This loose-leaf book, the work of a retired estate planner, has fill-in-the-blank pages for everything from bank and stock accounts, to life insurance policies, to family medical history and funeral preferences.

FORBES: Organized from Beyond the Grave

So, the logic goes, the UK just needs to take a leaf out of China's book and build things too - hey presto, problem solved.

BBC: China to the UK's aid?

Other more prominent names could take a leaf out of the book of a player who remains unsung and under-rated.

BBC: Leon Osman and Richard Dunne set good example

But as the Swiss vote suggests, European governments may find it hard to resist populist calls for a tit-for-tat approach unless they take a leaf from America's book and a draw up a simple, transparent set of legal rules for all faiths.

ECONOMIST: Islam and Switzerland

The self-styled socialist leader's supporters see Obama taking a leaf out of Chavez's book.

CNN: Obama finds support among Chavez faithful in Caracas