I see a fair number of product promotions at Parliament station in the mornings. Yesterday they were giving out Lipton Chai tea, which was very nice.

This morning though, an interesting one: a promotion for A2 “double quality” paper. I think that was the brand name — obviously their promotional guys have let them down by not having a web site primed and ready and easily Googled in time for the stunt.

It was something to do with “double” though, because they had about a dozen promotional people in skintight jumpsuits, who would follow the people coming out of the station turnstiles, mimmicking them as they walked along. I watched bemused as one guy was jabbering into his mobile phone, unknowingly followed by one of these people with her hand up to her head, walking just like him.

Amusing? Yes. But does it make me want to buy their brand of paper? I suspect not. I know I’m probably not the target demographic, but I can only assume they hope the next time I’m in OfficeWorks or Penfolds or some other big stationery place that I’ll remember the promotion when I see their product. Otherwise it was a bit pointless.

I was having a chat to my friend Stewart. He and his mate Joe have just launched a web site to go with their band, Joey Stew. They’ve got some downloadable samples of their songs on the site, so check it out, it’s funny stuff.

But one lesson I’ve learnt over the years is to not buy humour CDs. When I was a teenager, my Monty Python and Hitch Hikers records got played a lot, but as I’ve got older, they no longer appeal. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still funny, but I’m just not as interested in playing them. Maybe it’s because they have to be actively listened to, rather than just able to be played in the background, and I often don’t have the time available. The last few funny CDs I’ve got have been listened to once, then filed away.

• Also today, over on Geekrant: Why I both love and hate my iPod

Some people really manage to re-define “bloody idiot”. As we were walking on Saturday afternoon, a tray truck with those stupidly big tyres came around the corner and along the opposite side of the road. He must have taken the corner too fast (from a standing start mind you), and was skidding all over the road. It had been raining, and those tyres might be fine in the mud, but evidently provide next to no grip on wet roads.

So he swerved a few times, then, with the benefit of those big tyres, effortly mounted the pavement. Straight across the footpath and blam! Into the factory wall. Bounced off, back onto the road. Does he stop to get out? No. Does he inspect the damage? No. He keeps on driving.

Thankfully, nobody had been on the footpath. The huge bullbar wouldn’t have given them much chance of survival. In fact there was a lady walking along about 30 metres behind where the wall got hit. If she had been in its way, it doesn’t bear thinking about what might have happened. I hope she entered Tattslotto that night, because she was very lucky.

I was a bit dazed after what I’d seen. Wish I’d thought to get the licence plate number.

A couple of weeks ago we were having dinner on a Saturday night in Bourke Street.

Something was wrong, and we remarked as such: it was about 7pm and Gaslight Music wasn’t open.

For years, Gaslight has been a haven in the eastern end of the city, particularly when waiting to meet someone on a cold winter’s night. It was always open late. But on this night it wasn’t.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it turns out Gaslight is no more.

I suggest as a mark of respect, we all reach for our music collections, find that rare, out-of-print or otherwise hard-to-find CD/LP that you found that time in Gaslight, and give it a spin.

After living for some time with my iPod only holding a dozen or so of my favourite CDs (plus that great Billy Bragg paid concert download), I’ve finally embarked on loading everything up, in alphabetical order. So far I’m up to B. Thus my iPod currently has an inordinate amount of Area 7, Bragg and Beatles, and rather less Yothu Yindi or ZZ Top. (Actually I own none of the latter.)

Here are my oldest and newest items of clothing. (Well, if you don’t count the socks I bought last week.)

The red jumper is an Exacto brand windcheater which dates from probably about 1989 or 1990. It still gets an outing on cold evenings at home, and when painting (note the paint stain, a fairly recent addition).

The coat I bought a couple of weeks ago, and I like it so much that I’m wearing it at every opportunity.

• Post your oldest and newest clothing in the comments or trackback
• Previous entries in this series

On William Street, some Jeep promotional girls (amusingly the Jeeps all had P plates) gave me a brochure for the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. I can’t think of anything I am less likely to buy. There are few less efficient ways of getting around the place than in a hulking great juggernaut like that.

Meanwhile, let’s celebrate, ‘cos we’re number 1! Victoria’s Hazelwood Power station (which I’ve mentioned before) has been found in a World Wildlife Fund study to be the most polluting in the industrialised world. Now the state government is claiming we can’t afford to close it… which is not surprising if they want to cut power prices.

A Series of Unfortunate Events — This was a paradox worthy of the appearance of Doctor Who’s reapers: Jim Carey in one of his rubbery face roles, yet not annoying. Who’d have thought? Nothing deep, but funny and suspenseful (well, a little) in the right places and totally fantastic set design. This turned out to be a most enjoyable film, though I still can’t figure out why a banker was left in charge of the welfare of three orphans. And is Lemony Snicket a real name? Roll on the (many) sequels.

I’ve been trying to remember what the DVD was that we watched last Friday night. And I can’t. Not at all. I think it was okay, nothing exceedingly good or bad, but I just can’t remember what it was.

Ah, I’ve been reminded that it was Garden State. A very amusing film, possibly filled with a few too many quick appearances from town weirdos who don’t really push the story along.