Blog Posts by The_Stir

Miller Lite has introduced a new type of bottle, the Vortex, in hopes of boosting their sales. The new design consists of tiny grooves in the neck of the bottle, creating a "vortex-like" motion as you pour. Because, you know, cheap beer will definitely taste better after being swirled around.

More from The Stir: 7 Worst Beers Ever ... Unless 7-Eleven Beer Makes It 8

It's supposed to give it easier drinkability, making it go down your throat faster. Which means they're basically admitting it tastes like crap and the faster you drink it, the less you'll realize how awful it is.

And I can say this because, yes, I do drink Miller Lite. What? It's cheap.

More from The Stir: 5 Ways Soda Can Make Your Food Pop

There have been a few other times when beer companies have had dumb gimmicks in hopes of boosting their sales:

1. Coors Light's Cold Activation: The mountains on the label turn blue when cold. Apparently, touching the bottle with your hands just didn't cut

Flickr photo by mecridisToxins lurking in the home scare the heebie jeebies out of me. I'm trying to raise a child here, folks!

But the building biology consultant who showed up in The New York Times' Home and Garden section this week, offering consultations on your toxic home for just $375 didn't exactly set my heart at ease.

More from The Stir: Toxic Childhood: Things That Are Killing Us

For $375, I can buy a closet full of organic cleaners and a nifty dehumidifer to ward off mold.

And that would actually address the toxic hazards.

But this is the new trend -- in the wake of contaminated drywall from China and toxins as autism trigger warnings, we are willing to cough up the big bucks for plain old peace of mind.

And people are pursuing this as a career option, signing up with the Institute for Bau-Biologie & Ecology, an online school that purports to be "dedicated to bringing together the technical expertise, biological understanding and ecological sensitivity to create healthy homes

Flickr photo by Bramus!I had to read the kindergarten registration papers three times before I was sure I was reading them right.

Right below name of student, date of birth, and other contact information was a list of "medical history" questions.

Only those aren't her medical history. They're mine.

More from The Stir: What's the Scariest Thing Hiding in Your Neighborhood?

Before I can register my daughter in a public kindergarten, they want to know: Did you take pain medication during labor?

Paging Mrs. Kravitz, stick your nose back behind that curtain.

It doesn't stop there:

1. Were there any problems during pregnancy with this child (ex. high blood pressure, hepatitis, kidney problems, diabetes, etc.)?
2. Any problems with labor and/or delivery?
3. Long or short labor?

In short, they want me to write my birth story out ... for what? So they can pull it out in third grade and announce in the teachers' break room, no wonder that Sager kid can't conjugate. Her

Suddenly, it seems like I'm hearing the name BaByliss everywhere.

"I have a BaByliss Pro Titanium, it gets up to 450 degrees," reader Erin wrote on my Facebook page recently. "It straightens my hair wonderfully and quicker than anything else I've used."

"Your stylist should be able to purchase a BaByliss for you at a high-end supply store," added reader Paula. "Just ask ... but be prepared to pay lots of money. They really do make a difference."

More from The Stir: I Torture My Hair!

Even Padma Lakshmi told InStyle Magazine that BaByliss hot rollers are the secret to her gorgeous curls.

What gives?

I took a look at the BaByliss website , which states that its products use tourmaline and ceramic technologies to produce smooth, shiny hair. "Tourmaline produces far-infrared heat that delivers faster styling times and releases natural ions to combat static and frizz," the website added. "Combined with ceramic technology that ensures maximum heat efficiency,

Flickr photo by amayzunWe live in a "throw drugs at it" society. Take this pill and you're cured! Take that pill and no more of that! And the misuse of these pills is scary, especially when it comes to libido-enhancing drugs.

If you have a condition called hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), you're not in the mood for sex because of a chemical imbalance in the brain. It's a real disorder and has nothing to do with a decreased interest in lovemaking because your husband doesn't romance you/has bad breath/thinks foreplay is unbuttoning his own pants.

More from The Stir: Can One Bad Sex Session Kill a Marriage?

And HSDD is treatable with a new drug that's waiting for approval by the FDA. It's called flibanserin -- the very first pill to treat HSDD -- and it messes with the chemicals in your brain to make you want sex. And it's being pimped out by Lisa Rinna. Yes, Mrs. Sexy Lips herself. And no, use of this drug will not make your lips (either set) bigger. And yes, it's a little pink pill,

Photo by Splash NewsGwen Stefani could have taken her son, Zuma (21 months old), to her hairstylist and said, "Dye my hair so it's this color."

Baby blonde. Gorgeous for summer. Gorgeous anytime, really.

More from The Stir: Mom Confesses to Dying Toddler's Hair

Oh and isn't this kid adorable?

This kind of white blonde looks so great on Gwen. Well, anything looks great on Gwen, but it's a super-cool color.

And a tough color to achieve.

Tons of bleach?

Probably.

And you need a stylist who really knows what she's doing.

More from The Stir: "Mature" Hair Colors, Yay or Nay?

I have dark brown hair, but it did change to a light brown when I was an infant. It eventually went back to dark brown.

My son's hair is blonde and my daughter's hair is a very light brown. I wonder if their locks will change as they get older -- they're just 6 months old.

Does your hair color match your child's -- either naturally or by the box?

Written by Michele Zipp on

Photo from Splash NewsFor the last couple of weeks, I've been seeing the cutest black and white striped maxi dresses and wanting to write a post about how much I love them.

And look who just turned up in one! That's Katie Holmes, out and about last Wednesday night with her husband, whose name I forget.

I only wish I'd written the post before Katie wore the dress. Then I would have sworn she reads The Stir.

Oh well ...

Here's how you can get Katie's look for much, much less.

More from The Stir: Katie Holmes Pregnancy Clue: Baggy Clothes?

Bebe.com, $79

The closest match to what Katie's wearing has got to be this far more affordable Bebe Striped Tank Maxi Dress ($79). And on an unrelated note, I love the Bebe Lacey Perforated Tote ($159) pictured, which I spotted at the mall the other day. It's gorgeous in person and I WANT IT.

Ahem.

Topshop.com, $70

This Stripe Jersey Maxi by Rare ($70, Topshop) is super cute, particularly from behind, where the neckline dips to

Flickr photo by p@r@noidI've been scratching my head over this Lemondrop story about a woman who dated a guy for a year without realizing he was married. This woman wasn't a naive young thing -- she was 35 and had surely been around the block, but she fell for him. And fell hard. On first reading, I was all "Oh, you stupid, desperate little chickie." Then I remembered my own 30s and ratcheted back the judgment -- a lot.

Because it turns out I'm not so perfect, either. I know, I know -- shocking!

More from The Stir: The New Excuse for Cheating

Without getting into the details, let me just say I spent years in my 30s with a long-term boyfriend who always had an excuse to keep me at arm's length. But the initial, crazy honeymoon-phase of our relationship had been so achingly beautiful, it was hard to imagine something so perfect could lead to anything less than perfection in the end.

Just like the woman in the article, I had people admiring how in-love we were, how connected we seemed, how fun we were as a