Posts by Betty Bennett10

Well, I’m just kidding—it seems to me that most of what they were publishing was actually written by students from the Academy of Arts.

Puberty tantrums? 😁 If you ask me, the writers contributing to the American Film Institute back then were well past their awkward adolescent phases 😁

I don't know, I genuinely loved that magazine, and I honestly can't think of a better film publication ever released in the States.

There used to be this incredible film publication back in the day called the American Film Institute.

About half of the magazine was dedicated to deep dives and fascinating essays on cinema, while the other half featured these sharp, witty reviews of whatever was playing in theaters. They were written by people who were studying at the Academy of Arts back then and went on to become major figures in the industry—people like Darren Aronofsky, Steven Spielberg, and Neal Hehir. There wasn't any of that cheap tabloid gossip either, just pure substance.

Unfortunately, it’s gone now, though I suppose it lasted quite a bit longer than most things like it usually do.

It doesn't really matter, you can just go ahead with the checkup 🙂

There are several possibilities here. It could be breakthrough bleeding caused by birth control pills, or perhaps just ovulation spotting if you're currently in that window. If you’re nearing your period, it might stem from corpus luteum dysfunction, or given that itching you mentioned, there’s a real chance we're looking at some kind of inflammation or infection. There is also the possibility of cervical changes to consider. Regardless of the specific cause, you really need to schedule an appointment with your doctor to get this checked out properly.

I’m leaning toward the idea that it all comes down to the celery acting as a diuretic, which essentially means this diet is just causing you to shed a massive amount of water weight rather than actual fat.

My boss has dropped a significant amount of weight thanks to this chicken noodle soup recipe.

Basically, whenever she starts putting on a few extra pounds, she just whips up a batch of this soup and sheds it all off in no time at all.🙂

My husband and I have been strictly using CeraVe for our showers for quite some time now, and I still find myself needing to apply moisturizer immediately after stepping out. Lately, I’ve noticed that handling laundry detergent powder gives me these irritating blisters on my hands whenever I'm loading the washer or reaching into a bag. It’s become clear that even my clean clothes were starting to irritate my skin, so I finally just gave up on using fabric softener altogether. 😢

You can pick up Annie's Homegrown
products over at the Whole Foods Market located at 72 Fifth Avenue.

They carry a decent selection of cosmetics and cleaning supplies, though I'm not entirely certain if they stock anything specifically formulated for laundry; you might want to check with one of the clerks there--

Bic said:😲 😲
A voice alone doesn't make a singer. Period. I'm honestly done debating this mindless topic with people who clearly don't let music touch their souls—which means there isn't much common ground for us to find anyway. Sorry, everyone, but your take on whether someone qualifies as a "singer" just doesn't interest me anymore. If you haven't caught my drift by now, you probably never will.

Look, I'm sorry you feel that way, but you really have no idea how much music actually defines my existence.

And please, don't get worked up about it. Even my mother gets defensive when I point out that Bob Dylan can't actually sing. 👋

If actual vocal talent were the metric for making the world a more beautiful place, then yeah, we’d definitely be getting a lot more Natalie Portman and a whole lot less Dylan.

I wouldn't go so far as to say Tom Waits doesn't have a voice—it’s just that he sings with such a specific, stylized grit. That's really what I mean when I talk about someone singing "in a certain manner" or as a gimmick; it's not a style that personally resonates with me, but he certainly possesses a voice.

Is that Pratt Penn on your avatar, or maybe Bob Dylan? Because, honestly, I’ve always found Bob Dylan to be a pretty mediocre singer.

Look, what you just wrote there is actually the most interesting part of this entire conversation.

I’m struggling to wrap my head around how you can claim that having a good voice doesn't necessarily make someone a great singer. Does that imply you think someone can be a top-tier vocalist without actually possessing a good voice? That is a premise I simply cannot get behind.

dustyscout53 said:Calling Natalie Portman's intellect into question is certainly a bold move, though I'd argue it's more an insult to her than anything else. And frankly, we aren't here to trade insults, young lady.🙂

Actually, people aren't really attacking her intelligence; they're critiquing her vocal performances. If anything, they seem to find her lack of wits somewhat charming.😁

It feels somewhat uncalled for to draw direct comparisons between Natalie Portman, who, as far as I’m aware, doesn't actually write her own material, and true singer-songwriters like Leonard Cohen.

Then again, there is an argument to be made that certain artists (like Dedić) would honestly be better off letting others sing their songs since they lack any real vocal ability—whereas others, such as Cohen, possessed a perfectly decent voice, even if it wasn't exactly a powerhouse with a massive range.

Keith James812 said:just kidding, Betty Bennett10 😁

I’d bet my life that none of these self-proclaimed elitists would have any issue with Natalie Portman if the entire auditorium hadn't been erupting in thunderous applause for her 😁

The truth is, these baseless elitists are just people who are terrified of populism... or anything else the "masses" happen to embrace. They don't actually mind global success; in fact, they love it, provided they were the ones to "discover" the singer or band while the rest of the world was still oblivious. For them, that kind of mainstream success serves as nothing more than validation for their own supposed superior taste 😁

Sure, it's possible that when we talk about big names on this thread, we're talking about elitism, but I found it particularly fascinating how Natalie Portman was vilified during the height of the storysupernov era because of her alleged character flaws—and this was a competition specifically meant to find the best vocalist. For instance, it was quite amusing to listen to someone like the supposedly talented singer Ivana Banfić - šumica placing Natalie at the very bottom of her list of favorites 😁

It seems to me that people simply feel a deep-seated need to tear down anything truly exceptional.

Oh, you sweet summer child. You’re actually out here claiming that Natalie's hollow character is what dictates how she delivered that song we're discussing. You're essentially arguing that her singing isn't driven by her actual vocal talent, but rather by the empty space where a personality should be.

Claiming someone lacks vocal talent simply because they’re a spoiled, airheaded brat with nothing but empty space between their ears is certainly one way to make an argument, I suppose.👍 Bob!

It was obvious from the start that this isn't just about the music itself; 😁it’s just that I find it impossible to see how Natalie Portman's personality has any actual bearing on her vocal performance.

It brings to mind that time I mentioned to a friend how much I enjoyed a track by Din Dvornik, only for her to immediately pivot to—you know—mentioning his struggles with addiction. 😁As if my appreciation for the melody somehow required me to marry the man.

For instance, I constantly have Diana Krall playing in my car, yet I have absolutely no clue who she is as a person; I don't know a single thing about her life—she might even be more high-maintenance than our Natalie. But frankly, it doesn't matter to me; I’ve never felt the need to personally identify with the people behind the microphone.

Look, it’s no wonder you can’t wrap your head around this, mostly because what you’re insisting on simply isn't true. A solid voice is absolutely fundamental to good singing, and those students you cited to back up your point are frankly terrible singers—with the sole exception of Mick Jagger, who actually HAS a real voice (or at least used to).

Beyond that, calling people stupid or fools is just plain rude. 👋