Sent in from an SOT member:

There’s a story of a conversation Bill Clinton had with Edward de Bono a couple of years ago, when they were both in Hong Kong.

Bill asked Edward his opinion of what, in an ideal world, ‘the perfect nation’ would look like.

De Bono is said to have replied:

It would have an ethnically diverse population of twenty to twenty-five million people. English would be the national language. It would be religiously and economically liberated, have a democratic form of government and a vigorous free press. I’d locate it somewhere along the Pacific Rim. It would have a young history and an optimistic outlook. And a generous climate that lent itself to encouraging all its people – rich or poor – to enjoy the wonderful free gifts nature has to offer.

‘Sounds wonderful,’ Clinton wistfully remarked. ‘What would you call it?’ he asked.

‘Oh, I wouldn’t change its name,’ de Bono replied. ‘”Australia” will do fine.’

But what is “Australia”? …