Kiedy Amerykanie mieli problem z policzeniem głosów po wyborach prezydenckich w 2000 roku, kiedy nie było wiadomo, czy wybrał Bush junior, czy Al Gore, krążył po Internecie taki oto (oczywiście fałszywy) liścik od Tony Blaira do Stanozjednoczończyków:
"NOTICE OF REVOCATION OF INDEPENDENCE
To the citizens of the United States of America:
In the light of your failure to elect anybody as President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves and, by extension, the free world, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchial duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories including New Jersey. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, please comply with the following:
1. Look up "revocation" in the now official Oxford Dictionary. Begin spelling English words correctly.
2. Learn at least the first 4 lines of "God Save The Queen".
3. Start referring to "soccer" as football.
4. Declare war on Quebec and France.
5. Arrest Mel Gibson for treason.
6. Close down the NFL. Learn to play rugby.
7. Enjoy warm flat beer and steak and kidney pudding. Train waitresses to be more aggressive with customers and not to tell you their names before you eat.
8. July 4th is no longer a public holiday, this has been replaced with November 5th.
9. All members of this British Crown Dependency will be required to take 6 weeks annual vacation and observe statutory tea breaks.
10. Driving on the left will be compulsory on all American roads. To ease the switchover, starting January 1, the new policy will be followed by buses and motorcycles, autos to follow June 1.
11. All citizens will report to our Consulate General in NY - M. Wragg – for your new passport and job allocation.
12. Have Meg Ryan report to Prince Andrews' private apartment immediately.
13. Add the Royal insignia to the top of the Washington Monument - and the Queens Christmas speeches to the Library of Congress.
14. Stop referring to the World Series of Baseball and instead call it what it is: the National Series of USA, Cuba and Japan.
15. Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).
Thank you for your cooperation.
Tony Blair, Prime Minister "
W nawiązaniu do powyższego, proszę zwrócić uwagę na punkt 10.
U nas kiedyś krążył podobny (makabryczny) żart (a propos problemów z ZUSem, służbą zdrowia, itd.), że dla ułatwienia od 1 stycznia pozwoli się emerytom przechodzić przez jezdnię na czerwonym...
