Rachel Maddow’s Trump Tax Bombshell Wasn’t Quite What People Wanted

Viewers of Tuesday night’s The Rachel Maddow Show tuned in expecting a President Trump tax bombshell. What they got instead was two pages worth of proof that Trump paid $38 million in federal income tax in 2005.

Let’s take a step back, shall we?

Earlier in the evening, Maddow released the following tweet:

Trump’s missing tax returns have been a major point of interest since the New York Times reported last October that Trump might have avoided paying federal income tax for 18 years, thanks to a massive $916 million loss in 1995. Now, as of tonight, we know that at least one of those 18 years is accounted for. But that’s the only information we have — nothing about the other 17 years or, more crucially, where that income was coming from.

Coinciding with Maddow’s broadcast, the White House released the following statement:

“Mr. Trump paid $38 million dollars even after taking into account large scale depreciation for construction, on an income of more than $150 million dollars, as well as paying tens of millions of dollars in other taxes such as sales and excise taxes and employment taxes and this illegally published return proves just that. Despite this substantial income figure and tax paid, it is totally illegal to steal and publish tax returns. The dishonest media can continue to make this part of their agenda, while the President will focus on his, which includes tax reform that will benefit all Americans.”

Some information is certainly better than none, but the general sentiment seems to be: ice cold, Maddow. Ice. Cold.

What did you think of the Maddow scoop? Tell us @BritandCo!

(Photo via Brendan Hoffman/Getty)

Gone are the days of simple and minimalistic birthday themes — we want all of the Renaissance-inspired, fancy, and elaborate birthday parties from here on out. And with that comes even more crazy cakes! Fancy cakes are seriously trending at the moment, and you need to save this for your next birthday so you can get all the inspiration you need to have the craziest, coolest, and most elaborate birthday ever.

Floral Arrangement Cake

Photo via Instagram/@cake_annieioannides

Some of the most stunning cakes I've seen are by Annie Ioannideswith the most elaborate floral arrangements around her cakes. You will see her work and immediately feel inspired to have one of these at your wedding, birthday, or any occasion needed for a fancy cake. They look so beautiful you won't even want to eat them... but good news is you can because they're edible too!

Flower Power Cake

Image via Instagram/@thegirlwholetthemeatcake

This is another fun fancy cake option is you're looking for something a little groovy and retro! We love this flower-power fancy cake for any birthdays coming up! But wait until you hear what's inside...vanilla buttercream cake with grape jelly mixed throughout. OMG! We love when cakes look AND taste good! Sign us up!

It's All Coming Up Roses Cake

Photo via Instagram/@cake_annieioannides

Annie Ioannidestold us the story of how she got into baking and cake design and it is oh-so-sweet just like her cakes. She says, "Baking was my hobby and passion since I can recall. So after a long career working at a bank I decided to quit and work with what I love. News spread out and here I am now, having the small cake studio I always dreamed and turning my hobby into a full time job."

And it was all worth it because her designs are truly works of art. This cake pictured above is made of edible wafer paper roses and it has to be the quintessential fancy cake!

Coquette Inspired Cake

Photo via Instagram/@thefancycakeclub

One common theme you'll see with a lot of fancy cakes is the coquette aesthetic. This involves a lot of girly, feminine, and cute details with elegant draping and bows going around the cake. The more dramatic the better! This stunning cake is from The Fancy Cakes Club (what a perfectly on-brand name, right?) and we are in love with their work. They told us, "I started when I made my own birthday cake around COVID in this style which at the time I’d only really seen on Instagram from bakers in the UK/Australia. There was no bakery in NYC making this style of cake at the time, so I had friends asking me to make their cakes and word got around and that’s basically how it took off!" We love to see when passion can evolve into so much more!

She's even been hired to do a cake for none other than Olivia Rodrigo for her shows at Madison Square Garden! We love the fancy cake they made for her! Definitely go check out her page for all of the best fancy cake inspo.

Garden Fancy Cake

Photo via Instagram/@cake_annieioannides

I will absolutely be saving this amazing cake by Annie Ioannidesto my Pinterest for all the upcoming birthday cake inspo. It is whimsical, fun, and spectacular; exactly what a fancy cake should be! Definitely let them eat this cake!

Cherry Bow Cake

Photo via Instagram/@thegirlwholetthemeatcake

You can't have an elaborate cake without accessorizing! We're talking bows, floral, jewels, you name it! Due to the ever-rising coquette aesthetic, bows are everywhere; even on cakes! We are just obsessed with this one from cake artist Erin Degelman.It looks straight out of Marie Antoinette with its old-fashioned, girly vibe! Not to mention, the inside is made of chocolate oreo!

Erin is a self taught cake artist from Saskatchewan, Canada. She told us that she really found a passion in baking after her son was born in 2010. She says, "Baking provided a way for me to decompress and became an outlet for my creative side. Although I do not have formal training in culinary arts, I have created a successful business built on practice and hard work. I have spent numerous hours creating delicious recipes and researching new trends in design." She says that her personal cake style is "feminine, whimsical, and fun." That sounds just like what we're looking for in our fancy cake roundup!

Photo via Instagram/@thefancycakeclub

Another insanely fun cake by The Fancy Cakes Clubshowing us that you can do wedding cakes in a non-traditional fancy way like so. I love the elaborate draping and contrast of the colors on this fun dessert! And the literal cherry on top of this dessert is edible too! We love to see it!

Ballerina Cake

Photo via Instagram/@thegirlwholetthemeatcake

Who knew you could have a fancy ballerina cake?! This cake by Erin Degelman is another prime example of how elaborate these cakes can get! It has these curtain-like details that really help to give it that extra "fancy-feel." This one will definitely cure my sweet tooth.

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Lead image via Erin Degelman.

I love — and I mean love — to cook. I could spend forever in the grocery store walking up and down the aisles, figuring out exactly what I want for a specific dish. And don't even get me started on how long I can spend chopping produce, mixing sauces, and grilling chicken (hint: it's a long time). But that means there are times my fridge has more food than I can keep track of, leading to spoiled groceries I can't eat. That's why I was so excited when my friend told me about Too Good To Go, an app that connects users with restaurants and grocery stores in their area to minimize food waste. And when I tried it for myself, it was even better than I could have expected!

Here's everything you need to know about my Too Good To Go experience — plus five other apps you can try today to minimize food waste in your own life. That way, you can save money, reduce trash, and spend time on what really matters: cooking a yummy meal.

Too Good To Go Helps Minimize Food Waste

When I tried Too Good To Go for the first time, I ordered a Surprise Bag from my favorite local grocery store. To minimize metaphorical bumps in the road, I didn't want to try a brand new store *and* brand new app at the same time. The actual order process was easy: all I did was follow instructions within the app, pay through Venmo, and head to the store in my given time frame.

Pick up was equally easy. Well, once I finally figured out who I was actually supposed to talk to! I will note that there's a toggle you have to slide for "I'm picking up my order," and you'll want to wait until they actually bring you your bag before you do that (oops). For this first Too Good To Go order, I got a bag of cheese sticks, two containers of salad mix, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt — all for $5! (In fact, I'm looking at the app as I type this and these bags are available for $5 instead of $15. That is literally more than half off!)

I did have to throw the cottage cheese away because it was moldy, so here's your reminder to check expiration dates, smell any products that could be spoiled, and trust your gut on whether or not you should eat something. Give yourself grace in moments like this because the end goal is to reduce food waste — don't beat yourself up if you have to get rid of a product anyway!

Another thing to note is that Too Good To Go works with both grocery stores *and* restaurants, which is something I didn't realize when arranging my second order. So I was definitely surprised when I ended up with a $7 meal instead of a bag of groceries! However, since I was able to split the meal into two servings, it was still more cost effective than my usual takeout budget items.

Overall, my experience with Too Good To Go has been super easy and beneficial, and I love knowing I'm helping minimize food waste, even if it's a little bit. Plus, cutting my grocery bill isn't too shabby either!

More Money-Saving Apps To Help Reduce Food Waste

Olio

Olio takes the idea of community food sharing even farther by connecting neighbors with one another, as well as local businesses. You can share extra food (and other items you don't use) by uploading images to the app and setting a (safe) pickup location. While everything on the app started out as a borrow or give format, there's a buy and sell option now too!

Nosh Food Waste App

This isn't your average grocery app — instead of ordering discounted groceries, it allows you to keep track of what you already own, as well as your food waste habits. That way, when you're in the store and aren't sure if you should buy something, you can check! It also has expiration date tracking, recipe suggestions, and personalized shopping lists.

Misfit Markets

Misfit Markets gives you the opportunity to purchase "ugly" food from grocers that would otherwise be thrown away. That's right, this food is totally fine to eat, but because it's not aesthetically pleasing or it's the wrong size, it won't be sold in-store! This food waste app has everything from produce and meat to bakery items — and it's all around 40 percent cheaper than regular grocery stores. And they deliver to your door without fees!

NoWaste

There are few things more frustrating than spending a ton of money on food for the week, forgetting about it, and having to throw it away. That's why apps like NoWaste are so great! Not only does it help you organize your food inventory, but you can also create shopping lists, plan meals, and scan barcodes. It's a pretty simple app but it'll keep you organized, which will help you cut down on food waste and overspending!

Imperfect Foods

This food waste-reducing app promises "sustainably sourced, affordable, and conveniently delivered to your door." That sounds good to me! They offer everything from "ugly" produce that can't be sold in-store to sustainably-made snacks and even some beauty products. The best part is that their customers have saved 139 million pounds of food!

Have you tried any of these grocery apps? If you have any other hacks to reduce food waste, let us know on Facebook!

Lead image via Sarah Chai/Pexels, all other images from their respective app stores.

I usually can't get enough of reading rom-com stories, but books about friendships are love stories all on their own that deserve the spotlight too! TBH, I probably should've read more stories about friends to anticipate the changes, growth, outgrowth, and beyond that comes with the bonds we share with others. So whether you're looking to read something hilarious and heartfelt, or shocking and scandalous that's friendship breakup-worthy, there's something for everyone. So keep scrolling because these books will make you take a good look at the bond you have with your best friend.

Books About Friendship To Read Right Now:

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Frances and Bobbi's friendship is one that's powered by their incredible differences. They've always accepted each other and aren't surprised by the lives they lead. So when they meet a prolific photographer and begin opening their circle to include her, Frances finds herself intrigued by the photographer's husband. He's charismatic and attractive, two things that drawn Frances in.

Before she knows it, Frances can't stop herself for hurtling towards a dangerous affair that shocks everyone around.

The Things We Do to Our Friends by Heather Darwent

Living in Edinburgh, Scotland seems like the best thing to Clare, a young woman who wants nothing more than to start over where no one knows her. As she gets settled in at the university she's attending, she meets and befriends another enchanting young woman named Tabitha. They begin building their friendship and Clare eventually meets other people from Tabitha's world.

The more Clare finds her life intertwined with Tabitha, the more the lines become blurred between their friendship and deep level of intimacy. It's only when she's in too deep that she realizes there's so much more to Tabitha and her group of friends than she thought.

The Friendship List by Susan Mallery

Ellen Fox thinks she's doing a great job at living her life until she realizes her son is willing to place his future on hold to make sure she's actually okay. This prompts her best friend Unity Leandre to create a bucket list that's supposed to help her do things she normally wouldn't.

By the time they near the end of the list, both Ellen and Unity find out things about themselves that they didn't notice before. Perhaps the best part about The Friendship List is realizing how much creating memories with our friends helps give us permission to move towards a different future.

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

Books about friendships can be hilarious or they can move you to tears. The best ones often have both abilities! In The Friend, a woman inherits the dog of the best friend she's recently lost to death and it just about sends her over the edge. The dog's relentless commitment to being silent seems to intensify the grief she's feeling, but what the woman doesn't know is that its dealing with its own form of pain.

On the brink of losing the last remnants of her sanity, the woman and the dog begin to understand each other in ways they weren't expecting. They come to realize that friendships can be born as a result of heartbreaking situations and it helps bind them together in touching ways.

Faking Friends by Jane Fallon

Amy is confused about how she's unable to connect with her fiancé Jack or her best friend Melissa because they're the two people who are supposed to know her best. She's supposed to know them too, but understands this isn't the case when she finds evidence that her best friend and fiancé have been having an affair behind her back.

It's painful to lose your best friend and love of your life to each other, but it unlocks something in Amy she didn't even know was there.

The Celebrants by Steve Rowley

The Celebrants is a highly celebrated book that's featured on Jenna Bush Hager's book club list and revolves around a friendship that began in college.

Jordan Vargas hasn't seen his college buddies in a while even though they've known each other for almost three decades. Each of them — Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle — are faced with the knowledge that they feel like they're merely cosplaying as adults. Things are still confusing even though the purpose of their pact has been to remind each other that life can still be a wonderful mystery — except this reunion may undo all the ways they've tried to celebrate each other.

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue

Rachel and James meet while she's working at a bookstore, though their attraction isn't sexual. They're naturally drawn to each other which is why they soon become roommates. Their friendship is full of laughs in the face of impending disaster and it seems to get them through tough times.

But Rachel decides she has the hots for her very married professor, Dr. Fred Byrne, James decides to be a good friend by helping her plot to catch Dr. Byrne's attention. Thus begins a wicked dance that involves the three of them and Dr. Byrne's notable wife.

Us Three by Ruth Jones

Sometimes books about friendships highlight the heartaches that come with building a bond with someone like Us Three.

Lana, Judith, and Catrin are best friends who've always been sure that nothing could upend their friendship. Blood couldn't make them any closer and it's easy to see why. Honestly, there's no mistaking that they have something special.

Just when they thought they couldn't get closer, they embark on a trip that further deepens their bond. Things go well until something occurs that's shocking enough to shake what used to feel unshakable. In place of their assuredness is the uneasy feeling that maybe they won't always be in each other's lives.

And Then There Was Me by Sadeqa Jackson

Bea and Awilda's bond has also been super strong ever since they were teenagers. Awilda was the one who helped Bea come out of her shell and increased her confidence over time. She also play matchmaker and introduced Bea to her husband Lonnie. Isn't that what good friends are for?

The problem is that Lonnie isn't a very faithful husband and this slowly but surely shatters Bea's esteem over time. It leads her to develop a habit that no one is privy to, but that's still not the worst of her troubles. With no choice but to stay in the marriage as she prepares for their third child to be born, Bea moves with Lonnie to New Jersey and tries to act like everything is peachy keene.

She'll soon discover that she has to stop pretending and face reality, especially when betrayal is closer than she thought.

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

Taylor Greer may be feisty and determined to leave rural Kentucky behind, but she's left learning a series of lessons about life when she becomes a reluctant adopted mother of young Native American toddler. With no information about the little girl, Taylor decides to uneasily take her under her wings and finds herself surround by the best friends she didn't know she was looking for — Mattie who owns the Jesus is Lord Used Tires shop and Lou-Ann, her new roommate.

They fill Taylor and her daughter 'Turtle' with so much love that she has no choice but to reexamine what she thought she knew about herself and life.

We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza

Jen and Riley's lifelong friendship has seen them through a series of events, but nothing has been able to tear them apart. Jen is living the life of a married woman who's finally pregnant while Riley has chosen to pursue her career goal of becoming a success Black news anchor.

Things change when racial tension enters the picture due to Jen's husband being at the center of a tragedy that involves a young black boy. She and Riley find themselves on opposite sides of the fence for different reasons, and it feels like there's no silver lining in sight for the friendship that's stood the test of time. It could be that this is the one test that finally unravels the thread of their bond.

Rebecca, Not Becky by Catherine Wigginton Greene

De'Andrea Whitman and her family move to Rolling Hills, Virginia, a wealthy neighborhood, to live in a better environment, but she's wildly uncomfortable once they're there. To be fair, she'd rather be back in Atlanta, but life has called for them to leave the city behind. Talking to her therapist about her concerns about being a black family in a primarily white neighborhood, she's encouraged to make a friend in her neighborhood.

At the same time Rebecca Myland, chair of the Parent Diversity Committee at her daughter's school, is thrilled when she learns the Whitmans have moved into Rolling Hills. Nothing could be better to her than when her daughter befriends the Whitmans' daughter. It feels like fate that she's supposed to befriend D'Andrea.

They eventually meet when De'Andrea joins the Parent Diversity Committee and tentatively begins a friendship with Rebecca. But soon the tension in their neighborhood brings them close and they realize they're not that different from each other.

Looking for more amazing book recs? Check out our store front for all our fave reads!

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Images via Amazon