FLEETING VISIT.........

"Ah! so you're the prime minister of Noo Zeeeeland...?"

"Where is that by the way.... er.... somewhere near that other place... um... Austraaaaalia?"

"And tell me, do you get mail down there?" Simple enough question from Letterman, but why the interest?  Hmmm, Let-ter-man....  What does it denote exactly? A man of letters?..... Perhaps he moonlights as a postman?

Well done Mr Key!  Stood your ground, albeit a few minutes. Worthy of a standing ovation all the same.

Anyway, who was actually behind those ten questions? Didn't sound like your usual address or perhaps you had a little help? Some Yank maybe, thrusting a fistful of notes into your right hand - at the last minute?

Guess I was expecting a little more. Apart from our beautiful scenery, much admired worldwide, a mention of some of our achievements would have gone down well. Considering our population of 4,331,151 or thereabouts;  Kiwis per capita have contributed significantly. In sport, the arts, science to name a few. And wasn't it around 1917, Earnest Rutherford split the atom?

Some notable quotes from the man himself:

On his vocation:                         "All science is either physics or stamp collecting."
On New Zealand innovation:    "We don't have the money, so we have to think."
On a self-important person:      "That man is an Euclidean point: position without substance."

Gets you thinking, eh...