Albert Hofmann, father of mind-altering drug LSD, dies at 102

GENEVA � Albert Hofmann, the father of the mind-altering drug LSD whose medical discovery grew into a notorious "problem child," has died. He was 102. Hofmann died Tuesday at his home in Burg im Leimental, said Doris Stuker, a municipal clerk in the village near Basel where Hofmann moved following his retirement in 1971. Hofmann's hallucinogen inspired � and arguably corrupted � millions in the 1960s hippie generation. For decades after LSD was banned in the late 1960s, Hofmann defended his invention. "I produced the substance as a medicine. ... It's not my fault if people abused it," he once said. The Swiss chemist discovered lysergic acid diethylamide-25 in 1938 while studying the medicinal uses of a fungus found on wheat and other grains at the Sandoz pharmaceuticals firm in Basel. He became the first human guinea pig of the drug when a tiny amount of the substance seeped onto his finger during a repeat of the laboratory experiment on April 16, 1943.


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Russians believe in country's attractiveness

RBC, 30.04.2008, Moscow 13:55:14.More than half of Russians (53 percent) believe that Russia can become the most attractive places for living, while 28 percent have the opposite opinion, a poll conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) showed. Some 30 percent of respondents believe that in order for Russia to become a more attractive place for living, its citizens' wellbeing needs to be improved. Among other factors Russians named developed economy, good employment opportunities, Russia's stability and security, as well as high-quality medical care and improved living conditions.

Some respondents (9 percent) say that a lot depends on the government, while another 6 percent think that the country's leader should be the person to change the situation for the better.



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(AFX UK Focus) 2008-05-01 09:45 Norseman Gold says drilling results demonstrate potential of its prospects

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Norseman Gold Plc. said preliminary results from exploration drilling demonstrate the potential of the AIM-listed company's prospects close to its Norseman treatment plant in Western Australia.

At Lady Miller North, 33 drill holes were completed to test 800 metres of northern strike extent of mineralisation from the previously mined Lady Miller open pit, which has a current resource estimate of 480,000 tonnes at 2.7 grammes a tonne of gold. The company said it received assay results from the first four holes and was gave positive information about three of the results.

It also said the result from the first hole on Mararoa North was pleasing and announced results from four of the 23 holes drilled at Slippers and from two of six holes drilled at Groundlark.



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Malaysia To Play Major Role In Harmonising Universal Thinking About Religion

PUTRAJAYA, May 1 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will play a major role in finding ways to harmonise universal thinking about religion, particularly Islam. As such, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said, Malaysia would host the 3rd international conference on "The Muslim World and the West - Bridging the Gap". "This is a very important convention, involving Islam and the west and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) has invited luminaries from outside to discuss with us future cooperation, understanding and harmonising Islam vis-a-vis the world at large. "We cannot be antagonising each other all the time. We must find a lasting solution and perhaps having leaders of iconic stature (to promote the idea) would be the best thing. We look forward to that and Wisma Putra will play the key role," he told Bernama in an interview recently.



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Albany church receives a special proclamation

Albany--Hurricane Katrina was the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

For thousands of people who volunteered to help people in areas devastated by the storm, thank you was gratitude enough.

But one city in Mississippi is doing more than just saying thanks.

Bay Saint Louis is giving out proclamations to those who lent a helping hand.

An Albany church got one of those proclamations.

The City of Bay St. Louis Mississippi took a direct hit when Hurricane Katrina came ashore.

"In Bay St. Louis is where the eye of the storm came across, our church had 13 feet of water inside" Said Jeffrey Reed.

He is a City Commissioner and a pastor in Bay St. Louis.

Hundreds of miles away in Albany a friend, and fellow Pastor knew he had to do something to help.



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Rural Sector's Mixed Confidence

Meanwhile, the third leg of the National Australia's Bank's confidence surveys each quarter is the report on confidence and conditions in agri-businesses: both before and after the farm gate.

And the latest survey for the March quarter shows there's a curious "we'll be rooned but things are looking up" dichotomy which some how sums up attitudes in rural areas some times.

But this time around it's more important than for several years: the last two and a bit years have been pretty bad for rural and regional areas with the drought, the wine bust and the damage to grain crops, offset by the beef and sheep meat boom and of course the resources booms in parts of rural Queensland, Western Australia and parts of South Australia and NSW.

But with generally good rain (and more needed in the next few months) there are hopes the impact of the drought will fade and winter grain crops in particular will flourish and catch the world-wide price boom.


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Kate & Gerry McCann: We believe Maddie is still alive

KATE and Gerry McCann believe their missing daughter Madeleine is still alive and think one key piece of information will reveal her whereabouts.

Speaking two days before the first anniversary of the day she was abducted, the couple said their ordeal had been "almost unbearable" and said they had been pulled through by their young twins, Sean and Amelie.

Launching a media campaign in a renewed bid to find Madeleine, Gerry McCann said: "Any parent will understand we will do anything to get that child back. We will go to the ends of the earth."

Kate added: "We're Madeleine's parents; if we're not there for her, who is?"

The couple were speaing in a live TV interview this morning.

Kate admitted the couple had received hate mail for leaving the little girl and her younger siblings alone in the unlocked apartment while they went to dinner at a nearby restaurant.



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