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HONG KONG (Reuters) – Could a wine glass shaped roughly like a closed tulip blossom revolutionize the savoring of fine vintages by taming the alcohol in the wine?

That’s the hope of French luxury crystal glassmaker Baccarat, which recently began sales of its new line of glasses in Hong Kong, where wine imports have remained strong on the back of strong demand from mainland Chinese buyers even amid global economic uncertainty.

“People tend to confuse good wine with alcohol in wine, which is not what we want,” said Bruno Quenioux, technical adviser of the Chateau Baccarat collection of professional wine glasses, which went on sale in France earlier this year.

“What is complicated with wine is to get the balance between the fire and water. Get too much fire in the wine and you lose the message of the water… But if you put too much water in the fire, then the fire is dead.”

The glass has a broad base that evokes the tastevin, a saucer-like cup used by winemakers and sommeliers to taste wines, sloping sides and an unusually narrow lip at the end of a vertical “chimney” that the company says prevents the alcohol from overpowering other aromas since it sinks down when the glass is swirled prior to tasting.

“The main subject in the final stretch should no longer be the alcohol anymore, but the aromas and the bouquet the fine wines have to offer,” Quenioux told Reuters, adding that the new glass made the aroma more subtle.

“You can see the smokiness, some flowers, definitely the glass leads you to have the mineral side of the wine… When you go back to the regular glass, you have rusticity. You have something not so subtle.”

But other glassmakers disagree, saying there is still merit in time-honored variations tailored to the different wine varieties – variations to which they have given subtle modern twists.

“I think as people start appreciating wine more, that they will appreciate a pinot glass, a cabernet glass, a shiraz glass. They’re all a little bit different,” said Suresh Kanji, a Hong Kong-based distributor for Riedel Crystal, based in Austria.

The ubiquitous Riedel has put efforts into developing different glasses for different varieties through the years and in the 1970s discovered that each separate variety had a specific DNA.

“Based on that DNA, the shape of the glass actually makes the experience for the consumer very, very different,” said Kanji.

“The big bowl – great for red wine. The smaller glasses – good for white wine… Every glass was fine-turned for the specific DNA of what you’re drinking.”

Wine experts agree that given the differences in how “forthcoming” each variety may be, proper handling of the alcohol in fine wines is key.

“Burgundy is very delicate wine, so it needs a larger surface area to release and free its aromas,” said Debra Meiburg, a Master of Wine and wine journalist.

“Burgundy (glasses) comes to quite a narrow lose at the chimney in order to capture the aroma and trap them in the glass.”

And yes, she said, the glass does matter.

“Of course any glass would work. But just as you would prefer not to drink your coffee in a paper cup, it’s always nicer to have the right quality of glass.”

(Additional reporting by Andy Ho, editing by Elaine Lies)

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Marissa Alexander unsuccessfully tried to use Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law to derail the prosecution, but a jury in March convicted her of aggravated assault after just 12 minutes of deliberation.

The case, which was prosecuted by the same state attorney who is handling the Trayvon Martin case, has gained the attention of civil rights leaders who say the African-American woman was persecuted because of her race.

After the sentencing, Rep. Corrine Brown confronted State Attorney Angela Corey in the hallway, accusing her of being overzealous, according to video from CNN affiliate WJXT.

“There is no justification for 20 years,” Brown told Corey during an exchange frequently interrupted by onlookers. “All the community was asking for was mercy and justice,” she said.

Corey said she had offered Alexander a plea bargain that would have resulted in a three-year prison sentence, but Alexander chose to take the case to a jury trial, where a conviction would carry a mandatory sentence under a Florida law known as “10-20-life.”

The law mandates increased penalties for some felonies, including aggravated assault, in which a gun is carried or used.

Corey said the case deserved to be prosecuted because Alexander fired in the direction of a room where two children were standing.

Alexander said she was attempting to flee her husband, Rico Gray, on August 1, 2010, when she picked up a handgun and fired a shot into a wall.

She said her husband had read cell phone text messages that she had written to her ex-husband, got angry and tried to strangle her.

She said she escaped and ran to the garage, intending to drive away. But, she said, she forgot her keys, so she picked up her gun and went back into the house. She said her husband threatened to kill her, so she fired one shot.

“I believe when he threatened to kill me, that’s what he was absolutely going to do,” she said. “That’s what he intended to do. Had I not discharged my weapon at that point, I would not be here.”

Alexander’s attorneys tried to use the state law that allows people to use potentially deadly force anywhere they feel reasonably threatened with serious harm or death.

But a previous judge in the case rejected the request, saying Alexander’s decision to go back into the house was not consistent with someone in fear for her safety, according to the Florida Times Union newspaper.

A jury convicted Alexander in March and Judge James Daniel denied her request for a new trial in April.

Daniel handed down the sentence Friday after an emotional sentencing hearing during which Alexander’s parents, 11-year-old daughter and pastor spoke on her behalf.

Several people had to be escorted from the courtroom after breaking out singing and chanting about a perceived lack of justice in the case, but Daniel made a point to say that he had no choice under state law.

“Under the state’s 10-20-life law, a conviction for aggravated assault where a firearm has been discharged carries a minimum and maximum sentence of 20 years without regarding to any extenuating or mitigating circumstances that may be present, such as those in this case,” Daniel said.

Brown, the Jacksonville congresswoman, told reporters after the sentencing that the case was a product of “institutional racism.”

“She was overcharged by the prosecutor. Period,” Brown said. “She never should have been charged.”

Brown has been more complimentary about Corey’s work in the Trayvon Martin case, where her office filed second degree murder charges against neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in the February 26 death of the unarmed African-American teen-ager.

That case provoked nationwide protests demanding Zimmerman’s arrest after an initial police investigation released him under the “stand your ground” law.

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The Kingdom of Morocco is the most westerly of the North African countries known as the Maghreb.

Strategically situated with both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, but with a rugged mountainous interior, it stayed independent for centuries while developing a rich culture blended from Arab, Berber, European and African influences.

Morocco was a French protectorate from 1912 to 1956, when Sultan Mohammed became king. He was succeeded in 1961 by his son, Hassan II, who ruled for 38 years. He played a prominent role in the search for peace in the Middle East, given the large number of Israelis of Moroccan origin, but was criticised for suppressing domestic opposition.

A truth commission set up to investigate human rights violations during Hassan's reign has confirmed nearly 10,000 cases, ranging from death in detention to forced exile.

After his death in 1999 Hassan was succeeded by his son, who became King Mohammed VI and was seen as a moderniser. Mohammed VI introduced some economic and social liberalisation, and in 2011 he revised the constitution in response to "Arab Spring"-style protests. However, the monarch still retains considerable power and can veto most government decisions.

Morocco has expressed interest in becoming a member of the European Union, its main trade partner, but there appears to be little enthusiasm for this within the bloc.

To the south, the status of Western Sahara remains unresolved. Morocco annexed the territory in 1975 and a guerrilla war with Algerian-backed pro-independence forces ended in 1991. UN efforts have failed to break the political deadlock.

To the north, a dispute with Spain in 2002 over the tiny island of Perejil revived the issue of the sovereignty of Melilla and Ceuta. The small enclaves on the Mediterranean coast are surrounded by Morocco and have been administered by Madrid for centuries.

Morocco has been given the status of non-Nato ally by Washington, which has praised its support for the US-led war on terror. After deadly suicide bombings in Casablanca in 2003, Morocco launched a crackdown on suspected Islamic militants.

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Story By: by NPR Staff

Joel Osteen’s television program is seen in more than 100 nations and reaches more than 10 million U.S. households each week. He has four No. 1 New York Times bestselling books, a top-ten weekly podcast and sells out stadium-sized worship events across the U.S. and abroad.

- Pastor Joel Osteen

“He had his certain style, and people had heard him for 40 years there at the church, and I thought, I gotta be like my dad. They came to hear him,” he says.

But as he grew into the person “God made me to be — that is, encouraging people, talking about everyday life,” Osteen’s message began to change. He used less scripture and stuck with the positivity.

“I think that’s where … we’ve seen a lot of the success, if I can say that, is that I just ran my race,” he says. “I didn’t try to copy my dad or fit into the pressure or the mold that everybody tried to make me fit into.”

Success In Broad Appeal

Now, in order to connect with the thousands listening in person and the millions more watching on TV, Osteen says he acts as though he’s talking to one person.

“And I also, after every service back at home, I’ll talk to 500 visitors, just greeting them. I get to hear their stories. What are they going through?” he says. “And so, when I sit down to write my messages, I always think, OK … here’s who I’m talking to.”

He takes common issues like financial, health and job issues and gives advice about keeping “a good attitude when times are tough.”

“So I think, too, talking about everyday life, that … it resonates with people versus just going to church and somebody reading scriptures to you,” Osteen says. “And that’s not bad, but I think that’s the difference.”

He also sets himself apart in that he hasn’t publicly supported a particular political party. Osteen stays away from contested issues like gay marriage and abortion.

“The reason I do is because I feel like I’m called to reach a broad amount of people,” he says, “and when you start … getting political, almost immediately you divide [your followers] 50/50.”

As for the future, Osteen says he would love to have his two children follow in his footsteps.

“I’m not gonna, obviously, force them. But you know, I just think there’s something about heritage and legacy,” he says. “The ultimate thing would [be], hey, come follow after me and take this and take it much, much further than I did.”

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By DENNIS NISHI

As talk of a thaw in hiring freezes rises above a whisper, many people are already planning to look for a new position when the job market picks up.

Some 60% of workers say they intend to leave their jobs when the economy improves, according to a survey by Right Management, a talent and career-management consulting firm in Philadelphia. It might be tempting to give the boss an earful if you land a new job in the coming months. But the way you quit can have a long term impact on your career. How to resign on good terms:

• Be prepared. Review your employee handbook or employment contract before announcing your decision, so you know what company policy is regarding resignations, severance, the return of company property and pay for unused vacation time. Also, find out the company’s reference policy to see what information will be disclosed to a prospective employer. If you have another job lined up, be sure to have your offer in writing before you resign.

• Use it or lose it. If you haven’t used your vacation time and will lose it if you quit, you might want to use your time before leaving or link it to your resignation date. States like California consider accrued vacation time to be part of wages and must be paid upon resignation or termination says employment attorney Michael J. Goldfarb, president of Northridge Calif.-based Holman HR. But if you don’t want to burn any bridges, don’t take vacation and announce your departure just after you return.

Getty Images

Quitting well is important for your career.

• Make an appointment. “Be formal and make an appointment with your boss,” recommends Tanya Maslach, a San Diego, Calif., career expert who specializes in relationship management issues. “Prepare what you want to say. Be direct and engaging—and be transparent,” Ms. Maslach says. She also recommends offering to help make the transition easier; ask your boss how you can best do that. After the discussion, put your resignation in a hard-copy letter that includes your last day and any transitional help you’ve offered. Keep a copy. Two weeks advance notice is still standard but experts recommend offering more time if you’ve worked at the company for more than five years. You also need to be prepared to leave right away—some companies require it.

• Don’t take the stapler. “It’s not worth it,” says Mr. Goldfarb. “If there are security cameras or coworkers with a grudge, stealing from the company doesn’t look good.” In some cases, you could also end up getting billed for the missing equipment—or even taken to court, he says.

• Scrub your digital footprint. Clear your browser cache, remove passwords to Web sites you use from work, such as your personal email or online bank account and delete any personal files on your work computer that aren’t relevant to work. Don’t delete anything work related if you’re required to keep it.

• Be honest but remain positive. Be helpful during the exit interview but keep responses simple and professional. Don’t use the session to lay blame or rant about coworkers, bosses or the workplace. “Whatever you do, don’t confess about how much you disliked working there,” says Ms. Maslach. “If you want to leave a helpful bit of advice or opinion, consider offering your expertise to your soon-to-be ex-boss … offer to be available to them for advice when they get in a rut.”

• Stay close. Consider joining an employee alumni association, which often serves as a networking group for former employees. It can be a good way to keep up with changes in the company and industry—and find leads to new jobs down the road. Keep in touch with coworkers you worked closely with; they may end up in management roles.

Write to Dennis Nishi at cjeditor@dowjones.com

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We buzzed past a man sitting in a barber’s chair on the sidewalk of a main road. The man was peering into an oval mirror tacked to a tree as the barber clipped away.

“See! O.I.V!” my friend said.

“What?” I asked, trying to figure out what I had seen as much as what he just said.

“O.I.V.,” he repeated. “Only in Vietnam.”

It was the first day of my 11-day tour through northern and central Vietnam, and the adventure had just begun.

Vietnam was never at the top of my list of places to visit — that is until my old roommate from Atlanta took a job in Hanoi.

When my rock-climbing partner, with a level of sanity as questionable as my own, found out climbing was on our itinerary, he decided to join in.

We’d start in Hanoi and take in the city sights, make our way to Cat Ba Island for a little climbing and finally to Hoi An along the central coast for some relaxation.

Hanoi at street level

We flew in to the capital, where traffic signals and street signs, if they exist, seem more like suggestions than law.

The streets are the heart and soul of Hanoi. They’re where people gather for everything from dinner to shoe repair, and the only way to take in the city is to plunge into the traffic.

So we did, starting with a walking tour of the Old Quarter.

Roughly 1,000 years old, the Old Quarter developed as craftsmen gathered around the old palace to peddle their wares. The narrow streets eventually became the central marketplace and business area, but it retains much of its ancient charm.

The buildings are only a few stories tall, narrow and deep, and artisans and merchants still line the sidewalks.

The streets are named after what you may find on them — tinwork on Hang Thiec and silk on Hang Gai. Hang Dau was once home to fragrant oil merchants, but now tourists and locals walk the street looking for a great deal on shoes.

After watching a tinsmith melt and mold what appeared to be a sprinkler head, another wonder of the Hanoi streets caught my eye, or rather my taste buds.

On the balcony of a coffee shop near the Old Quarter, I had my first sip of café sua da — Vietnamese iced coffee.

It is dark and thick like espresso, but served iced and creamed with a couple of spoonfuls of sweetened condensed milk. I was addicted at first sip.

Climbing on Cat Ba Island

One taxi, three buses and a speedboat away from Hanoi we found the small island of Cat Ba in Halong Bay.

Halong Bay was named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011 and is easily recognized by the hundreds of limestone karsts that jut sharply out of the turquoise waters.

Where much of the area has watered down the wilderness experience to cater to tourists, Cat Ba attracts a more low-maintenance traveler — the “Tây ba lô.”

“It means ‘Western backpacker,’ ” my friend explained. “But it also means they think you’re cheap.”

Cat Ba is a popular spot for backpackers from all over the world who have developed a reputation for their stinginess. Accommodations are basic, and prices are low.

Tall, narrow hotels line the main road, each with an amazing view of the harbor. Rooms go for dollars a day, and the cafes feature fresh seafood on the cheap.

But the real draw of the island is away from the main drag, so our first morning we caught a ride on a tourist boat to a beachside climbing site.

As we meandered through the waters of the bay, a unique nautical culture revealed itself. Because the land is often too rocky to cultivate but the bay is rich in sea life, locals have made the water their home.

Large networks of floating villages hide in the shadows of the karsts. Brightly colored huts are built on grids of floating barrels and beams with frontyards made of fishing nets.

Our boat dropped anchor off the shore of a deserted beach. We loaded our climbing gear onto kayaks and paddled over.

We scaled the jagged walls of Tiger and Moody’s beaches in solitude, taking in the beauty of Halong Bay from the top of the vertical cliffs.

In addition to experiencing the bay’s natural beauty, you can’t help but stumble upon history.

We explored the island during a break between climbing routes and found a natural cave with a man-made concrete slab for a floor, most likely created as a hideout during the Vietnam War (or the American War, as it’s known in Vietnam).

Although I never discovered the history of that exact cave, back on Cat Ba we toured another war-era relic with a local guide.

Hospital Cave is a three story, bomb-proof structure built into a natural cave. It was a hospital and a safe house for the Viet Cong during the war, complete with a kitchen, surgical rooms and a theater.

We also traded $8 cash for two motorbikes (no rental agreement required) and sped up the windy, lush road to Cannon Fort.

Cannon Fort was built in the 1940s and later used during the war. Two cannons remain hidden in its crevices, and it’s a spectacular place to take in a sunset.

High class in Hoi An

After braving the traffic in the city and the cliffs (and jellyfish) of the bay, I deemed the last part of our trip as R&R time, and the ancient city of Hoi An did not disappoint.

Most port cities in Vietnam have met one of two fates: They have either grown into large industrial harbors such as Da Nang or shriveled over time.

Hoi An is different. Its narrow streets with lantern-lit storefronts and a fusion of various styles of traditional Asian architecture give it a quaint feel.

Two of the city’s specialties are clothing and food. The first you can get made to order. The second you can make yourself.

Every other storefront in the old town is a tailor’s shop where you can design your own clothing, pick the fabrics and have it sewn overnight. If you find the right tailor, you can walk away with quality, high-style clothing made to fit at big-box store prices.

As for the food, Hoi An is a unique blend of northern and southern flavors with specialties such as white rose dumplings and the Hoi An pancake. Many of the cafes offer cooking classes so you can master the flavors of the city and take them home with you.

Our cooking class started with a tour of the local market, where we picked up a few fresh ingredients and learned about the local food culture. It turns out turmeric will cure all that ails you, according to Vietnamese tradition, and durian — a very smelly fruit — is an acquired taste.

After a leisurely boat ride, we arrived at the Red Bridge Cooking School. Under its thatched portico, we learned to make rice paper and spring rolls, cook in a clay pot and fry Banh Xeo, a shrimp and rice pancake.

Trying to re-create that rice paper turned into an epic disaster back in the States, but for an afternoon, we were masters of the trade.

Not for everyone, not forever

From the madness of Hanoi to the untamed beauty of Cat Ba — each of our destinations offered a unique glimpse into Vietnamese culture.

It’s not for everyone, but for those willing to brave the unknown, the country is ripe with untapped adventures.

Hurry though. Sprawling resorts are popping up, and the booming tourism business has many young people learning how to cater to the nuances of Western culture more often than celebrating their own.

Vietnam is a country on the cusp. In another decade, it may be a cookie-cutter tourist oasis. But for now, the spirit of Vietnam remains.

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Capital Management House (CMH), the Bahrain based Islamic investment bank, announced that it has distributed the regular quarterly dividend, calculated at 10% per annum, to GCC investors of the Bank’s Aircraft Leasing Investment Company for the first quarter of the year ended 31 March 2012.

CMH’s aircraft leasing company was created in January 2011 and has been structured around a transaction concluded with Emirates Airlines, one of the world’s leading carriers, which consists of the acquisition of a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft from the airline and an agreement whereby it has been leased back to Emirates.

The deal, which was undertaken in partnership with Novus Aviation and Muzun Partner Ltd., builds on opportunities in the regional aviation sector, which has shown to be resilient, and on the leasing sub-segment where strong returns can be achieved and where further growth, both in absolute and relative terms, is expected to continue in light of the Middle East’s position as one of the fastest growing travel hubs in the world.

“We are again pleased to announce another quarter of solid dividends for investors in Capital Management House’s aviation leasing company.” said Mr. Mohamed Aljasim, Chief Investment Officer of CMH.

“This investment continues to generate healthy returns for the Bank and our co-investors. The aviation sector is a growth industry with great potential and we are pleased to have been able to capitalize on that growth. We continue to look for opportunities in this sector and others that will enable us to acquire assets that are both income-yielding and provide for medium to long-term upside potential.”

Mr. Aljasim continued: “CMH also invests in other growth sectors and those that are of fundamental importance to the development of Bahrain and the regional economies. To date, the Bank has made significant investments in: Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy, Power, Financial Services, Real Estate and Capital Markets. Notable among these is the Bank’s stake in Al Dur Power & Water, which has recently launched commercial operations in February 2012 in Bahrain and was formally inaugurated by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain on the 30th of April 2012, underscoring the highly strategic nature of the project.”

Al Dur is the single largest independent producer of Power and Water in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is capable of producing 1,234 MW of power and more than 218,000 m3 per day of the highest quality water in the GCC today. This is equivalent to approximately one-third of the Kingdom’s peak power needs and one-third of the water requirements of Bahraini industry, business and citizens.

The Bahraini Electricity and Water Authority (‘EWA’) is the sole off-taker of the plant output as stipulated in a 25-year Power and Water Purchase Agreement.

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But in a tall tale that would have made the Great Emancipator proud, a blog post saying that he did just that was making the rounds Wednesday. And some online media outlets were quick to take the bait.

Blogger Nate St. Pierre, a consultant who works with blogs and other Web businesses to help grow their sites, posted a fantastic yarn Tuesday about stumbling upon a tombstone in Wisconsin that ultimately led him to the Lincoln Museum in Springfield, Illinois.

There, he discovered an 1845 patent filed by Honest Abe for a sort of personalized newspaper in which “every Man may have his own page, where he might discuss his Family, his Work, and his Various Endeavors.”

Each page would feature a profile picture at the top left. The user’s name, address and profession would appear at the top. On a sample page, Lincoln shared two poems he “liked,” a short story about the Pilgrims and details about what he did that day (went to the circus).

“Put all that together on one page and tell me what it looks like to you,” St. Pierre wrote. “Profile picture. Personal information. Status updates. Copied and shared material. A few longer posts. Looks like something we see every day, doesn’t it?”

In short: Lincoln envisioned a paper version of Facebook, 160 years before Mark Zuckerberg.

Except for the fact that none of it is true.

“I just wanted to have fun with it,” St. Pierre said Wednesday. “I’ve done this before. Every couple of years, I do a hoax. I knew this would go big but didn’t expect those dozens of outlets to just run with it without 30 seconds of fact-checking.”

For careful readers, St. Pierre’s post is sprinkled with what should have been plenty of red flags.

For one, he writes that his search began after he discovered an apparent friendship between Lincoln and legendary huckster P.T. Barnum. You know, the guy widely believed to have said, “There’s a sucker born every minute” and “You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time.” (Both of those quotes, by the way, may not have actually been said by Barnum.)

He even quotes Wikipedia’s entry calling Barnum “an American showman, businessman, scam artist and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes.”

The tombstone in question supposedly belonged to a carny who brags on it about how he “bluffed” Lincoln and Barnum in a poker game.

And photos like the one shown on the page Lincoln supposedly created wouldn’t appear in newspapers for several more decades.

“I just did it for fun: an homage to P.T. and his hoaxes … and Abe’s tall tales,” St. Pierre said. “Just something fun like that for the modern day.”

But he also wanted to make a bigger point: “That the Internet would fall over itself to be first and share without checking.”

In the first 24 hours after he posted, the article was shared on Facebook more than 10,000 times, St. Pierre said, adding that his personal blog got more than 50,000 visitors.

Forbes magazine posted a story under the headline “Abraham Lincoln Filed a Patent for a Dead-Tree Facebook in 1845.” By Wednesday morning, that story had been pulled.

“A Forbes contributor took Nate St. Pierre’s story at face value,” a spokeswoman said in an e-mail. “Once Forbes realized it was a prank, the article was pulled from the site.”

Tech blog ZDNet did the same. As of Wednesday afternoon, the story was still online, with a note saying that it’s a hoax and with some, but not all, of the fake information crossed out. (Hey, a page view is a page view, right?)

At tech blog The Next Web, a story was followed by another pointing out that the too-good-to-be-true story was, in fact, too good to be true. The first line of the original story? “You can’t make this stuff up, folks.”

Next Web writer Drew Olanoff said the story was popping up elsewhere online when he posted it under the site’s “Shareables,” section, which features mostly fun, light-hearted stories.

“While it probably should have been marked as fiction by the author, who is obviously extremely imaginative, these things do happen,” he said in an e-mail. “I’m sure it got him the attention he was seeking.”

For his part, St. Pierre said, he enjoyed watching tech bloggers on Twitter first share the story but then argue amongst themselves about who got fooled first.

“Dude, you both got punked,” he said with a laugh.

And while St. Pierre’s story was made up, he may have gotten a little closer to the 16th president’s true nature than he realized.

Lincoln never envisioned creating a way for his contemporaries to share cute pictures of their cats, much less play FarmVille (which no doubt would have seemed less exotic in rural 19th-century America). But he did become the only U.S. president in history to hold a patent for an invention.

According to the Smithsonian, Lincoln filed in 1849 for a patent on a tool designed to lift ships off of sandbars.

That tool, much like Abe’s proto-Web startup, never became a reality.

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China has denied reports its military forces are preparing for war amid tensions over a disputed territory in the South China Sea.

But its intentions are far from clear – and the competing interests of maritime agencies and the military mean its next step is hard to predict, our analyst adds.

On Friday, several hundred protesters demonstrated at the Chinese embassy in Manila, calling for China to withdraw its ships from the shoal.

The row began early last month when the Philippines said its naval ship had found eight Chinese fishing vessels at the shoal, which is claimed by both sides.

A number of Chinese and Philippine fishery and coastguard ships remain stationed at the shoal, with both sides refusing to withdraw.

The shoal itself, called Huangyan Island by China, is a series of rocks and reefs more than 100 miles (160km) from the Philippines and 500 miles from China.

China claims sovereignty over a large U-shaped area of the South China Sea, bringing it into dispute with several neighbouring countries. In recent months, it has grown more assertive over the issue.

Manila has asked China to settle the issue at the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

On Saturday, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr – speaking at the start of a visit to China – called on countries in the region to settle their claims through international law.

"We don't take a side on the various claims over the South China Sea," he said.

"But we do, given our interest in the South China Sea, given the fact that a large proportion of our trade travels through it, … call on governments to clarify and pursue those claims and accompanying maritime rights in accordance with international law including the UN Law of the Sea Convention."

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