خطبة الإمام علي عليه السلام الخالية من حرف الألف – Imam Ali Speach without “Alef” Arabic Letter

خطبة الإمام علي ( عليه السلام ) الخالية من الألف

تذاكر قوم من أصحاب رسول الله ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) : أي حروف الهجاء ادخل في الكلام ؟ فأجمعوا على الألف ، فارتجل الإمام علي ( عليه السلام ) من غير تريّث ولا تفكير ، فقال :

( حَمِدْتُ مَنْ عَظُمَتْ مِنَّتُهُ ، وَسَبَغَتْ نِعْمَتُهُ ، وَسَبَقَتْ غَضَبَهُ رَحْمَتُهُ ، وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُهُ ، وَنَفِذَتْ مَشيئَتُهُ ، وَبَلَغَتْ قَضِيَّتُهُ ، حَمِدْتُهُ حَمْدَ مُقِرٍّ بِرُبوُبِيَّتِهِ ، مُتَخَضِّعٍ لِعُبوُدِيَّتِهِ ، مُتَنَصِّلٍ مِنْ خَطيئَتِهِ ، مُتَفَرِّدٍ بِتَوْحيدِهِ ، مُؤَمِّلٍ مِنْهُ مَغْفِرَةً تُنْجيهِ ، يَوْمَ يُشْغَلُ عَنْ فَصيلَتِهِ وَبَنيهِ .

وَنَسْتَعينُهُ وَنَسْتَرْشِدُهُ وَنَسْتَهْديهِ ، وَنُؤْمِنُ بِهِ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْهِ ، وَشَهِدْتُ لَهُ شُهُودَ مُخْلِصٍ مُوقِنٍ ، وَفَرَّدْتُهُ تَفَرُّدَ مُؤْمِن مُتَيَقِّنٍ ، وَوَحَّدْتُهُ تَوْحيدَ عَبْدٍ مُذْعِنٍ ، لَيْسَ لَهُ شَريكٌ في‏ مُلْكِهِ ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلِىٌّ في‏ صُنْعِهِ ، جَلَّ عَنْ مُشيرٍ وَوَزيرٍ ، وَعَنْ عَوْنِ مُعينٍ وَنَصيرٍ وَنَظيرٍ .

عَلِمَ فَسَتَرَ ، وَبَطَنَ فَخَبَرَ ، وَمَلَكَ فَقَهَرَ ، وَعُصِىَ فَغَفَرَ ، وَحَكَمَ فَعَدَلَ ، لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلَنْ يَزوُلَ ، لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ ، وَهُوَ قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ ، وَهُوَ بَعْدَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ ، رَبٌّ مُتَعَزِّزٌ بِعِزَّتِهِ ، مُتَمَكِّنٌ بِقُوَّتِهِ ، مُتَقَدِّسٌ بِعُلُوِّهِ ، مُتَكَبِّرٌ بِسُمُوِّهِ ، لَيْسَ يُدْرِكُهُ بَصَرٌ ، وَلَمْ يُحِطْ بِهِ نَظَرٌ ، قَوِىٌّ مَنيعٌ ، بَصيرٌ سَميعٌ ، رَؤُفٌ رَحيمٌ .

عَجَزَ عَنْ وَصْفِهِ مَنْ يَصِفُهُ ، وَضَلَّ عَنْ نَعْتِهِ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهُ ، قَرُبَ فَبَعُدَ ، وَبَعُدَ فَقَرُبَ ، يُجيبُ دَعْوَةَ مَنْ يَدْعُوهُ ، وَيَرْزُقُهُ وَيَحْبُوهُ ، ذُو لُطْفٍ خَفي ، وَبَطْشٍ قَوِىٍّ ، وَرَحْمَةٍ مُوسَعَةٍ ، وَعُقُوبَةٍ مُوجِعَةٍ ، رَحْمَتُهُ جَنَّةٌ عَريضَةٌ مُونِقَةٌ ، وَعُقُوبَتُهُ جَحيمٌ مَمْدُودَةٌ موُبِقَةٌ .

وَشَهِدْتُ بِبَعْثِ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسوُلِهِ ، وَعَبْدِهِ وَصَفِيِّهِ ، وَنَبِيِّهِ وَنَجِيِّهِ ، وَحَبيبِهِ وَخَليلِهِ ، بَعَثَهُ في‏ خَيْرِ عَصْرٍ ، وَحينِ فَتْرَةٍ وَكُفْرٍ ، رَحْمَةً لِعَبيدِهِ ، وَمِنَّةً لِمَزيدِهِ ، خَتَمَ بِهِ نُبُوَّتَهُ ، وَشَيَّدَ بِهِ حُجَّتَهُ ، فَوَعَظَ وَنَصَحَ ، وَبَلَّغَ وَكَدَحَ ، رَؤُفٌ بِكُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ ، رَحيمٌ سَخِيٌّ ، رَضِىٌّ وَلِىٌّ زَكِىٌّ ، عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةٌ وَتَسْليمٌ ، وَبَرَكَةٌ وَتَكْريمٌ ، مِنْ رَّبٍّ غَفوُرٍ رَحيمٍ ، قَريبٍ مُجيبٍ .

وَصَّيْتُكُمْ مَعْشَرَ مَنْ حَضَرَنى‏ بِوصِيَّةِ رَبِّكُمْ ، وَذَكَّرْتُكُمْ بِسُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكُمْ ، فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِرَهْبَةٍ تَسْكُنُ قُلوُبَكُمْ ، وَخَشْيَةٍ تُذْرى‏ دُمُوعَكُمْ ، وَتَقِيَّةٍ تُنْجيكُمْ قَبْلَ يَوْمِ يُبْليكُمْ وَيُذْهِلُكُمْ ، يَوْمَ يَفوُزُ فيهِ مَنْ ثَقُلَ وَزْنُ حَسَنَتِهِ ، وَخَفَّ وَزْنُ سَيِّئَتِهِ ، وَلْتَكُنْ مَسْئَلَتُكُمْ وَتَمَلُّقُكُمْ مَسْاَلَةَ ذُلٍّ وَخُضُوعٍ ، وَشُكْرٍ وَخُشوُعٍ ، بِتَوْبَةٍ وَتَوَرُّعٍ ، وَنَدَمٍ وَرُجوُعٍ ، وَلْيَغْتَنِمْ كُلُّ مُغْتَنِمٍ مِنْكُمْ صِحَّتَهُ قَبْلَ سُقْمِهِ ، وَشَبيبَتَهُ قَبْلَ هَرَمِهِ ، وَسَعَتَهُ قَبْلَ فَقْرِهِ ، وَفَرْغَتَهُ قَبْلَ شُغْلِهِ وَحَضَرَهُ قَبْلَ سَفَرِهِ ، قَبْلَ تَكَبُّرٍ وَتَهَرُّمٍ وَتَسَقُّمٍ ، يَمُلُّهُ طَبيبُهُ ، وَيُعْرِضُ عَنْهُ حَبيبُهُ ، وَيَنْقَطِعُ غِمْدُهُ ، وَيَتَغَيَّرُ عَقْلُهُ .

ثُمَّ قيلَ هُوَ مَوْعُوكٌ وَجِسْمُهُ مَنْهوُكٌ ، ثُمَّ جُدَّ في‏ نَزْعٍ شَديدٍ ، وَحَضَرَهُ كُلُّ قَريبٍ وَبَعيدٍ ، فَشَخَصَ بَصَرُهُ ، وَطَمَحَ نَظَرُهُ ، وَرَشَحَ جَبينُهُ ، وَعَطَفَ عَرينُهُ ، وَسَكَنَ حَنينُهُ ، وَحَزَنَتْهُ نَفْسُهُ ، وَبَكَتْهُ عِرْسُهُ ، وَحُفِرَ رَمْسُهُ ، وَيُتِمُّ مِنْهُ وُلْدُهُ ، وَتَفَرَّقَ مِنْهُ عَدَدُهُ ، وَقُسِمَ جَمْعُهُ ، وَذَهَبَ بَصَرُهُ وَسَمْعُهُ ، وَمُدِّدَ وَجُرِّدَ ، وَعُرِىَ وَغُسِلَ ، وَنُشِفَ وَسُجِّىَّ ، وَبُسِطَ لَهُ وَهُيِّى‏ءَ ، وَنُشِرَ عَلَيْهِ كَفَنُهُ ، وَشُدَّ مِنْهُ ذَقَنُهُ ، وَقُمِّصَ وَعُمِّمَ وَوُدِّعَ وَسُلِّمَ ، وَحُمِلَ فَوْقَ سَريرٍ ، وَصُلِّىَ عَلَيْهِ بِتَكْبيرٍ ، وَنُقِلَ مِنْ دُورٍ مُزَخْرَفَةٍ ، وَقُصُورٍ مُشَيَّدَةٍ ، وَحُجُرٍ مُنَجَّدَةٍ ، وَجُعِلَ في‏ ضَريحٍ مَلْحُودٍ ، وَضيقٍ مَرْصوُدٍ ، بِلَبِنٍ مَنْضُودٍ ، مُسَقَّفٍ بِجُلْموُدٍ .

وَهيلَ عَلَيْهِ حَفَرُهُ ، وَحُثِيَ عَلَيْهِ مَدَرُهُ ، وَتَحَقَّقَ حَذَرُهُ ، وَنُسِىَ خَبَرُهُ ، وَرَجَعَ عَنْهُ وَلِيُّهُ وَصَفِيُّهُ ، وَنَديمُهُ وَنَسيبُهُ ، وَتَبَدَّلَ بِهِ قَرينُهُ وَحَبيبُهُ ، فَهُوَ حَشْوُ قَبْرٍ ، وَرَهينُ قَفْرٍ ، يَسْعى‏ بِجِسْمِهِ دوُدُ قَبْرِهِ ، وَيَسيلُ صَديدُهُ مِنْ مَنْخَرِهِ ، يَسْتَحقُ تُرْبُهُ لَحْمَهُ ، وَيَنْشَفُ دَمَهُ ، وَيَرُمُّ عَظْمَهُ حَتّى‏ يَوْمِ حَشْرِهِ ، فَنُشِرَ مِنْ قَبْرِهِ حينَ يُنْفَخُ في‏ صُورٍ ، وَيُدْعى‏ بِحَشْرٍ وَنُشُورٍ ، فَثَمَّ بُعْثِرَتْ قُبوُرٌ ، وَحُصِّلَتْ سَريرَةُ صُدُورٍ ، وَجيي‏ءَ بِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ وَصِدّيقٍ وَشَهيدٍ ، وَتَوَحَّدَ لِلْفَصْلِ قَديرٌ ، بِعَبْدِهِ خَبيرٌ بَصيرٌ .

فَكَمْ مِنْ زَفْرَةٍ تُضْنيهِ ، وَحَسْرَةٍ تُنْضيهِ ، في مَوْقَفٍ مَهوُلٍ ، وَمَشْهَدٍ جَليلٍ ، بَيْنَ يَدَيْ مَلِكٍ عَظيمٍ ، وَبِكُلِّ صَغيرٍ وَكَبيرٍ عَليمٍ ، فَحينئذٍ يُلْجِمُهُ عَرَقُهُ ، وَيُحْصِرُهُ قَلَقُهُ ، عَبْرَتُهُ غَيْرُ مَرْحُومَةٍ ، وَصَرْخَتُهُ غَيْرُ مَسْمُوعَةٍ ، وَحُجَّتُهُ غَيْرُ مَقْبوُلَةٍ ، وبَرزتْ صَحيفَتُهُ ، وَتُبِينتْ جَريدَتُهُ ، فنَظَرَ في‏ سُوءِ عَمَلِهِ ، وَشَهِدَتْ عَلَيْهِ عَيْنُهُ بِنَظَرِهِ ، وَيَدُهُ بِبَطْشِهِ ، وَرِجْلُهُ بِخَطْوِهِ ، وَفَرْجُهُ بِلَمْسِهِ ، وَجِلْدُهُ بِمَسِّهِ ، فَسُلْسِلَ جيدُهُ ، وَغُلَّتْ يَدُهُ ، وَسيقَ فَسَحِبَ وَحْدَهُ ، فَوَرَدَ جَهَنَّمَ بِكَرْبٍ وَشِدَّةٍ ، فَظُلَّ يُعَذَّبُ في‏ جَحيمٍ ، وَيُسْقى‏ شَرْبَةٌ مِنْ حَميمٍ ، تَشْوى‏ وَجْهَهُ ، وَتَسْلَخُ جِلْدَهُ ، وَتَضْرِبُهُ زِبْنِيَةٌ بِمَقْمَعٍ مِنْ حَديدٍ ، وَيَعوُدُ جِلْدُهُ بَعْدَ نُضْجِهِ كَجِلْدٍ جَديدٍ ، يَسْتَغيثُ فَتُعْرِضُ عَنْهُ خَزَنَةُ جَهَنَّمَ ، وَيَسْتَصْرِخُ فَيَلْبَثُ حَقْبَةً يَنْدَمُ .

نَعوُذُ بِرَبٍّ قَديرٍ ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ مَصيرٍ ، وَنَسْأَلُهُ عَفْوَ مَنْ رَضِىَ عَنْهُ ، وَمَغْفِرَةَ مَنْ قَبِلَهُ ، فَهُوَ وَلِىُّ مَسْأَلَتى‏ ، وَمُنْجِحُ طَلِبَتى‏ ، فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنْ تَعْذيبِ رَبِّهِ جُعِلَ في‏ جَنَّتِهِ بِقُرْبِهِ ، وَخُلِّدَ في‏ قُصوُرٍ مُشَيَّدَةٍ ، وَمُلْكِ بِحُورٍ عينٍ وَحَفَدَةٍ ، وَطيفَ عَلَيْهِ بِكُؤُسٍ وسكِنَ في‏ حَظيرَةِ قُدُّوسٍ ، وَتَقَلَّب في‏ نَعيمٍ ، وَسُقِىَ مِنْ تَسْنيمٍ ، وَشَرِبَ مِنْ عَيْنٍ سَلْسَبيلٍ ، وَمُزِجَ لَهُ بِزَنْجَبيلٍ ، مُخْتَمٍ بِمِسْكٍ وَعَبيرٍ مُسْتَديمٍ لِلْمُلْكِ ، مُسْتشْعِرٍ لِلسُّرُرِ ، يَشْرَبُ مِنْ خُموُرٍ ، في‏ رَوْضٍ مُغْدِقٍ ، لَيْسَ يُصَدَّعُ مِنْ شُرْبِهِ ، وَلَيْسَ يُنْزَفُ .

هذِهِ مَنْزِلَةُ مَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ ، وَحَذَّرَ نَفْسَهُ مَعْصِيَتَهُ ، وَتِلْكَ عُقُوبَةُ مَنْ جَحَدَ مَشيئَتَهُ ، وَسَوَّلَتْ لَهُ نَفْسُهُ مَعْصِيَتَهُ ، فَهُوَ قَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ ، وَحُكْمٌ عَدْلٌ ، وَخَبَرٌ قَصَصٌ قَصٌّ ، وَوَعْظٌ نَصٌّ : تَنْزيلٌ مِنْ حَكيمٍ حَميدٍ ، نَزَلَ بِهِ رُوحُ قُدُسٍ مُّبينٍ عَلى‏ قَلْبِ نَبِيّ مُهْتَدٍ رَشيدٍ ، صَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ رُسُلٌ سَفَرَةٌ ، مُكَرَّمُونَ بَرَرَةٌ ، عُذْتُ بِرَبٍّ عَليمٍ ، رَحيمٍ كَريمٍ ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ عَدُوٍّ لَعينٍ رَجيمٍ ، فَلْيَتَضَرَّعْ مُتَضَرِّعُكُمْ وَ لْيَبْتَهِلْ مُبْتَهِلُكُمْ ، وَلْيَسْتَغْفِرْ كُلُّ مَرْبوُبٍ مِنْكُمْ لي‏ وَلَكُمْ ، وَحَسْبي‏ رَبّي‏ وَحْدَهُ ) .

عندما يخرج الفن من حدود الصورة] رااااائع

Islam: 5 Things You Didn’t Know

Islam continues to be in the news on a daily basis, yet many Americans are in the dark about the faith and its founder, the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh). Even fewer of us are aware of how long Islam has been part of the American landscape — and the significance of its impact on American culture. Here are five things you didn’t know about Islam and its relationship with the West.

1- Our founding fathers had favorable views toward Islam

Benjamin Franklin famously stated that the standards of religious freedom in America had to be so broad that “Even if the Mufti [chief
jurist] of Constantinople [from the Muslim Ottoman Empire] were to send a missionary to preach Mohammedanism to us, he would find a pulpit at his service.”

This openness to Islam was actually quite commonplace among America’s founding fathers. When George Washington was asked in 1784 what kind of workers should be hired to work on Mount Vernon, he responded by stating that they should hire the best workers, regardless of their background: “If they are good workmen, they may be from Asia, Africa or Europe; they may be Mahometans, Jews, Christians of any sect, or they may be Atheists…”

2- Thomas Jefferson studied the Qur’an

If there is a figure more quintessentially American than Benjamin Franklin or even George Washington, it would have to be Thomas Jefferson. In 1765, Jefferson was studying for his bar exam to qualify as a lawyer. In order to acquaint himself with what various traditions had to offer about law, he purchased for his own private use the most recent and accurate translation of the Qur’an available, a work by George Sale called The Koran: Commonly Called the Alcoran of Mohammed, which had been translated from the original Arabic in 1734. Jefferson’s personal copy of the Qur’an eventually became part of the holdings of the Library of Congress, and recently gained a great deal of attention when it was used in the swearing-in ceremony of Keith Ellison, the first Muslim American elected to the United States Congress.

3- The Obama administration believes that understanding Islam is key to improving the U.S.’s international image

The most powerful declaration of support for Islam from an American political leader was the June 2009 speech of President Obama in Cairo. In this historic speech, Barack Obama began by saying, “I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles — principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”

Obama then went on to cite from the Qur’an (“Be conscious of God and speak always the truth”), and offered that he too promised to follow the spiritual and moral guidance of this verse and speak truthfully. In quite possibly the most emphatic statement of support any American president has ever made on behalf of Islam, he stated: “And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.”

4- Islam has deep roots in America

It is true that in the past 40 years, the population of Muslims in America has grown exponentially from around 100,000 to perhaps around 6 million. That growth is directly due to the changes of the 1965 immigration act, which was a positive step toward erasing the racist immigration quotas of the previous generations and opened up America if not to the “tired, poor huddled masses” of the world then at least to the most educated and skilled immigrants of Asia and Africa, many of whom tended to be Muslims. However, that dramatic rise has tended to obscure the older roots of Islam in America.

Perhaps no such presence is more significant than that of Islam among African slaves stolen and brought to America during the centuries of transatlantic slavery. Given the attempts of the white slave owners to erase the language, culture, religion, and ultimately identity of the slaves, it is hard to know the exact number of Muslim African slaves. However, our best scholarly estimates based on the part of West Africa that the majority of slaves were stolen from would lead us to think that during most periods no less than 10% to 15% of all slaves, and perhaps at times as high as 30%, were of Muslim background. That would easily amount to hundreds of thousands of Muslims in America prior to the arrival of most Christian and Jewish European immigrants who arrived in the 19th and 20th century.

5- Islam and Western civilization cannot be defined apart from one another

Western civilization is usually defined as the twin recipient of biblical revelation and Greek philosophy. Based on that definition, as well as history, Islam and Western civilization can’t be defined apart from one another.

The legacy of Abraham spread through three religious traditions, all of which trace themselves back to him, and to the God of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Indeed the Qur’an repeatedly and emphatically presents itself as the latest calling of the One God of Abraham to all of humanity, and honors Moses and Christ, Abraham and Noah, David and Solomon.

Muslims were present in Spain for some 700 years, and in many countries of Southeast Europe as part of the Ottoman Empire. Islam was always one of the three formally recognized religions in Russia. And today Muslims are the second-largest religious minority in Europe.

If we wish to move past bigoted ideology, it becomes clear that attempts to define a Western civilization that excludes Islam is more an exercise in fiction and ideology than history. The task of seeing a pluralistic world for all of us is not an impossible project: the realities of our existence and history already include many resources for cross-pollination and tolerance.

Omid Safi is the author of Memories of Muhammad: Why The Prophet Matters (HarperOne, November 2009).

How ‘Avatar’ May Predict the Future of Virtual Worlds

CNet (01/24/10) Terdiman, Daniel

The technology James Cameron and his team developed for the film “Avatar” may provide a sneak peek of the future direction that three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds will take. The movie’s breakthrough is a camera system that captures live footage of actors and instantly integrates them within virtual environments. Some experts speculate that it and other augmented reality tools will form a core technology for mainstream 3D virtual world interaction. “It will get more sophisticated when whole worlds are mapped onto the sim-reality complete with avatars–other people–and bots,” predicts expert Bruce Damer. Jerry Paffendorf, who helped organize the Accelerating Studies Foundation’s Metaverse Roadmap report, expects that the world will eventually be fully immersed within real-time graphical overlays. He says this virtual world evolution is in a nascent stage, incarnated in the prevalence of augmented reality applications “that let you look through the camera to see things that aren’t physically there: Either data overlays like directions or where tweets are coming from or a digital doggy prancing on your kitchen counter.” “Avatar” producer Jon Landau says the virtual production technology invented for the film will eventually become a consumer technology. He envisions people using it to record and present their personal stories–like YouTube, only in a 3D virtual world.
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A New Treatment for Blood Cancer (leukemia)

U.S. scientists have developed a new medical technique in the treatment of leukemia depend on cultivation of blood cells from the umbilical cord. And demonstrated this new technology to be effective over a period not exceeding 14 days where to take the blood cells from the umbilical cords of newborns are being processed in the laboratory before being implanted in the bodies of patients to save their lives. Zcolin Delaney, a researcher at the Fred Hutchitson American medical research,said that this technology has achieved great success in the medical treatment of blood cancer, pointing out that the study included patients aged between 3 and 43 years old, the results of the experiment met with success on the 7 patients are living without any traces of the disease

علاج جديد لسرطان الدم

طور علماء أمريكيون تقنية طبية جديدة في معالجة سرطان الدم تعتمد على زراعة خلايا الدم من الحبل السري. وأثبتت هذه التقنية الجديدة فعاليتها خلال فترة لا تتعدى 14 يوماً حيث تقوم على أخذ خلايا دم من الحبل السري لمولود جديد يتم معالجتها في المختبر قبل أن تزرع في أجساد المرضى لإنقاذ حياتهم. وقالت ذكولين ديلاني الباحثة في مركز فريد هاتشيتسون الأمريكي للبحوث الطبية إن هذه التقنية حققت نجاحاً طبياً كبيراً في معالجة مرض سرطان الدم مشيرة إلى أن الدراسة شملت مرضى تراوحت أعمارهم مابين 3 و43 عاماً ولاقت نتائج التجربة نجاحاً على 7 مرضى وهم يعيشون اليوم من دون أي أثر للمرض.

Estonians put ROBOSWARM technology to the test

Invent Baltics, an Estonian research and development (R&D) consultancy group, has successfully tested the swarm coordination technology demonstrator that was designed and developed by the EU-funded ROBOSWARM (‘Knowledge environment for interacting robot swarms’) project. ROBOSWARM received almost EUR 1.7 million under the ‘Information society technologies’ Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).

MIT and FIRST Ally To Encourage STEM Education Careers

• By Scott Aronowitz
• 01/05/10

In an effort to inspire K-12 students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, as well as careers in the field, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has formed a strategic alliance with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a nonprofit dedicated to building interest in STEM-related education via innovative means.

The cornerstone of the alliance is a pilot program to teach robotics to K-12 students after school. The MIT Alumni Association has said it will leverage its members, many of whom are leaders in the international STEM community, and their extensive contacts in hopes of recruiting many of them as FIRST coaches, mentors, volunteers, and sponsors.

“The MIT Alumni Association is in a unique position to further the shared mission, vision and values of FIRST,” said Judith M. Cole, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the MIT Alumni Association. “This synergistic relationship with FIRST and its dedication to attracting and inspiring students with an interest in science and technology clearly puts the intellectual energy of the MIT community to work where it is needed the most, [towards] igniting the minds of young people.”

While some reports have stated that significant percentages of new jobs created in the coming decade will be math- and science-related, a 2005 National Science Foundation study reported children would choose any of several dreaded activities, including cleaning their rooms and getting dental checkups, over learning math and science. Dean Kamen, winner of the National Technology Medal and inventor of the Segway personal transport device, founded FIRST in order to show kids just how exciting and rewarding science and technology can be. The FIRST-MIT after-school robotics program is just one of many potential opportunities to demonstrate this, according to the two organizations.

“Having a strategic channel that allows MIT graduates across the country to act as coaches and mentors for our students gives FIRST tremendous volunteer resources,” said Paul R. Gudonis, president of FIRST.

Pi calculated to ‘record number’ of digits

By Jason Palmer Science and technology reporter, BBC News Pi appears in a wide range of formulae and natural phenomena A computer scientist claims to have computed the mathematical constant pi to nearly 2.7 trillion digits, some 123 billion more than the previous record. Fabrice Bellard used a desktop computer to perform the calculation, taking a total of 131 days to complete and check the result. This version of pi takes over a terabyte of hard disk space to store. Previous records were established using supercomputers, but Mr Bellard claims his method is 20 times more efficient. The prior record of about 2.6 trillion digits, set in August 2009 by Daisuke Takahashi at the University of Tsukuba in Japan, took just 29 hours. However, that work employed a supercomputer 2,000 times faster and thousands of times more expensive than the desktop, running Linux, that Mr Bellard employed. Precision targeted These herculean computations form part of a branch of mathematics known as arbitrary-precision arithmetic – simply put, knowing a given number to any amount of decimal places. It is hard to overstate just how long the currently determined pi is; reciting one number a second would take more than 85,000 years. “I got my first book about Pi when I was 14 and since then, I have followed the progress of the various computation records,” Mr Bellard told BBC News. But it is not simply the number that interests him. “I am not especially interested in the digits of pi,” he wrote on his website. It’s more than just for the fun of it – pi is a way of testing a method Ivars Peterson Mathematical Association of America “Arbitrary-precision arithmetic with huge numbers has little practical use, but some of the involved algorithms are interesting to do other things.” Mr Bellard plans to release a version of the program he used to do the calculation, but says that carrying on with any further billions of digits “will depend on my motivation”. Ivars Peterson, director of publications at the Mathematical Association of America, said that the result is just the latest in a long quest for a longer pi. “Newton himself worked on the digits of pi and spent a lot of time using one of the formulas he developed to get a few extra digits,” Mr Peterson told BBC News. In modern times, pi has served as more than just a simple but lengthy constant, however. “People have used it as a vehicle for testing algorithms and for testing computers; pi has a precise sequence of digits, it’s exactly that, and if your computer isn’t operating flawlessly some of those digits will be wrong,” he explained. “It’s more than just for the fun of it – pi is a way of testing a method and then the method can be used for other purposes.”

The future of brain-controlled devices

By Anne Hammock, CNN

Games such as Mindflex use headsets with simple electrodes to monitor levels of concentration and relaxation.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Scientists say brain-computer interfaces will have a big impact in coming years
• Applications range from medical breakthroughs and military tech to futuristic toys
• One of the biggest obstacles right now is cost; such technology is hugely expensive
• iBrain helps provide instant feedback to drivers who fall asleep at the wheel

(CNN)