The Gap Between The Pauses

  I was tuned into INSIDE WEST COAST CUSTOMS last week because I have lost my remote control and therefore can only receive 7MATE on the Panasonic Viera.   For those not acquainted with Australian television, 7Mate is one of the free-to-air channels aimed specifically at men. I watch it quite a bit, especially those History channel shows like AMERICAN RESTORATION, PAWN STARS and AMERICAN PICKERS, but I tend to stay away from shows involving toothless swamp dwellers or excessive modding of internal combustion engines. My previous knowledge of West Coast Customs was based on their participation in MTV’s PIMP MY RIDE. Over four glorious seasons (2005-2008) West Coast Customs was the Californian car remodelling business vouchsafed with the task of ride pimping. In practice this meant some young student or minimum wage worker offered up their decrepit vehicle for a makeover. Some poor shmo whose Ford Focus was held together with epoxy and duct tape would be selected t...

Today I was at the Post Office at Dianella Plaza, which some of you know, incorrectly, as Dianella Centro when I espied SWAN DIAL 71! This mighty municipal sculpture is the work of Elwyn Hawthorn and Dr Guy Hamilton. Sadly, it sits unnoticed on what is more or less a traffic island, but according to the plaque it used to be the world's biggest sundial. In Dianella. In Perth's Northern Corridor. The heyday of SWAN DIAL 71 was, unsurprisingly in 1971 and we even have the pics to prove it. The State Library of WA has some great photographs of the opening of Dianella Plaza back in August 1971. Here is SWAN DIAL in its former glory.  When you're on the SLWA site hit the back button at the top left of the pic and suss out some of the other photographs. Among the delights you'll discover–a happenin' place for men's fashion called Shirt Inn International and roasting pork at a mere 55c per pound. Mr Trivia