Chris Harrison and This Former 'Bachelor' Star Should NOT Be Dating

maandag 23 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Mary Fischer 3 hours ago

Late last week, rumors started flying around that Chris Harrison is dating Bachelor reject Selma Alameri, prompting many of us to scratch our heads and wonder how in the heck these two managed to get together.

Oh come on, remember Selma? The chick from Sean Lowe's season who was too embarrassed to kiss him on TV but then wound up planting a fat one on him right before he sent her packing? (Ohhh, that Selma.)

Yeah, well supposedly she and Chris were seen looking all lovey-dovey at a bar in L.A. last Thursday, and one source says he was introducing her as his girlfriend.

But it sounds like there isn't any truth to the claims, because Selma is denying that she and Chris are an item. She told E! News, "We happened to be at the same place but we were not together. He's a good friend and a sexy guy, sure, but we are not dating."

Whew! That's a relief. No disrespect to Selma, but she doesn't exactly seem like Chris' type. He's a great guy and all, but something tells me as a newly divorced man, he's not exactly in the mood to take things slow and steady in the physical department, if you know what I mean. (Dude totally wants to get it on by the second date.)

But it probably is about time for Chris to get back out there and play the field a bit, which is why he shouldn't avoid the reality TV scene altogether. OMG. Why hasn't ABC made him The Bachelor yet?!? He's only, like, the perfect candidate -- and he could even save whoever the host of his season is some work by handling all aspects of the rose ceremony himself. "Ladies, this is my final rose tonight. If you did not receive one, get the hell out of here because I think you're ugly, dumb, psychotic, insert derogatory adjective here."

Or if he's really dead set against being The Bachelor, former contestants of the show aren't a stupid place to look for love -- he just needs to go after someone he has a bit more in common with than Selma. What about AshLee Frazier? I hear she's available -- and she's definitely ready for something serious. Or how about all those rumors saying Chris was into Emily Maynard during her season? (Can you blame him?) They'd be pretty cute together.

Sigh. Don't worry Chris, the perfect girl is out there. But while you're looking for her, you should probably cross anyone off the list who isn't willing to go to the fantasy suite before tying the knot.

Do you think Chris and Selma are right for each other?

Image via ABC

Click the "Like" button below if you're a fan of The Bachelor(ette) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Fischer

is the writer behind The Mommyologist, and the mom of a future famous comedian. Her current loves include Pinot Grigio on ice and Harry Styles -- in that order.

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Woman Should Be Fined for Giving Birth on Plane and Inconveniencing Passengers

dinsdag 17 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Lisa Fogarty 12 hours ago

Most of us have to admit we've done some pretty inconsiderate things while pregnant. I confess to sending my husband out in the dead of winter on more than one occasion in pursuit of a certain brand and flavor of frozen yogurt. 

But when your irresponsible actions could potentially hurt your baby -- not to mention piss off and put out hundreds of people -- well, shame on you. Take, for example, this woman who lied about her pregnancy and gave birth on an airplane. What was she thinking?

An Arik Air flight en route from Nigeria to London had to make an emergency landing in Spain on Sunday because a woman on board was in labor and giving birth while the plane was airborne. Fortunately for the mom, whose name hasn't been released, two doctors on board came to her rescue. Both mom and baby are fine, but the drama is far from over. The airline is now looking into the very real possibility that the woman's doctor provided her with a false medical report that lied about the duration of her pregnancy!

You may recall that, among other rules like not eating sushi and drinking loads of wine, women over 32 weeks pregnant are prohibited from flying. And this is a perfect example of why -- what if a complication had occurred while this woman gave birth and she was unable to take care of it while 32,000 feet in the air? Whatever her reasons for doing something so mindless, the bottom line is that she put her health and the health of her baby at risk. 

Oh, and let's not forget that she also inconsiderately cost hundreds of other passengers their time and, possibly, money. Who knows how many of those passengers had connecting flights that they missed in London because of this woman? If her doctor must pay some kind of penalty for providing false medical documents, I feel she should also be held accountable for putting herself and her baby at risk, while disrupting the lives of others. 

Do you think this woman should pay a penalty for her actions or do you think the 32-week fly cut-off is just ridiculous? 

Image Via viZZZual.com/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lisa Fogarty

is a former old-timey print journalist who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and toddler girl. She still carries a notebook everywhere and is always on the lookout for tasty vegan food and blouses with collars that will finally put the Peter Pan out on its (adorable) tush.

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Revenge Websites Should Make Us All Think Twice About Sending Naughty Pics

vrijdag 13 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Jenny Erikson 14 hours ago

Lawmakers in California want to make revenge porn illegal. What’s revenge porn, you ask? If it sounds salacious, that’s because it is. Revenge porn is when a lover scorned publicizes all those sexy selfies you sent back when you were too busy seeing stars to see reality.

In other (more boring) words, revenge porn is the “sharing [of] nude photos or videos of a former significant other or love interest with the intent to embarrass them after breaking up.” And in today’s social media world, it’s becoming increasingly common.

If passed into law, jerks that post naked images of their exes (or anyone else) could be charged with a misdemeanor, and punished by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The key wording of the bill states that the material must have been shared “with the intent to cause serious emotional distress.”

Side note: I’ve done a boudoir photo shoot before. Those pics are currently in the possession of my ex. I probably wouldn’t press charges if he leaked them, because dayum! I looked super hawt thanks to MAC, an expert photographer, and Photoshop.

Anyway. While I agree that guys that try to slut shame their ex-girlfriends are icky and slimy and don’t make you question at all why that relationship didn’t work out, are they really criminals?

Ladies, here’s a piece of advice -- never hit send on anything that you wouldn’t mind the world seeing. Anything. You may think it’s totally private, but you’re forgetting one very important variable -- the recipient. You can’t control the person on the other end of your communication, and once you put something out there, it’s out there. Maybe only that one person will see it, or maybe a million will. Always assume a million.

So if you’re going to voluntarily send your squeeze some sexy pics, make sure they’re actually sexy and not just slutty. That way if they ever become public, you can roll your eyes and say, “Well that’s unfortunate; those were meant for his eyes only. But I do look pretty awesome, right?”

Because there are a lot of jerks out there, and law or no law, they will continue to be jerks that do jerky things. The best thing you can do is protect yourself. There’s only one way to definitively keep provocative nude photos of you from showing up on the Internet someday. Don’t take any.

Do you think the proposed law will help crack down on revenge porn?

Image via Victor1558/Flickr

Filed Under: censorship, crime, cyberbullying, feminism, in the news, law, politics, social media, women's issues, breakups, exes, sexuality Click "Like" for more on issues that are important to moms. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jenny Erikson

is a conservative chick living in Southern California with her two daughters. She loves politics and hates laundry.

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Parents of 7-Year-Old 'Football Heckler' Should Be Ashamed of Themselves (VIDEO)

donderdag 12 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota

Wow. Just ... WOW. Have you seen the video that's floating around all over Facebook of a 7-year-old New York Jets fan heckling a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan at MetLife Stadium?

And when I say heckling, I mean the kid repeatedly yells things like, "In your face, loser!" "Shut your mouth!" and "Pay attention!"

Oh, and he kicks off the video with, "You stink bubba head! Your defense so sucked, you're gonna get outta New York!"

Or at least that's what it sounds like he's saying.

Here's the clip so you can hear this little brat (I'm sorry, but he is) for yourself. Have a listen and then we'll discuss.

Ok, so I'm sure we can all agree that despite his young age, this kid is acting like a complete jerk. But that raises one key question -- what the hell is wrong with his parents?!?

Why on earth would they allow him to engage in such disrespectful behavior toward another adult? Actually, forget the adult thing -- it's completely irresponsible of them to allow their son to treat anyone so horribly, regardless of their age.

There's no way to know whether or not this boy was accompanied by his parents at the game. At one point, a woman's laughter can be heard on the video, so it's probably safe to assume an adult was the one behind the camera. And if it was his mom? Shame on her for thinking that her son screaming insults at a total stranger is acceptable and not doing something to stop it.

By letting this kid get away with his mean words, it's basically the same thing as teaching him that it's ok to bully others and put them down -- and it's actually quite hilarious to do so. (That's just messed up.)

Damn. I'm sure glad my kid doesn't go to school with this boy, considering what he's able to get away with.

As the mom of a 7-year-old son myself -- I'd be absolutely outraged and appalled if anything like this ever came out of his mouth, and if it did? I'd probably never take him to a sporting event again, and that would only be the beginning of his punishment.

But as much as I'd love to give this kid a good scolding, it's important to remember that he is just a KID. And kids need adults to guide them and instruct them on what kind of behavior is and is not acceptable. They'll never figure it out on their own and will continue to act inappropriately until someone tells them otherwise.

Ugh. Why can't parents just suck it up and do their jobs instead of ruining perfectly enjoyable sporting events for the rest of us?

Do you think this boy's parents are to blame?

Image via SportsDreams/YouTube

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Why You Should Never Nearly Crash Your Car Into a Mom Driving With Her Kids

zondag 25 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Michele Zipp 7 hours ago

A couple of weeks ago while in the middle of packing up what I thought was my dream house in the country to move back to the city a very changed woman, a small white car nearly crashed into my compact SUV as it pulled out of the shopping complex without seeing me directly in the lane she was driving into. My twins were in the backseat -- they are 3 1/2. It wasn't just any near miss to me. It was an almost accident where I envisioned far too much blood and destruction in the 3.5 seconds in which it nearly happened. She would have hit me on the driver's side -- head on to my door and the passenger door right where my daughter was strapped in and rear-facing. I have Radian car seats and know their side impact car seat safety was excellent, but it's not something I ever wanted to truly put to the test.

And the girl who almost hit me was me ... 17 years ago me.

She was young and look sweet and innocent and was probably a college student who had just went into the grocery store to stock up on noodles and butter -- my staples when I was a college student in the very same town this all happened in. And I know exactly what she looked like because I got out of my car to yell at her. She had really pretty long blonde hair that shined in the noontime sun.

It's a moment I am not particularly proud of. But certainly not the worst thing I've done in this town. It was my college town, after all.

However, my stress was at an all time high. I was (and am) going through a lot of personal stuff that no amount of online self-help or professional therapy could cure quickly enough. So my reaction wasn't the best, nor do I recommend it to anyone. Yes, she was in the wrong for bolting out of the parking lot she was in right into my lane, but I was wrong for being a raging lunatic screaming at her right there at the intersection while the light was still red. Yes, I had to swerve crazy hard to the right to avoid smashed glass and dented doors and heaven forbid hurt children. And thank goodness there was no one in that right lane. But I was wrong. Embarrassingly wrong. My son asked, "Mommy why did you yell at that lady?" after it all went down. I think he knew I was wrong, too. And here's how it went down.

The near miss. Me yelling at her with my window down as she was in front of me at the stop light. Me beeping my horn at her wanting her to wave or something to acknowledge that she almost hit me and scared the bettlejuice out of me because MY KIDS WERE IN THE CAR. And because she did nothing, I did something. I got out of my car (I know it was wrong, you don't have to remind me though I know you will) and went to her. She was alone and her window was down but she wouldn't look at me. The other cars around us all began rolling down their windows to see what this insane woman was yelling. The insane woman was me. I was yelling loud, no doubt the Queens, Nu Yawk, accent coming out that you only hear when I'm yelling this intensely, telling her that "I have kids in the car!" as my arms waved frantically pointing back at my car behind hers, driver's side door open, kids in the back no doubt wondering where their crazy mother had gone. "YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION!! YOU NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL!!"

Okay, crazy lady, she probably thought. I don't blame her. I was her. I was once a not so careful driver who probably once worried more about what music I was listening to as I sped around town over making sure I didn't crash into anything. I was a young person once with no real fear of terrible consequences. But that person is long gone. I am a mother now and part of my existence is to protect my kids from harm. This girl was the "enemy", putting their lives in danger and the full roar of my mama bear was out, claws and all, right there in the intersection with an audience.

I scared her. She muttered she was sorry, barely looking directly at me. It was only a few seconds of berating. I marched back to my car and as I mentioned, my son asked "Mommy why did you yell at that lady?" Putting on a calm voice, I told him she wasn't a very good driver and she almost hit our car and I got worried we would get hurt. I may have scared her for that moment, but I was scared. Motherhood is terrifying -- you have your heart existing outside your body and you have to protect it.

"We're not hurt, Mommy," my daughter reminded me.

And we weren't. But I was. I was hurt and wounded and going through a whole lot. It was one of those moments that if it happened in a happier time perhaps I wouldn't have reacted so strongly. But no one should ever get in the way of a mother going through some stuff and feeling as if the safety of her kids was in danger. The adrenaline started taking over and I began shaking and crying. The light turned green and I pulled into the grocery store parking lot to calm down. We're not hurt, Mommy rang in my head. We were okay. We will be okay. 

To the pretty blonde girl in the little white car: I am sorry, too.

Have you ever experienced something like this where something or someone nearly hurt your kids (accidentally) and you flew into a rage?

Image via Cameron Parkins/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michele Zipp

loves vintage and will defend skinny jeans to the death though she is highly superstitious and "death" is probably a bad word choice. She has a touch of the hoarding disease and enjoys sleuthing, the worst reality shows, and wearing high heels, even at the playground. She's an AP mom of twins, slightly crunchy but with a pedicure.

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Restaurant That Baked Cockroach Into Boy's Pizza Should Have Closed for Good

vrijdag 23 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Maressa Brown 15 hours ago

Having lived in two cities renowned for their pizza -- Chicago and NYC -- I've heard of some pretty wild, creative toppings and even "stuffings" before ... but cockroach has never been one of 'em! The creepy bug showed up baked into a 6-year-old boy's pizza crust. The little boy's father had brought the pizza home from a joint in Leeds, U.K. called Munchies. Ew, ew, ew!

The family was so grossed out -- can you blame 'em? -- that they spoke up, reporting the incident to not only the restaurant, but to the authorities, who proceeded to investigate the eatery. And warning: what they ended up finding is sure to kill your appetite!

Several cockroaches were seen scurrying inside pans (ahhhh!!), and they also observed years' worth of dirt and grease in the food prep area, as well as bags of moldy kebob meat on the floor, according to DeathandTaxesMag.com. Disgusting!

Thankfully, the owner of the revolting spot, Matloob Hussain, landed in court and pleaded guilty to eight related offenses. He was fined $1,174.10 and ordered to pay $1,956.94 in court costs, reported the Daily Mail. And while that sounds all well and good, get this ... Munchies was shut down for a week to be cleaned and "debugged," but it has since reopened. Hussain is not involved in the operation anymore, but still!

More from The Stir: Rodent-Infested Wedding Cake Shop Tries to Pass Off Mouse Droppings as Sprinkles

Would YOU eat there after hearing details like the above?! OMG. It sounds like a total horror show played out behind the scenes at this restaurant. I realize that under different ownership and a cleaned-up space, there may be nothing for customers to worry about. But I wouldn't take a chance! There are far too many alternatives to take the chance. After hearing the gory details, I'd think most people would want to eat anywhere but there! 

How about you? If you read something like this about a local restaurant, would you ever be a return customer even if the place had been cleaned up and was operating under new ownership?

Image via British Mum/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, hitting the gym, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

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Hannah Anderson’s Dad Should Help Her Heal More, Share Less (VIDEO)

donderdag 22 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 2 hours ago

Is it me, or has anyone else been surprised at how much Hannah Anderson has been in the spotlight since her rescue from James DiMaggio? Anderson just gave her first TV interview. Before that, she answered questions on Ask.fm. She's just barely turned 16! And it hasn't even been a full month since her abduction. I think her privacy should be protected more. Where is her dad in all this -- does he really think it's a good idea to let his daughter do an interview on national TV already?

Obviously Hannah handled the interview well. I don't dispute that. She speaks clearly and calmly, and shows remarkable poise. I'm more concerned about how she is internally, how she's processing what's happened to her, and how she's healing from the horrific deaths of her mother and brother.

I know why the morning shows are so eager to interview her -- Hannah has a hot story. And I suspect that Hannah wants to set the record straight on some of the things people are saying about her, about all those texts to DiMaggio, about his family's allegations that he's her father. But there are other ways to do that, like through a spokesperson. Hannah's father may not have the money to hire a fancy PR company to handle their press, but they could probably use someone's help, maybe someone local. (Actually, a PR rep with a soul would be volunteering their services in the interest of protecting Hannah without making her dad go broke.)

Where is Hannah's dad? What is he doing? Was he so excited about his daughter being interviewed on the Today show that he forgot about giving his daughter the privacy she probably needs? I think that in our reality TV-obsessed and social media-driven world, we forget why we need privacy at all.

Privacy isn't just about shutting people out. It's about creating a safe space for people to process their emotions and thoughts without the pressure or influence of friends or (!!!) total strangers. I wouldn't be surprised if a teen like Hannah felt like she doesn't need privacy. But that's where her dad should step in and provide her with something he knows she needs, even if she doesn't recognize it. That's what the relative maturity of adulthood is supposed to give you -- a wiser perspective than that of your teen.

Hannah mentions that she's taken on her mother's strength. But feeling numb and being stoic in the face of tragedy isn't strength. It's just a coping mechanism. Staying home, refusing to see anyone, feeling miserable, mourning, taking as much time as you need to heal -- that's not a sign of weakness. It means you recognize and honor your emotions. At the very least, Hannah's father should be enabling her to do that instead of these interviews. Who cares what the public thinks about Hannah? We can wait to hear her side of the story.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Do you think Hannah's dad should be steering her away from the spotlight for now?

Image via Today

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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Dr. Phil Tweets Offensive Rape Question That Should Appall Us All

woensdag 21 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Sasha Brown-Worsham 3 hours ago

Dr. Phil is a person that many go to for advice and guidance on their lives, but it seems that he is the one who needed guidance recently when he tweeted a question about rape that was so offensive to his many followers, he was forced to delete it. Sadly for him, the damage was done.

Across the web, many people were up in arms, protesting the tweet and tweeting in anger.

Just what was so bad? Well, see for yourself.

By posing the question, Dr. Phil (how is this man a "Dr." anyway?) implies that there is at least some possibility that there IS a question. SO to make it clear: No. It's never OK to have sex with a woman or a girl when she is drunk or sleeping or impaired in any way. That's just a fact.

If a girl is drunk, is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no to @drphil #teensaccused.

Now we all know that celebrities like Dr. Phil are not ACTUALLY manning their twitter accounts. But someone is. And someone's head should probably roll for this. After all, this wasn't the tweet of a person who cares about others and isn't that what Dr. Phil purports to be? Sure, he's all tough love, but does he really condone rape?

Why is this question still being asked? It's 2013. We have seen AWFUL cases like Steubenville among many others like it. We have seen girls bullied online to the point of suicide all because of things that happened when they were drunk. It's called rape. We should be teaching our boys as well as our girls that it's NEVER OK to have sex with someone who is too impaired to consent. Period.

Dr. Phil is apparently a role model for someone (who?!), and as such, he shouldn't be walking this line. Sure, the question could just be a feeler. Whoever sent it could have been trying to take the general temperature and not implying that a "yes" answer was acceptable.

But it's our job as adults to make sure that everyone understands that having sex with a drunken girl isn't a question. It's just a no. Always. Someone in the public eye should be especially mindful of this.

Truly, it's appalling. Let's hope Dr. Phil and whoever tweets for him has learned from this. This won't be tolerated.

Do you think Dr. Phil's tweet was out of line?

Image via Dr. Phil Show

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sasha Brown-Worsham

can't decide whether she is a mother, writer, or runner, but is usually all three at some point each day. She has written for dozens of print magazines, newspapers, and websites. She rarely ever writes on bathroom walls.

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Students Forced to Pee in Trash Can During School Lockdown Should Stop Whining About It

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AppId is over the quota
by Kiri Blakeley 4 hours ago

So let's just pretend that your kid could be in danger. Serious danger. Like your kid is in school and gunshots are heard. The school goes into lockdown. And then, your kid has to pee. Badly. The kid asks to be escorted to the bathroom but the answer is "no," because, well, there could be people who want to shoot you. Ya know, that kind of thing. So the teacher makes your kid go to the bathroom in the trash can.

Do you a) thank the teacher for having such a dangerous job, which I'm sure the teacher never imagined in a million years would be a dangerous job when he or she signed up for it; b) explain to your child that during emergencies, sometimes you have to make adjustments -- even embarrassing ones; c) demand an investigation and have your child talk to the media about this supposedly horrifically embarrassing incident. I think we all know which option one parent chose.

It all started when several people reported hearing what sounded like gunshots from a wooded area near a school in St. Cloud, Florida. Like all schools are trained to do these days (what does that say about this country?!), the school went into voluntary lockdown mode, even though police were called and couldn't find the source of the gunshots.

So far, so smart, right?

Until two students, one whose diabetes makes her have to urinate more frequently, had to pee. The teacher, not wanting to send them out into the hallway where, you know, God knows what could be lurking, had the girls pee in a trash can behind his desk.

"It was very embarrassing," said the 13-year-old "victim."

Embarrassing? Sure. Was she alive to tell the tale? Yes. Was anyone grateful about that? No.

Then instead of, say, forgetting about the peeing incident, an investigation was launched and two dozen students were required to write down their eyewitness accounts of said peeing incident. Yes, kids who probably would have gotten over the horrible trauma of listening to their classmates whizz in a can instead had to relive (relieve? har!) the trauma all over again.

And then the teacher actually had to DEFEND his choice, telling the principal in an email:

I felt that the best solution for keeping her safe and also preventing her from being embarrassed was for her to go (to the bathroom) behind my desk. My primary concern was keeping the kids healthy and out of the halls during the lockdown while preserving them from the embarrassment of wetting themselves. I would want the same done for my future children.

You would think if peeing in a bucket were such a problem, perhaps there would have been a protocol to follow for these teachers who are being put in these situations. They signed up to teach, not to hide kids from crazed madmen with guns. Unfortunately, this is now part of the curriculum. But not only did the school not have any policy for what to do in these cases, it actually contacted child services to ask about reporting the teacher for child abuse!

The teacher has been fired -- though supposedly (cough, cough) not for this incident.

We live in times when kids can actually get blown away at school. Sandy Hook taught us that. Isn't their safety more important than a little embarrassment?!

Do you think the teacher made the wrong decision?

Image via kalleboo/Flickr

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Baby Dies After Eating Laundry Pod: What Every Parent Should Know

zaterdag 17 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 23 hours ago

Remember the two-year-old who was rushed to the hospital and put on a ventilator after swallowing one of those single-use laundry detergent pods -- which he mistook for a piece of candy? It happens all too often, and sometimes it's fatal. A seven-month-old baby died after eating a laundry pod. His mother had set down a container of the pods in a laundry basket on the same bed where her son was sleeping and left the room just for a few minutes. But by the time she came back he had already eaten one and was eating another. He died later in the hospital.

So far in 2013 there have been 5,000 incidents of children eating laundry pods. This is the first death. But every time I turn around, another laundry detergent maker has introduced another line of those pods. Here are some new laundry safety tips every parent should be aware of.

1. Keep all laundry detergent, pods or not, far out of reach of children at all times. They shouldn't even be able to climb up to where you keep them. Don't allow small children to help with the laundry by using the pods.

2. If you use pods, keep them in an opaque container so children can't even see them. The clear containers they often come in look like candy containers, and can help lure children.

3. Some manufacturers are selling pods in opaque containers -- yay! Always use this container for the pods, and only the pods. Always return it to its place with the lid firmly closed after use.

4. Avoid leaving children alone anywhere near laundry facilities or even just the detergent.

5. Keep the phone number for your local poison control center handy. You can look up that number on the American Association of Poison Control Centers Website.

6. If somehow your child does ingest any part of a laundry pod, try to get them to drink a glass of milk while you call your local poison control center, or 800-222-1222, or your doctor immediately. Do NOT induce vomiting.

7. If your child gets detergent on their hands, rinse thoroughly immediately.

Last year concerned parents posted a petition for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate the safety of laundry detergent pods. Alas, it only got 17 signatures. But with 5,000 new incidents and now this death, I'm wondering if it's time to revive that petition. In March the U.S. CPSC sent a warning to parents about using laundry pods.

Do you use laundry detergent pods?

Image via US CSPS/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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10 Real-Life Text Messages That Should Have Never Been Sent

woensdag 14 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota

Text messages. They can be crazy, I tell you. One minute you're sitting there, watching a Real Housewives reunion, the next you're getting an anonymous text that reads: "What the f*ck is your problem? Why did you take that Starbucks mug?" True story. But a random text on a random drunken night doesn't hold a candle to some other text messages that have been received or, worse, sent.

I conducted a little poll, asking people what the weirdest text message they sent or received was, and, naturally, I got some really strange (really funny) answers. Here are 10 super odd text messages. Enjoy.

1. My neighbor told me the other day that her husband’s best friend "broke up" with him on text. It literally said, "I don’t think we should be friends anymore." Weird.

2. I once wrote, "Sorry for all of the John drama" to my uncle, whom I had just spoken to for about three hours about this toxic guy I was dating, John. Only I sent it to John. He replied, "Oh that John. Better hang on to that rascal!"

3. After a night of imbibing, I received this from a friend: "Oh, baby. At leant you're ib produced so u can't even are dreqm are rempt ribalreo."

4. My mother-in-law replied to a text of mine with a "." No quotes, just a period.

5. My husband asked for a divorce over text. Does that count??

6. "Why can't I find a freakin' David Bowie listening party?!?" This was from a guy I didn't even know had my phone number.

7. I asked my 16-year-old female babysitter how her doctor appointment went. I typed, "How was your doc appointment?" Autocorrect changed "doc" to "dick."

8. While wedding planning, I'd get 20 texts in a row from my mother about something as minute and ridiculous as making an entree vegan or vegetarian or banquets vs. rounds. :(

9. 4:34 a.m. "Hi I know this is really random and I’d be surprised if you knew who I was, but I was wondering if you would be interested in grabbing a drink." ... No clue who it was. No previous text message history.

10. When I got a new iPhone, I gave my 8-year-old daughter my old one to use as an iTouch, but she could still text through my email. One day I discovered she had sent our teenaged boy babysitter this icon a hundred times in a row:

 

... under MY text name! I had some serious 'splaining to do!

What's the weirdest text you've ever received or sent?

Image via Nate Steiner/Flickr

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'Bachelorette' Desiree Hartsock Should Admit She Won't Marry Chris Siegfried 'Tomorrow' ... or Maybe Ever

dinsdag 13 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Maressa Brown 13 hours ago

Since coming out of hiding and proudly declaring themselves an engaged couple on TV, Desiree Hartsock and fiance Chris Siegfried have been making the media rounds, fielding all sorts of Qs about their relationship. Of course being that there's a Neil Lane ring on it now, everyone wants to know Des and Chris's wedding details. Sounds like they still have some decisions to make as far as the exact date -- though they're thinking June -- and location ("It's gone from destination to small chapel to winery," Des shared), but Des seems certain about one thing: She'd marry Chris "tomorrow" if she could!

Besides bad poetry, the couple seems to have an affinity for repeating some specific company lines over and over again to the press, and one of Des's has been all different versions of "I'd marry him tomorrow if I could!" While some may see it as romantic, it also seems more like she's trying to prove something ... 

Because, come on, what's the big deal? They got engaged in a matter of weeks. If she "could," "would," "will" marry Chris tomorrow, why not just do that now, too?

More from The Stir: 'Bachelorette' Desiree Hartsock & Fiance Chris Siegfried: Their Wedding Details & More!

I'll tell ya why not. Because the couple either has their doubts -- which I wish they'd just admit, especially considering how they ended up engaged! -- and/or they want to take it slower/non-TV paced. They probably want to try living together and seeing how they fare before actually tying the knot. Something I wouldn't blame any couple -- who met in the real world or a reality show -- for doing!

But instead, Des keeps saying she'd forgo the whole normal, down-to-earth relationship process to marry Chris tomorrow. I don't buy it, and let's hope neither does she! Let's hope these two take as much time as they possibly need to make sure their engagement wasn't just for show.

Do you buy that these two would get married tomorrow "if they could"?

Image via ABC

Click the "Like" button below if you're a fan of The Bachelor(ette) ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, hitting the gym, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

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Snooki Looks Even Thinner Than Before in Latest Pic -- Should We Be Worried Now? (PHOTO)

zaterdag 10 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Emily Abbate 15 hours ago

I won't lie, I love Snooki. I think she's amazed the world with just how incredible of a mom she's turned out to be to her little meatball Lorenzo. She has a fun attitude about life, and despite me not being the biggest fan of her interesting shade of hair color, she always looks adorable. With that said, Snooks, I'm a little worried about you. Not because you're cuddling Lorenzo too tightly or because Jionni is having some big tabloidtastic romance (he's not!). But because of your weight.

It's no secret Snooki's skinny. Heck, we've seen a bazillion photos of the former Jersey Shore star looking itty-bitty since giving birth. But Snooks posted another photo on her Instagram feed this morning and I just cannot get over that there's ... like nothing there.

Here, see what I mean:

I told you, teeny. She looks beautiful, regardless, and what do I know -- maybe it's the way the camera is angled or something about the reflection she's using (I hope so). But still. She's so SMALL!

Whether or not Snooki's weight is still on the decline, one thing is for sure: It's important that the momma keeps herself surrounded with positive people who love her for the amazing person she is. The Gorilla-loving lady has come so, so far since her first days back on the shore, and she should be super proud of the hard work and dedication that's gotten her to this point. Stay healthy for you, Snooki. Be your own biggest fan and you'll go far.

Do you think Snooki's skinnier than ever? Do you think her family should be worried?

Images via Snookinic/Instagram

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4 Common Household Products You Should Spend Money On and 4 You Should Buy Cheap (PHOTOS)

donderdag 8 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Emily Abbate 3 hours ago

When it comes to furnishing and buying things for the home, we all have different tastes and styles. Me, I'm more into clean lines and neutrals with that splash of bright color to make things pop. Whether or not you and I have similar tastes in decor, I think there is one thing we can agree on: If you don't need to splurge, then keeping costs down is the ideal. Especially on some typically expensive home items.

From cookware and hangers to the sheets on your queen-size bed, check out our splurge vs. save guide on what home items are worth the extra investment:

What items do you spend extra money on for your home?

Image via vsmoothe/Flickr

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A great set of tools will last you for years and years. Sure, you could buy a cheap set at a local market, but the last thing you want is the head of a hammer falling off mid-job.

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Skydiving Instructor Who Died Doing What He Loved Should Have No Regrets

dinsdag 6 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Jill Baughman 2 hours ago

In July, I was visiting my dad in Florida for his 70th birthday. The Friday before the big day, he told me what he wanted to do while I was there: go skydiving. I gulped some wine, said okay, and off we went the following morning, jumping out of a plane 13,000 feet in the air, attached to a couple of instructors who did this so often that they took a nap on the way up in the single-engine plane that seemed to be held together by duct tape.

I obviously lived to tell the tale, but when I read stories like the one about James "Jimmie" Horak Jr. and his student, I can't help but take a step back and wonder what could have been. Sadly, tragically, Horak passed away during a tandem jump, and his 26-year-old student is in critical condition with broken bones and head injuries. The scariest part is that no one is exactly sure at this point what went wrong.

Horak, 56, and his student never made it back to the airport where they were supposed to land, and Horak's body was found in mud in a wooded area about a mile from the airport in Southern Mississippi.

It seemed the main chute deployed, but Horak had to cut away the main one and deployed the backup. I can't even begin to imagine those horrifying final few moments, when you're flying among the clouds, seemingly at peace, with everything quiet and serene and beautiful around you, while the man who has your life in his hands behind you begins to notice that something is wrong. What these two must have gone through and what they must have been thinking has hit so disturbingly close to home in light of my recent personal experience.

"We just know that the main was cut away and the reserve was deployed," Gold Coast Skydivers owner Leanne Igo said. "Everything else beyond that is speculation."

When the other students realized that the pair never made it, they began a search, which comprised of a team of 30 skydivers on foot, a plane, a helicopter, as well as the local authorities. The son of a landowner in the area actually found the two while he was riding his Four Wheeler.

From all reports, it sounds like Horak was an experienced, well trained jumper. He retired from the Army Special Forces as a Major after serving for 28 years, was a Flight Surgeon, and also was a veteran of Desert Storm. He worked for the Veterans Administration as a physician's assistant as well. Probably the most heartwrenching part of this tragedy is that he leaves behind a wife and three children.

Horak was even a safety and training adviser appointed by the U.S. Parachute Association, and he trained other tandem instructors. Clearly the guy knew what he was doing -- he had made over 8,000 dives -- and though this is pure speculation, you can't help but wonder if all that training played a part in saving his student's life while sacrificing his own.

Such a sad story all around, though there's a risk inherent in activities like this, and hopefully his family can take solace in the fact that Horak passed away doing what he loved to do.

Would you ever go skydiving? Do stories like this make you hesitant?

Image via Laura Hadden/Flickr

Click "Like" if you love someone in the military! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jill Baughman

is the copy chief of The Stir and geeks out over all the nuances and weirdness of the English language.

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5 Things Every Mom Should Do With Their 'Big Kid' Before the Next Baby Comes Along

donderdag 1 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 3 hours ago

Right now, I only have one child, but from what I hear, there are a wide variety of emotions that come into play before baby #2 makes his or her debut. And I can only imagine. When I think about having another child, I look at my daughter and think, "Gosh, how could I possibly love someone else this much? My heart is filled to the brim!" Okay, that's a little cheesy, but that's the honest to god general sentiment. Then I think about adding the hormones from pregnancy into the mix, and oof. The whole thing seems so ... emotional. But I'd like to have another baby someday. Maybe even two. But I, like all moms, want to be sure to soak up every minute with my "big girl" before the next baby makes their grand entrance.

Who knows what will happen if/when I'm pregnant next, but if I do have another, I plan on doing these five special things with my daughter during the last month of my pregnancy. While it's still just me and her.

1. Let her stay up late, watching movies. Everybody knows "staying up late" is a truly special thing for kids. Especially if there are movies and popcorn involved. This isn't something your kid should do all the time for obvious reasons, but it's an "exciting" thing for them, and kind of shows them that they're officially a "big kid".

2. Take a long, leisurely nap together. For most moms, nap time is when we get stuff done. One day, let everything just be, and crawl up with your little one and sleep when he sleeps.

3. Go on a "date" together. This, of course, should still be done once in a while after baby arrives, but having a really special day together -- just you and big brother or big sis -- is such a sweet and fun way to show how important they'll always be.

4. Get him or her excited for being a big brother or sister. Tell them all about the awesome perks of being the older sibling. You can also purchase one of those cute "big sis" or "big brother" shirts or books.

5. Let them sleep in bed with you. If you don't co-sleep, invite your kid into bed with you for the night as a special "treat". Though you may want to schedule this one for a good two or three weeks ahead of your due date, so things don't get confusing once baby arrives.

What things did you do to make your older kid feel special before you had another?

Image via Edwart Visser/Flickr

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Jenelle Evans’ Sexy Texts With Her Boyfriend Should Be Kept Private

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AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 3 hours ago

If you were walking down the street yesterday and you thought to yourself, "You know what I could go for? A sexy text message back and forth between Jenelle Evans and her new boyfriend Nathan Griffith," you're in luck. The Teen Mom posted a highly inappropriate, would-be-personal-for-most text message exchange between her and Griffith, and um, thanks but no thanks.

Jenelle posted this gem to her Twitter account. A little TMI, no?

It's great that things are going hunky-dory for J and N, but a) get a room, guys; and b) people who truly have rock solid relationships don't need to post sh*t like this online. I mean, isn't this sort of thing supposed to be private? Why upload this to your Twitter, where a million random people can see and comment on it?

For Jenelle's sake, I really hope things work out with her and this Nathan joker. She really seems to like him. And although I don't think he's the be all, end all in terms of dudes, he's much better than some of the previous trashballs she's been with.

But, please, Jenelle. Don't post something like this to Twitter again. We don't want to see how the sausage is made.

What do you think of Jenelle's tweet?

Images via Jenelle Evans/Twitter

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Racist ‘Asian Girlz’ Video Should Get Group Shamed Out of the Music Industry Forever (VIDEO)

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AppId is over the quota

Most of the time, I think our vigilantly PC culture can be pretty annoying. Political correctness gets people riled up over the silliest things, creating tension and causing folks to read way too much into/be offended by certain issues. Plus, sometimes we could all use a dose of non-PC humor. Our differences can actually be funny! But then you go and watch something like Day Above Ground's music video, "Asian Girlz," and you realize there are things we shouldn't lighten up or shut up about.

It's insulting to Asians. It's insulting to women. It's insulting to music in general. There's always a fine line between posting something like this, thus bringing it awareness and clicks, and needing an outlet to unleash one's rage. My rage won this round.

I even hate to post the video, but hopefully the backlash this band will receive will ensure they'll never make headlines (or a dime) again.

This is probably one of the most NSFW videos ever. There's some skin, some swearing, and of course the whole thing is just disgusting. You have been warned:

Forgive my overuse of quotation marks for the rest of this post, but COME ON. As you can see, while the band is trapped in a bird cage, an Asian model strips down while the "singers" unleash every single Asian stereotype ever in their "song." Every member of the band goes out with an Asian girl, which you can see in Polaroid photos. The model proceeds to pick up the bird cage, draws a bath, then lets the mini idiots swim around in her bath water. OMG, how the hell was something like this even made?

Here are some of the worst "lyrics":

I love your sticky rice
Butt f*cking all night
Korean barbecue
B*tch I love you

I love your creamy yellow thighs
Ooh your slanted eyes

Your momma's so pretty
Best nails in the city
Pushing your daddy's Mercedes

And you age so well
I can barely tell
17 or 23?
Baby doesn't matter to me

Then the whole last verse is a list of gems that include "flied lice," "Sailor Moon," and to top it all off, "fa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra." 

It'd be one thing if this were clever or funny or satirical. I love me a good Asian joke and am never hesitant to poke fun of myself. That scene in A Christmas Story was freakin' hilarious. But this "song" is really so vile and nasty, so unoriginal and degrading, I felt depressed for all of humanity after watching this video. I'm not so naive that I don't think some men have an "Asian fetish", but please don't tell me this is actually a "compliment" for Asian women, that this video shows they're desirable. It's the exact opposite, and it in fact made me feel really terrible about myself.

Levy Tran, the "Asian Girl" in the video, said she regretted participating in this ridiculousness on Twitter: "I sincerely apologize to all who feels that I set Asian women back 50 yrs. I know I lost respect from a lot of ppl. It wasn't my intention."

Of course, the band doesn't think so. They told Dlisted, "WE ARE NOT RACIST, HAHA! I mean, look at our band, it’s multicultural!! The guy in the bow-tie, our cutie bass player, was born in Indonesia, and he steals the show!! Please don’t take this tongue-in-cheek tribute to some of the most gorgeous women on the planet too seriously!!"

Band, we've heard more than enough from you. Seriously, it's amazing how I've gone through my entire life listening to taunts and jokes about these stereotypes due to my ethnicity, stereotypes I've constantly tried to fight against and dispel, and here they all are, listed for me in all their glory in one "song." Thanks, guys. I really needed that today.

Do you think this "music video" goes too far? Do you think the band is racist?

Image via DAYABOVEGROUND/YouTube

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‘Facebook Cheating’ Is Just as Painful as the Real Thing -- But Should It Be?

maandag 29 juli 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 46 minutes ago

No doubt, infidelity has been on the rise since social media has sunk its claws into the otherwise somewhat content world. We now pretty much have access to anyone, any time we want. And let's not forget, things are so much easier to say -- whether they're filled with hate or filled with lust -- when you're sitting behind a computer and don't have to face an actual human being. But should "Facebook cheating," i.e., exchanging sexy messages, etc., online -- and online only -- be just as upsetting as the real thing?

Turns out, most people think so.

A new study shows that couples who discover online acts of infidelity are just as upset as if they realized their partner was cheating in real life. Research conducted by Texas Tech University concluded that, although the stages of coping with online cheating are different, the infidelity itself creates a similar emotional experience for the person who was cheated on. Jaclyn Cravens, one of the lead authors of the study, said: "This is very important because there is a line of thought that if the infidelity was discovered online, or confined to online activity, then it shouldn't be as painful."

I can't imagine what it would be like to discover something as awful as this. It would, without question, be incredibly painful and feel like a punch to the gut. But I can't help but wonder if the relationships in which the cheating was solely restricted to the Internet are more salvageable than the ones where actual, physical contact is made.

By no means am I diminishing "Facebook cheating." Like I said, I'm sure it's absolutely devastating. But the truth is, online, people are completely different people. Clearly, one's "online persona" is a part of them (that may or may not lie dormant) if they have the ability to act a certain way -- but is it the "real" them? And isn't the web, for some, just a really bad way to deal with real life problems they have? For instance, trolls probably aren't as big of assholes in real life, but they're probably not very nice or happy people. Am I making any sense?

I guess this is just another interesting and sad layer that's been added to society, compliments of social media. I certainly don't condone or would want to be on the receiving end of "online infidelity," but maybe the sum is bigger than its parts? Maybe the problem is social media? Maybe people should ... get the hell offline for a while.

Would you be as upset if you found out your partner was "Facebook cheating"?

Image via denharsh/Flickr

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Jennifer Aniston Goes Braless Again -- Which She Should While She Still Can (PHOTO)

donderdag 25 juli 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Mary Fischer 16 hours ago

Surprise, surprise. Jennifer Aniston forgot to wear a bra on the set of her new movie that's being filmed in New York City, putting her "girls" on display for the world to see just in case we didn't get a good look at them the first 100 times.

Seriously, I don't know what exactly she has against bras, but she really seems to prefer letting it all hang out -- considering how many times she's gone without one in the past.

And whether or not her braless look this time around was for a movie role is beside the point. Because in all honestly, she should probably go ahead and rock this look while she still has the luxury of doing so.

Let me explain.

Back in the day, meaning before my body went through pregnancy and a very brief round of breastfeeding -- I had no problem forgoing a bra either. At all.

More from The Stir: Jennifer Aniston's Nipples Steal the Show on 'Chelsea Lately' (VIDEO)

I'm a smaller-boobed gal, and since they were so perky before a tiny human took over my body, it never bothered me in the least to wear things that showed them off a bit more.

But now that I'm almost 36 and have done the whole kid thing? My bra is my security blanket. The minute I remove it, I instantly feel uncomfortable and embarrassed -- because apparently my boobs have a hidden magnet inside of them that is directly attracted to the floor.

And that's why I only take off my bra when I'm about to go to bed, and even then, most of the pajamas I wear have some sort of padding going on so I'm not totally hanging out there.

Jen may or may not ever have a baby, but now that she's marrying Justin Theroux and settling down again, getting pregnant is a definite possibility. But once that happens, she's going to have to rekindle her friendship with her bra, so now is the perfect time to give her girls one last hoorah in the fresh air while she still has the chance.

Go for it, Jen. I would too if only my boobs didn't resemble those of a 90-year-old woman.

Do you ever go braless?

Image via Splash

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mary Fischer

is the writer behind The Mommyologist, and the mom of a future famous comedian. Her current loves include cosmopolitans, reality TV, and shoes that don't pinch her feet.

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