"}
- 31 votes
#24 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:59 PM EDT{"commentId":610517,"authorDomain":"grey"}
It's funny that you mention that. I'm having a girl on girl platform built in my backyard as we speak. Oh, how the neighbors love me…
{"commentId":610517,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"grey"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":611198,"authorDomain":"sheep"}
Strangely, I didn't hear of any of the neighbors complaining when former Sen. Rick Santorum built that man-on-dog platform in his backyard. Strange neighborhood.
{"commentId":611198,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"sheep"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":611224,"authorDomain":"schmorell"}
"On a related note, I would like to take this oppurtunity to announce I that I myself have reversed my position on McCain and will now be fully supporting him and his girl on girl platform in the upcoming election (sp? erection)".
{"commentId":611224,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"schmorell"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":609584,"authorDomain":"ajsnyd"}
And a plug for newsvine to boot, beautiful Mike.
{"commentId":609584,"threadId":"88549","contentId":"633799","authorDomain":"ajsnyd"}
- 11 votes
#25 - Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:03 PM EDT{"canLink":false,"threadId":"88549","isPrivate":false}
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