Word-whore. I write 'em. I talk 'em. Information, politics, media, and the cybers. I drink. I use bad words. All publication is a political act. All communication is propaganda. All art is pornography. All business is personal. All hail Eris! Vive les poissons rouges sauvages!
You may well have thought that a certain once-potent political party, the Australian Democrats, imploded around the turn of the 21st century, and you’d be right. But they’re back, with a podcast titled Keep the Bastards Honest. This week I became their first non-party guest.
Continue reading “The 9pm Extra: Keep the Bastards Honest episode 5, “The Murder on Thursday Law with Stilgherrian””Last night I passed a Hummer parked on Enmore Road. Yes, a big, shiny black beast with silver trim helping to boost some poor man’s failing sense of self-importance. Or something. “What a wanker,” I thought.
I posed the question on Twitter:
Word puzzle: Changing one letter at a time, using only valid words, can you turn HUMMER into WANKER?
I didn’t expect an answer, but some people can’t resist a challenge. Warwick Rendell was first with a 15-step solution, but Steve ‘Doc’ Baty managed to do it in 11 steps.
HUMMER
HAMMER
HARMER
WARMER
WORMER
WORKER
WORKED
WORDED
WARDED
WARDER
WANDER
WANKER
Some people really do have too much time on their hands…
[Update 26 October: If you check the comments, you’ll find that we now have it down to a 6-step solution. Beat that!]