Celebrity sightings in Hawaii are as common as whales in winter. They're out there, but you have to be in the right place at the right time to spot them. I'd much rather see a humpback breaching though, than encounter a celeb up close and personal. However, this story involving my friend Mark Bell was pretty funny so I wanted to share it with you.

Mark is an inventor and gadget guru, who we've featured on Career Changers TV twice (the MP3 Toilet Paper dispenser music player and Cooler Scooter segments). He's currently working with SeaBreeze Water Sports on marketing their Jetlev water-propelled jet packs and a new invention created by the SeaBreeze owners. I'll be telling you more about both in future blog posts and in video segments on my show.

Anyhow, Mark was at their Hawaii Kai location when they got a request from Paris Hilton to rent out their activities operation for the afternoon so she'd have privacy. Mark was out on the platform where they launch from, and asked her boyfriend if it would be okay to take photos of Paris while she was jet skiing. He said, yeah, no problem. When she got back on the deck, however, Paris yelled at him to stop and grabbed the camera out of his hands. She berated him, saying she didn't want paparazzi shooting unauthorized photos of her -- especially since she didn't have any make-up on. Mark said she quickly reviewed the photos on his camera and stopped when she saw his picture of her shoes, which she had left on the platform deck. "My wife is really into shoes," he explained. Paris laughed and said he couldn't be a paparazzi since they wouldn't have bothered to take that kind of photo.

Then she asked Mark to take pictures of her with her own camera... after she fixed herself up and applied make-up, of course. Later, Mark got her to pose with him. As for the Paris photos he took with her camera, Mark said he saw them on the paparazzi TV show, TMZ, a couple of days later. Someone "leaked" those pictures to the media... gee, who do you think did that?

For daily viewing times of our December episode of the Career Changers TV show on OC16, please visit our website. You can also check out video segments on the CCTV YouTube Channel.

When you least expect it, life throws you a curveball. For the past year, I've been posting links to articles that offered tips on interviews and follow-ups with prospective employers. Now I'm interviewing videographers to replace my current camera guy/editor because he's been offered full-time work and my Career Changers TV show is really a part-time gig.

I wasn't prepared for all the responses I got after I sent an email to the OC16 producers list and posted a help wanted notice on the Hawaii Filmmakers Yahoo Group site. Many of them are far more experienced in TV editing and production work than I am. Some have even won major advertising awards. There's no question they have the technical expertise and skills to do the job. The question is who do I want to work with and why?

Interestingly, only one sent an actual cover letter and resume. Most sent short emails with links to their websites and demo reels or video samples -- which is perfectly fine. One called, and that was okay too because it gave me an idea of what his personality was like. I also decided to interview the young woman who sent the letter/resume since she took the time to comment about the show, and had obviously done her homework. Some of the more experienced videographers didn't bother to check out the CCTV website or YouTube Channel, and expected me to tell them more about the program. Um, no. Part of the job is to help flesh out stories by doing research on the people and companies we feature. If they're not going to research the show they want to work for, what makes me think they're going to do that for a piece I hire them to produce?

The take-away is this: There is increased competition for even small part-time freelance jobs... which is great for me since I can improve the quality of the show without busting my budget. But it's tough too when you have to weigh invariables versus experience. So I'm going to "audition" two or three candidates and pay them to shoot/edit segments, then see how it goes. Actions speak louder than words on a resume or in an interview. That's also why you hear more employers say they "hire fast, fire faster" these days. There's no shortage of applicants waiting in the wings for a shot if the first choice doesn't fill the bill quickly.

It also means if you're applying for a position, you have to go the extra mile to make an employer want to set up an interview with you. Make an impression on them somehow -- show you really want the opportunity to meet with them, then follow up. If you don't hear back right away, don't assume it's a rejection. That's your chance to show how persistent you are.

In fact, that's how Theresa Tilley became our host. We had already settled on someone who had experience as a TV news reporter. But Theresa kept in touch and was so personable that when the original host was unavailable to shoot our introductions, Theresa was at the top of my list for emergency substitutes. Even though she knew it might be a one-time deal, Theresa was grateful for the opportunity. Eventually, I decided the show could use her enthusiasm and local connections. But had she not followed up, I probably would have forgotten about her.

Anyhow, my wife sent me an amusing follow-up letter that she got from a sales consultant who works with her company. Isabel was skeptical it would work, but tried it on a prospect who had not responded to her calls and emails.  Here's the form letter:

Dear ________

Chris, when we last spoke we agreed that---------------------.   I have made several attempts to contact you with no success.  Usually when that occurs it means one of three things has happened.

Y or N     1) You won the lottery recently and now you are being bombarded by relatives you never knew you had, all trying to claim a piece of the winnings!!

Y or N     2) Other, major priorities came up and ________________ and _______________ has dropped off your list.

Y or N     3) You just simply decided we are not a good fit and decided you do not want to work with me at _______ (and didn't want to hurt my feelings by telling me).

Please highlight Y or N next to either 1, 2 or 3, email it back to me, or give me a call to let me know and we can talk. You won’t hurt my feelings if it’s # 3 by the way. I will simply put away your file and not bother you anymore.

Respectfully, ________

Guess what? She got an immediate reply and the prospect apparently thought it was a clever enough follow-up that he owed her an explanation. Turned out he was just swamped at the time, but was still very much interested in their services.  So it pays to be persistent and have a sense of humor as well.

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TV alert: The Sand Masters episode that features the Royal Hawaiian Hotel will air again on Sun., July 17 on the Travel Channel.

Don't forget to check out the current Career Changers TV episode! For daily viewing times and links to the CCTV YouTube Channel, please visit www.CareerChangers.TV.

What do Makana, Ashley Lelie, Sig Zane and the motorized cooler thing above have in common? Answer: they're all mentioned in our new July show, and each involves a "brand name" of sorts. A good name can make a huge difference in a product's success. Likewise, our individual names often say a lot about who we are or what we aspire to be. More on that in a bit.

But first, the salient news: the winning name chosen for the cooler scooter is... the Cooler Scooter! I know, I know -- it's not very original or local sounding, but the distributor of the product (Mark Bell) opted for a practical moniker that was easy to remember and tells what it is without having to explain it. Personally, I liked "Da Holoholo" and "Cool Rider." You can see all the submissions, and what they won by visiting our website.

Getting back to the name theme, when we filmed the Sig Zane ohana at their temporary pop-up boutique/exhibit at the Waikiki Parc Hotel last month, all I really new about him was that his label was synonymous with high end Hawaiian designer apparel. I was vaguely aware it was an exclusive line, but I didn't know you could only buy their clothes in Hilo -- or Japan, where they make frequent trips to. I also wasn't aware of the Zane family connection to hula, and how it influenced every element of their designs and business.

My co-producer, Rob "Aukai" Reynolds, belongs to a hula halau and explained that owning a Sig Zane shirt or dress used to mean the wearer had probably been to Hilo... and if they were in Hilo, there was a good chance that person went to the Merrie Monarch Festival. However, that's changing due to the internet and Kuha'o Zane -- a.k.a. "The Son" as he refers to himself. He's using social media and selling their products online now at www.SigZane.com. You can watch the segment this weekend on OC16 to hear other insights from Sig, his wife/partner and The Son.

If you listen to Hawaiian music even casually, you're likely to recognize the name, Makana. He's in the category of local musicians who don't need to add their surname because they have such strong branding in the islands. Which is why it was a big coup for Michael Stiber to get Makana to compose and record original music for Michael's iPad app for children, "The Icicle Story." That feature is also in the current show.

As for Ashley Lelie, any UH football fan can tell you he was simply one of the best-ever receivers to play in Hawaii. I got to personally witness a number of amazing catches he made in clutch situations under the lights at Aloha Stadium. He went on to play in the NFL, and last year returned to coach at the UH. His name came up while we were shooting a piece on Argosy University's graduate psychology program. I was interviewing a very attractive woman, who appeared to be Middle Eastern or Persian. (She said her family came from a former Soviet Union country that I can't pronounce or spell.) Initially, Noza was quite camera shy and hesitant to talk about what brought her to Hawaii. Then she told me the reason was she's engaged to marry Ashley Lelie. She met him while her family was living in Denver, and he was playing for the Broncos. After she saw the rough cut of the Argosy piece, she told me it was fine to mention she was Ashley's fiancee. Anyhow, you can see Noza in this month's program or on our CCTV YouTube Channel.

The name we choose to call ourselves can speak volumes for who we think we are -- or who we want to be. Sure, we're all given names by parents at birth. But we don't have to be stuck with those labels. Look at movie and music stars. Often, when they adopt a stage name, those individuals develop an alter ego to fit their self-chosen (or manufactured) image. Marilyn Monroe. Rappers. Lady Gaga. However, most of us want a name that conveys individuality, yet doesn't stand out too much. Ergo, the unusual spellings of commonplace names, which can be kind of irksome: Look at me -- I'm uKneeque!

My parents called me "Ricky" when I was growing up. In the 7th grade, some kid stuck the "Fuji" nickname on me, which came from the obsequious Japanese character on the McHale's Navy 60s sitcom. I had to live with that through high school. By college though, when I assumed my writer/journalist persona, I became Rich Figel in my newspaper bylines and columns. To my folks and siblings though, unless they pause to think about it, I'm still Ricky. Some names just never go away.

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For weekend viewing times and other useful links, please visit www.CareerChangers.TV. Enjoy the weekend!

April 1, 2011 (Faux Newswire Services) - Philanthropist Pierre Omidyar inadvertently bought the state of Hawaii after a night on the town, when he purchased what he thought were domain rights to "Hawaii.com," according to a spokesman for the Ulupono Initiative, a non-profit organization created by the eBay founder to promote social activism in the islands.

An insider with CivilBeat.com, who wished to remain anonymous since Omidyar also funds that website, said the zillionaire had a few pau hana drinks with staffers and "joked" that he was going to add a local TV news station and radio channel to his growing media empire in Hawaii, but wanted an all-inclusive domain name for the venture. After a night of internet binge buying, his wife discovered the next day that Omidyar had actually acquired approximately 95 percent of Oahu and significant portions of the outer islands that had "Hawaii"' listed in their website keywords.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie welcomed the unexpected purchase of state assets and property. "Let's be frank. Pierre has more capital than we do at present. And he could always put some of the land up for sale on eBay if things get a little tight. I think you'll also find much more positive news coverage, once he consolidates Civil Beat with his TV and radio news operations."

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In all seriousness though, mahalo to the Omidyars and Civil Beat for their good work!

This April Fools Day news item is brought to you by www.CareerChangers.TV. Watch us daily on OC16 or view video segments on our CCTV YouTube Channel.

It's kind of cool to be able to tell my Mainland friends that the President's family has been spending their Christmas vacations in Kailua, where my wife and I have lived for 20 years. I was also glad to see the Star-Advertiser did a story on the huge tax break the property owner is getting because of the house's "historical" status. The intent of the measure is good, but should owners of beachfront homes that are worth millions be paying far less in property taxes than average middle class folks? Furthermore, did you know the property is in an affluent neighborhood that has their own private beach access? Yep, but I haven't seen one mention of that in the local news coverage.

Listen, I happen to be an Obama supporter. And I think the President deserves some privacy on his family vacations. But Kailuana Place is a public street that our taxes pay for the upkeep on -- yet they won't let their neighbors or others use the beach access on that street you and I foot the bill for. They get away with it because the locked gate is on a private easement. I wrote a letter to the editor a few months ago about an accident I witnessed, in which paramedics were delayed in reaching the victim because they had to use the public beach access -- then realized they couldn't push the gurney through a half-mile of sand to where the injured surfer was lying on the beach. Which was near the gated "private" access pictured here...

In any event, the gate discourages surfers and others from parking on Kailuana Place. It's also easy for police to keep the public out by blocking off the Kalaheo Avenue intersection. On the day the Obamas were leaving Kailua in 2008, my wife and I were walking to the only public beach access at that end. As we got closer, we saw a bunch of motorcycle cops waiting at the intersection for the President's entourage to depart, so we decided to hang around for a glimpse of the Obamas. A small crowd gathered on Kalaheo Avenue and while I was jockeying for position to get a better view, an old man rode up on a bike and stopped next to me.

"What's going on?" he inquired. I kept looking across the street for the President's limo, and explained to him that the Obamas were leaving. The old fellow didn't seem very impressed. "Think they'll let me pass through?" I just shrugged and said, sure. As he started pedaling away from me, I glanced down and saw that strapped to the back of his rusty old bicycle was a propane tank!

A motorcycle cop across from us saw it too and started yelling at the man and waving his arms frantically. "HEY, STOP! GET OFF THE BIKE RIGHT NOW!" The poor guy was startled and confused by all the police suddenly swarming towards him, and practically fell off his bike. He explained that he was just going to get his propane tank refilled at the Aikahi shopping center down the street. Boy, I really felt bad about putting him through that. But you have to admit, it's sort of funny too.

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If you missed my fictional Obama Christmas story for my two young nieces, Sasha and Ana, that was inspired by the same visit two years ago, here's the link to that piece. It's a bit long for a blog post, but you've probably got a three-day weekend, right?

Happy New Years from all of us at Career Changers TV... and I'd like to thank the people who help me put the show out each month: Ron Darby (camera, editing), Robert "Aukai" Reynolds (co-producer, camera and editing), Marc Edward (camera, editing), Mahlon Moore (CCTV website), and our host Theresa Tilley. See you next year!