Better than the iPhone? The new BlackBerry 9000.

On April 16, 1943, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann was doing just another experiment on a lysergic acid compound, when he accidentally absorbed some through his fingertips. Three days later, he ingested 250 micrograms of the compound and hopped on his bike to make his way home. That’s when he started to experience the world’s first acid trip:

“In a dreamlike state, with eyes closed (I found the daylight to be unpleasantly glaring), I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors. After some two hours this condition faded away.”

He continued to experiment with hallucinogens, becoming the first person to synthesize psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, in 1958. While he was critical of casual hippie LSD use, he was still a lifelong advocate of the drug he referred to as “medicine for the soul.” Hofman finally died yesterday of a heart attack at the ripe old age of 102. After the jump, watch a documentary about the development of LSD called Hofmann’s Potion.

Dubbed “the bad boy of cuisine” for his rock-star look and blunt observations about the world of restaurants, chefs and cooking, Anthony Bourdain is not your typical celebrity chef. Bourdain has been known for being an unrepentant drinker and smoker. Adding to his untamed image, Bourdain is a former user of cocaine, heroin, poppers, and LSD. A 28-year veteran of professional kitchens, Bourdain is the Chef-at-Large at New York’s famed bistro, Les Halles. His exposé of New York restaurants attracted huge attention in the U.S.A. and the U.K. It formed the basis of his critically acclaimed 2001 book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, which described in lurid detail his experiences in kitchens and became a surprise international best-seller.

Tony’s quest for the perfect dining experience was then smartly documented in his own television series: No Reservations. In No Reservations, Tony’s journey takes him to people and places far beyond the realm of food. Following his wanderlust, the show has taken the audience to far-out and familiar places, from Iceland to Vietnam and the Greek Islands to Indonesia. Having known about Bourdain for quite some time now, I thought I’d educate all the rookies who are unaware of his legendary lifestyle. Check out Bourdain on the Travel Channel as he travels around the world seeking the authentic experiences and food that flavor the world’s cultures.

AT&T is planning to put some extra shine on the even sleeker new Apple iPhone.

When the 3G iPhone is introduced this summer, AT&T, the exclusive U.S. iPhone sales partner with Apple, will cut the price by as much as $200, according to a person familiar with the strategy.

AT&T is preparing to subsidize $200 of the cost of a new iPhone, bringing the price down to $199 for customers who sign two-year contracts, the source says. Apple is expected to have two versions of the new iPhone, an 8-gigabyte-memory and a 16-gigabyte-memory model with price tags widely expected to be $399 and $499.

Click here to read more.Get a FREE iPhone

Blu is definitely a leader in the new school of Los Angeles emcees. His presence is undeniable, while his music captivates audiences regardless of race, class, and gender. Although many are still unaware of Blu’s work, Below The Heavens guarantees to take LA hip hop back to the place where Freestyle Fellowship, Jurassic 5, and The Pharcyde left off. Blu’s first full length LP, Below The Heavens pairs Blu with producer Exile on the Sound In Color imprint. His first single, “The Narrow Path” has rocked stages across the world, and fans are beginning to realize the impact of Blu’s music. His delivery flows flawlessly, while his content reflects the joy and pain of working class youth everywhere.

In recent shows Mos Def has performed new songs from his album said to be named “The Ecstatic.” He has shown crowds tracks produced by Madlib and Oh No (Madlib’s younger brother), and is rumored to be going to Al Be Back and Kanye West for new material. Other confirmed tracks on the album are “Auditorium” Featuring Slick Rick, Produced by Madlib, “Super Magic” Produced by Oh No and “Twilight Speedball” Produced by Chad Hugo & Mos Def. The album has no release date.

Official Track Listing Thus Far:

• Auditorium Ft. Slick Rick & Produced by Madlib
• Super Magic Produced by Oh No
• Twilight Speedball Produced by Chad Hugo & Mos Def
• Priority Produced by Preservation
• Pretty Dancer

Scott Weiner launched his pizza tour venture yesterday with a trip to Lombardi’s, Louie & Ernie’s, and Patricia’s. Pizza lovers with $55 to spare can tool around in a school bus on the first citywide pizza tour, which will hit premier pizzerias on a rotating basis. Wiener is hoping to feature up-and-coming joints — like Luzzo’s in the East Village, yesterday’s second stop — as well as established favorites. “They may not have the track record of Lombardi’s or John’s, but their pizza is still on the same level,” said Wiener, 26, who said his personal favorite among the 130 pizzerias he’s visited citywide — Brooklyn’s Grimaldi’s — will be on an upcoming junket.

Kidz In The Hall (comprised of Naledge and Double-O) are not your average group. Following their successful debut record, School Was My Hustle, released on October 31^st, 2006, the duo teamed up with legendary Mix Tape DJ Mick Boogie, to release Detention, a digital-only LP, in late 2007. Now these Ivy League Graduates of the University of Pennsylvania, co-signed by producers Just Blaze and 9^th Wonder, are poised to release their second full-length release, The In Crowd, on 4-29-08 courtesy of Duck Down Records/Major League Entertainment. The new album The In Crowd features appearances by The Clipse, Cool Kids, Gym Class Heroes, Phonte (Little Brother), Sean Price, Black Milk, Buckshot, Masta Ace, Camp Lo and many more. This is a definite classic for the Hip-Hop lover.

The versatile producer who started his climb to stardom with his Beatles and Jay-Z mash-up remix “The Grey Album” has been named 2008’s Best Producer for Rolling Stones annual Best of Rock Honors. With excellent recent releases with Gnarls Barkley and The Black Keys, plus an upcoming Beck project in the works, it’s no wonder Brian Burton snagged the title.