99 percent of you are either not going to have any idea who I’m talking about or care for that matter, but today when I was walking to get lunch, I walked past this guy:
Mark Hunter aka the Cobra Snake (his ingenue muse is behind him by the trash–a telling juxtaposition?) He goes to these hyper-hipster parties and takes party photos, which he posts on his website. He seemed surprise when I said as I walked by “Great photos man.” And as we paused at the stoplight, he then passed me a sticker and then I asked him if I could take a photo (result above). From Wired:
Los Angeles-based Hunter may be the first person to make a living off a photoblog. He started a year and a half ago by sneaking into clubs with his point-and-shoot digicam to document the night’s drunken festivities. Then he uploaded his photos to TheCobrasnake.com, for everyone to snicker at the next morning. It was easy to garner buzz when shooting the likes of Paris and Nicky Hilton, Beck, Johnny Knoxville, Andr� 3000, Jack Black, and Jarvis Cocker. Soon his pics were showing up in the LA Weekly, and companies showered him with schwag and party invites (”I’m a marketing genius,” he says). He has plied his trade at the South by Southwest music fest, the launch party for Sony’s PlayStation Portable, and even the NME music awards in London (with hefty stipends to cover travel, of course).
TheCobrasnake.com is as self-consciously crude as its proprietor’s fashion sense, with childish illustrations and hundreds of pictures dumped onto pages without annotation. “I don’t like futzing. If the photo doesn’t look good, I don’t mess with it in Photoshop,” Hunter tells me. The amateurish look is all part of his brand. It’s won him a book deal, and he’s taking meetings with the producers of The Real World and The Simple Life, who are planning a reality show about him. But he still hasn’t hit the big time - he can’t afford a car, and he had to go on Extreme Makeover to get the Lasik eye surgery he wanted.
2 responses so far ↓
Moye // August 24, 2006 at 1:13 pm
God, I hate that guy. You know his gf is only 16 years old?
jamie // September 27, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Tips for Being a Successful Landlord
In today’s apartment rental market there are several things that are “must do’s” for becoming a successful landlord. The reason you’re playing the real estate rental game is to have the check in your mailbox on the first of the month, right? Here are a few tips that can help you to achieve this with as little aggravation and frustration possible.
First and foremost is finding the right tenant to rent your apartment, house or other rental. This is the most important ingredient in the recipe. Checking the prospective tenant’s credit history to make sure they are paying their bills is one of the best ways you can screen. A tenant that pays their bills on time most likely will send you their rent on time. Establish a clear system on collecting rent, handling complaints from the tenant and how you will contact them if you need to gain access to the apartment.
Secondly, get all the important terms of the tenancy in writing. You have the option to have a basic rental agreement or draw up a formal lease. Whichever you decide, the important thing is to document the terms that you and the tenant agreed to. Clarify who is paying the utilities, the rental price and any other agreements made between you and your tenant.
It’s a good idea to stay on top of the repair and maintenance needs of your property. When you are notified of something that is broken or not working, repair it as soon as possible to prevent further damages. You may also lawfully enable the tenant to withhold rent, sue for injuries caused by defective conditions or move out without notice.
On a similar topic make sure you are carrying enough property and liability insurance to cover yourself in any situation. A well designed insurance program can protect your rental property from losses caused by everything from fire and storms to burglary, vandalism, and personal injury lawsuits.
I hope that this has been helpful to you. Just remember, as long as you follow these simple tips you will be on your way to a happy and fulfilling landlord future. Best of luck!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eric Goldstein, associated with http://www.AllSpacses.com which Conveniently Connects All People with All Spaces in All Places, has been dedicated to the real estate rental market for over 8 years. He has assisted over 25,000 landlords with their renting needs. Any questions about renting apartments, houses or other rentals feel free to visit http://www.AllSpaces.com or email him at Eric@AllSpaces.com.
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