The Insider: Paul Allen shouldn't go for broke as musician

(EDITORS NOTE: The Insider is the P-I business staff's weekly compendium of quips, quotes, observations and asides, tidbits, weird facts and gossip.)

DON'T QUIT YOUR NIGHT JOB: Paul Allen might want to ditch the investment business and become a full-time musician, if recent stories in the national media are any indication.

First there was a Jan. 29 article in The Wall Street Journal detailing the financial troubles of Allen's Charter Communications Inc., a key component in the Microsoft co-founder's vision for a wired world. Then came a Feb. 3 story in Newsweek branding many of Allen's post-Microsoft technology investments "losers."

But at least the billionaire could take some comfort in a segment on "Rewind," a weekly public radio program produced by KUOW in Seattle and broadcast nationally. Joseph Graham, manager at the Trading Musician store in Seattle's University District, told a story on the show about handling the sound at an event where Allen played guitar.

"He played some of the most phenomenal Hendrix licks on a Strat that I have ever heard," Graham said, referring to a Fender Stratocaster guitar. "The guy can really play -- definitely has a genuine love for music."

Finally, someone with something nice to say. But unfortunately for Allen, Graham didn't stop there. "He tried to sing 'em, too," he said, "and I can't say much for his singing, honestly."

IN THE MOVIES: Costco Wholesale Corp.'s pies are popular with its members -- who bought more than 1.2 million of the desserts in one week during the holiday season.

Hollywood also has taken notice.

The movie "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" features one of the company's pies, Chief Executive Officer Jim Sinegal said recently. The pie -- Sinegal said he thought it might be apple -- appears in the dining room of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Costco's apple pie has at least one other movie credit to its name.

The dessert plays a key role in "American Pie," Sinegal said.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the pie's infamous scene, let's just say that the main character gets a little too friendly with the filling.

"We don't talk about that one too much," Sinegal said. "It was a little suggestive."

SINEGAL DOWN UNDER: In other Costco news, three of the company's executives recently returned from a trip to Australia and New Zealand, which Sinegal called a "market of interest."

Sinegal said he visited Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland during a four-day trip earlier this month. Chairman Jeffrey Brotman and Franz Lazarus, executive vice president of international operations, accompanied him on the trip.

It was Sinegal's first visit to that part of the world. He said company officials haven't decided whether Costco will build warehouses in either of the two countries.

Costco operates 412 locations worldwide. Outside of the United States, the company has warehouses in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

A SIGN OF THE TIMES: Not too long ago MBAs from prestigious universities were almost guaranteed well-paying jobs. But now, with the economy in the gutter, business students are struggling to start their careers.

That's why a group of MBA students were in Seattle over the weekend, chatting with business leaders, attending career fairs and touring local companies.

Seattle Trek 2003 was organized by the Harvard Business School Student Organization. For the first time in the event's history, it included MBA candidates from Stanford, the University of Pennsylvania and University of California-Berkeley.

"With the Seattle hiring market tough and less tech opportunities, Seattle isn't the draw it was two to three years ago," said Josh Sandbulte, a second-year Harvard MBA student who helped organize the event.

Last year, the Seattle Trek attracted about 80 students from Harvard's MBA program. This year, about 90 students from the four schools participated.

DANCING IN THE CUBICLES: T-Mobile employees were roused from their cubicles this month as the University of Washington marching band paraded through the company's headquarters playing "Louie, Louie" and "Celebration."

The band was in Bellevue to commemorate T-Mobile reaching the 10 million-customer mark.

The milestone was special for the wireless carrier, which was previously known as VoiceStream Wireless. Employees feasted on cake and listened to speeches from Chairman John Stanton and President Robert Dotson. It took the 7-year-old company four years to attract 1 million customers, a feat that was achieved in February 2000.

T-Mobile is now the fastest-growing wireless carrier, adding 2.9 million new subscribers last year.

JOINING THE DOT-COM GRAVEYARD: Online delivery and grocery services didn't fare too well in Seattle. Remember the demise of Kozmo.com, ServiceStop.com and HomeGrocer.com?

But it's not just Seattleites. Canadians didn't flock to the idea of ordering poultry and potato chips over the Internet.

Quick Home Delivery, which transported milk, sausage and other goods to thousands of homes in the greater Vancouver area, will close Feb. 28.

P-I reporters John Cook, Christine Frey and Todd Bishop contributed to this report. E-mail: theinsider@seattlepi.com.

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