As the crisp autumn breeze starts to settle in and the leaves change to vibrant hues of orange and red, the enchanting holiday of Halloween draws near. Among the many traditional figures associated with this spooky celebration, one that intrigues and captivates the imagination is the mysterious witch. Throughout history, witches have been the subject of folklore, tales, and legends. Often depicted as women possessing magical powers, witches have both fascinated and frightened individuals for centuries. Halloween, with its associations to the supernatural and the occult, is the perfect time to explore the mystique surrounding these spellbinding figures. The origins of the witch can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where magic and witchcraft played integral roles in society.
The origins of the witch can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where magic and witchcraft played integral roles in society. However, it was during the Middle Ages that fears and superstitions about witches intensified. This led to widespread witch hunts and trials, resulting in countless innocent lives being lost.
Calgarians celebrating Eid hope it can be a provincial holiday some day soon
As Calgarians mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, there is hope that one day Eid al-Fitr could be an official day off from work or school.
After morning prayer, more than 500 Muslims marked Eid at the Calgary Islamic Centre in the southwest on Monday — the first time since the onset of the pandemic they've been able to have a large gathering for the celebration.
"People, I believe, were desperate to get together. And you can find the youth are getting together very lively and happily," said Amira Aly.
"It's such a pleasure and a blessing to be able to gather back together," she said.
The Eid celebrations included bouncy castles, henna tattoos and face painting for the children. Food, of course, was plentiful.
"It feels great to finally be out with all your friends and have so much fun here," said Leen Budair.
"It feels better than being locked up at home."
Aly and Budair are among the many Muslims who take off work and school to celebrate Eid. Some say it should be an official day off for people who mark the religious holiday.
The Grasslands Public School district in southeast Alberta plans to give Eid off to every student next year.
"Having that implemented as part of a provincial day off number one, it makes us feel that we are included, that we are being listened to," said Omar Al Bastami, who had to take the day off of work.
"Number two, we don't have to worry about the stress of catching up with school and studies," he said.
In a statement, the Calgary Board of Education says there are no formal discussions about making Eid a day off here, but work has been underway to gather feedback during as part of its anti-racism initiative.
"We heard from students, staff and our community though the work of CBE Cares that recognizing holidays from all religions is meaningful and would contribute to a welcoming, caring and safe school and work environment," reads a statement from the school board.
Aly says she has to regularly email her children's teachers during Ramadan and Eid to let them know the kids will be missing days of school.
"If they're not missing school officially and missing education officially, that would be amazing," she said.
In a statement issued on Monday, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said he hopes that all Muslim Albertans have been spiritually enriched by the difficult Ramadan fast.
"As families gather for traditional Eid celebrations, I wish them a joyful celebration of the end of the fast," Kenney said.
“May you enjoy peace and blessings as you celebrate Eid this year. Eid Mubarak.”
Stuart Maggs, the CEO and Co-Founder of Naska.AI (formerly Scaled Robotics), presents their approach to revolutionizing the construction industry through the use of data and reality capture. Stuart believes that by providing better information to construction professionals at the right time, they can transform the way built assets are delivered. Watch the full Autodesk University Presentation here . https://lnkd.in/gT8KBH9t The traditional methods of verifying construction work, such as manual spot checks and visual inspections, are limited and do not capture the entire project. This lack of comprehensive information results in uncertainty and inefficiencies, leading to material waste, time delays, and labor inefficiencies. To address these issues, Naska.ai captures data on construction sites using devices like the BLK2GO, which allows for accurate data collection. Once the data is collected, Naska.ai employs computer vision and machine learning algorithms to process the raw data and transform it into actionable information. They classify each element from BIM and highlight elements that are within tolerance, missing, out of tolerance, or under construction. This enables project stakeholders to quickly identify and address risks and make better decisions based on the information provided. By automating the data capture and analysis process, they were able to validate a hundred percent of the installed elements to the required specifications at Birmingham University. The workflow involves authoring tools, data capture with the BLK2GO, automated processing, issue tracking, reporting, and BIM updates. The advantages of this approach include optimized resource utilization, increased coordination, reduced RFIs, improved client communication, and better control over project variables. Naska.ai acknowledges that they are just one part of the construction ecosystem and integrate with existing platforms and data sources. They leverage the investment made in BIM and laser-scanned data to enhance the information available to project teams. To demonstrate the impact of their technology on larger projects, Naska.ai presents a case study of a $1.5 billion mega project in Hong Kong. They were able to provide significant time and cost savings compared to manual methods. Stuart shares real examples of catching critical deviations and saving millions of dollars. Stuart emphasizes the importance of timely information in construction projects and the significant cost implications of delayed issue discovery. Naska.ai aims to bridge this gap by providing better and faster information to management teams, enabling proactive decision-making and cost savings. Naska.ai offers a data-driven solution to improve construction project outcomes by capturing and analyzing on-site data, transforming it into actionable information, and empowering construction professionals to make informed decisions.
The dark and sinister stereotype of the witch emerged during this period, perpetuating a legacy of fear that continues to this day. Traditionally, witches are commonly associated with broomsticks, pointy hats, and black cats. They are often depicted wearing dark, flowing robes and being surrounded by mystical elements such as cauldrons, potions, and spellbooks. The image of a witch flying across the moonlit sky on her broomstick, casting spells and creating mischief, has become an iconic symbol of Halloween. In popular culture, witches have been portrayed in various ways. From the wicked and malevolent villains depicted in fairy tales, such as the evil stepmother in Snow White or the infamous Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, to the powerful and wise witches like those found in the Harry Potter series, there is no shortage of representations of these enchanting beings. However, beyond the stereotypes and fictional portrayals, witches have also been associated with healing and herbal remedies. In ancient times, women labeled as witches often possessed knowledge of natural remedies and were sought after for their skills in medicine and healing. In many pagan and Wiccan traditions, witches are revered for their connection to nature and the earth, embodying the power of the natural world. Ultimately, the mysterious witch Halloween represents the fusion of ancient beliefs, superstitions, and imagination. Their allure lies in their ability to tap into the primal fascination humans have with the supernatural and the unknown. Whether they are depicted as wicked or as wise, witches continue to captivate our collective imagination, keeping the magic of Halloween alive and thriving..
Reviews for "The Dark Crescent: Moon Magic and the Halloween Witch"
1. Sarah - 2 stars: I was really disappointed with "Mysterious witch halloween". The storyline was confusing and lacked depth. The characters were one-dimensional and had little development. Additionally, the pacing was slow and there were many unnecessary scenes that dragged on. Overall, I found the movie to be dull and uninteresting.
2. Mark - 1 star: "Mysterious witch halloween" was a complete waste of time. The acting was terrible and the dialogue was cheesy and poorly written. The special effects were laughable and looked more like something from a low-budget horror film. The plot was predictable and had no originality. I regret watching this movie and would not recommend it to anyone.
3. Emily - 2 stars: I had high hopes for "Mysterious witch halloween", but it failed to deliver. The movie attempted to be suspenseful, but it fell flat. The scares were cheap and relied heavily on jump scares, which became repetitive and predictable. The characters' decisions were unrealistic and made it hard to connect with them. Overall, this film was a missed opportunity and left me feeling unsatisfied.
4. John - 2 stars: "Mysterious witch halloween" had potential, but it ultimately fell short. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, leaving me confused throughout most of the movie. The acting was mediocre, with some performances feeling forced and unconvincing. The movie lacked cohesion and failed to tie up loose ends, leaving me with more questions than answers. I wish I had chosen to watch something else instead.
5. Jessica - 1 star: I couldn't stand "Mysterious witch halloween". The film was full of clichés and unoriginal scare tactics. The jump scares were overused and became predictable after the first few minutes. The characters were poorly developed and I found it hard to care about their fates. The ending was lackluster and left me feeling unsatisfied. Overall, this movie was a letdown and not worth the time or money.