Few bands have had as storied a past and embodied as many different sounds and textures as Fleetwood Mac. Over the course of their 50-year legacy, they've lost members, regained them, pivoted directions — rinse and repeat. Stopping by the Pepsi Center Monday night, the conditions were almost no different than they've ever been, except at this juncture in their career, they stepped into the fray without core member Lindsey Buckingham. Stevie Nicks and Buckingham were the catalysts that launched Fleetwood Mac onto the charts and led the band to create some of their most cherished songs, so the absence was particularly jarring. In his place, Mike Campbell — the former guitarist of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers — and Crowded House's Neil Finn took the reins. In Buckingham's void, two people were required.
Much like the music Fleetwood Mac makes, the feeling was complicated. It hovered somewhere between the deep dive into the nostalgia of their incredible discography, and the unwavering desire to relive it. Nevertheless, the night offered such nostalgia, surprises and despite the circumstances, wide-reaching delight.
With no opener to ease us into the evening, Fleetwood Mac started promptly in the sold-out arena to a cascade of cheers awaiting them. The subtle lighting in the room encapsulated the band drawing every eye and ear as they took off on "The Chain." While offering the first taste of the new lineup, Finn was an incredibly capable vocalist, intertwining well with the eternally enchanting Nicks, easing many doubts in the process. "Little Lies" followed, thrusting Christine McVie into the spotlight as the audience bloomed leaving the seats they were planted in, dancing to the number. From there, the set was a hit-heavy saga, a rewind on the many years the band has entertained the masses while floating their music's youthful visage to the aging audience. "Dreams" drew our voices, "Landslide" our tears, and a surprise cover of Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over" our unity.
Time itself has chipped away at some of the band's voices. Where the high notes of Nicks didn't quite reach high enough, and McVie's has slightly dampened with time (though her skill on the keys remains untouched) the prowess of Mick Fleetwood was as untamable as ever. A near eight-minute drum solo proved as much, as well as the notion that they don't quite make drummers like they used to. Likewise, Campbell was decidedly seething with his undulating guitar runs running amuck, to great success. Bassist John McVie, though mostly silent and understated throughout the performance, guided the songs with a steady hand and endless poise. As Nicks sings in "Landslide" — "time makes you bolder," and Fleetwood Mac was as bold as you could imagine, especially backed by an additional drummer, backup singers and additional keys — it was a larger than life performance, for a larger than life band.
Though not the conditions many were hoping for upon the announcement of the tour, Fleetwood Mac pulled it together in classic fashion, adding to their enduring legacy. Buckingham wasn't forgotten nor replaced entirely, it was simply another pivot in a line of pivots, repositioning the band to whatever configuration suits them at the time. The show went on, as usual, another footnote in the winding story of Fleetwood Mac.
Fleetwood Mac made the first Pepsi Center stop of its current tour Monday night, and took the stage without longtime member Lindsey Buckingham, who parted ways with the band earlier this year.
The modified lineup, which will come back through Denver on Jan. 31, features Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood — along with new touring members Neil Finn of Crowded House and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell.
Setlists of the shows include all the hits including "The Chain," "Little Lies," "Rhiannon," "Gypsy" and more. Even a tribute to one of Stevie Nicks' favorite duet partners, the late Tom Petty.


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Parody video on the fading role of brokers on Wall Street
Marti Trewe
"I just want to retire"
After decades of transitioning from human brokers to online brokers, the people left on Wall Street are clamoring for the old days and lamenting for the days of unlimited expense accounts. In the above video, the DopeyCowboy.com parodies the fall of the traditional stock broker and calls for retirement.
Is 2012 the year that the algorithms and web programs take over Wall Street for good? How will that change the dynamic of the current system? Some speculate it would improve investing and eliminate greed while others point out that any investment, be it stock or real estate, is best done in collaboration between an investor and an adviser.
Either way, the hey day of trading and excess is over.
Related Topics:BusinessEconomyhumor
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Marti Trewe reports on business and technology news, chasing his passion for helping entrepreneurs and small businesses to stay well informed in the fast paced 140-character world. Marti rarely sleeps and thrives on reader news tips, especially about startups and big moves in leadership.
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Is the real estate industry endorsing Carson's nomination to HUD?
(BUSINESS NEWS) Ben Carson's initial appointment to HUD was controversial given his lack of experience in housing, but what is the pulse now?
Tara Steele
NAR strongly backs Dr. Carson's nomination
When President-Elect Donald Trump put forth Dr. Ben Carson's name as the nominee for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, NAR President William E. Brown said, "While we've made great strides in recent years, far more can be done to put the dream of homeownership in reach for more Americans."
At the time of nomination, the National Association of Realtors (the largest trade organization in the nation) offered a positive tone regarding Dr. Carson and said the industry looks forward to working with him. But does that hold true today?
The confirmation hearings yesterday were far less controversial than one would expect, especially in light of how many initially reacted to his nomination. Given his lack of experience in housing, questions seemed to often center around protecting the LGBT community and veterans, both of which he pledged to support.
In fact, Dr. Carson said the Fair Housing Act is "one of the best pieces of legislation we've ever had in this country," promising to issue a "world-class plan" for housing upon his confirmation…
>>>>>Click to continue reading…<<<<<
#CarsonHUD
Job openings hit 14-year high, signaling economic improvement
The volume of job openings is improving, but not across all industries. The overall economy is improving, but not evenly across all career paths.
Job openings hit a high point
To understand the overall business climate, the U.S. Labor Department studies employment, today releasing data specific to job vacancies. According to the department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLT) for April, job openings rose to 5.38 million, the highest seen since December 2000, and a significant jump from March's 5.11 million vacancies. Although a lagging indicator, it shows strength in the labor market.
Read also: Does being beautiful mean a better career and more money?
The Labor Department reports that the number of hires in April fell to 5 million, which indicates a weak point in the strong report, and although the volume remains near recent highs, this indicates a talent gap and highlights the number of people who have left the labor market and given up on looking for a job.
Good news, bad news, depending on your profession
That said, another recent Department report notes that employers added 221,000 jobs in April and 280,000 in May, but the additions are not evenly spread across industries. Construction jobs rose in April, but dipped in professional and business services, hospitality, trade, and transportation utilities. In other words, white collar jobs are down, blue collar jobs are up, which is good or bad news depending on your profession.
Additionally, the volume of people quitting their jobs was 2.7 million in April compared to the seven-year high of 2.8 million in March. Economists follow this number as a metric for gauging employee confidence in finding their next job.
If you're in the market for a job, there are an increasing number of openings, so your chance of getting hired is improving, but there is a caveat – not all industries are enjoying improvement.
If you're hiring talent, you'll still get endless resumes, but there appears to be a growing talent gap for non-labor jobs, so you're not alone in struggling to find the right candidate.
Economists suspect the jobs market will continue to improve as a whole, but this data does not pertain to every industry.
#JobOpenings
Gas prices are down, so are gas taxes about to go up?
Do low gas prices mean higher gas taxes are on the way? Budgeting for 2015 just got a bit more complicated, if some politicians have their way.
Gas taxes and your bottom line
Many industries rely heavily on time in their vehicle, not just truck drivers and delivery trucks. Sales professionals hop in their vehicles throughout the day, as do many other types of professionals (service providers like plumbers, and so forth). For that reason, gas prices and taxes are a relevant line item that must be budgeted for 2015, but with politicians making the rounds to push for higher gas taxes, budgeting becomes more complicated.
Gas prices are down roughly 50 cents per gallon compared to a year ago, which some analysts say have contributed to more money in consumers' pockets. Some believe that this will improve holiday sales, but others believe the timing is just right to increase federal taxes on gas. The current tax on gas is 18.40 cents per gallon, and on diesel are 24.40 cents per gallon.
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Supporters and opponents are polar opposites
Supporters argue as follows: gas prices are low, so it won't hurt to increase federal gas taxes, in fact, those funds must go toward improving our infrastructure, which in the long run, saves Americans money because smoother roads mean better gas mileage and less congestion.
Gas taxes have long been a polarizing concept, and despite lowered gas prices, the controversial nature of the taxes have not diminished.
While some are pushing for complete abolition of federal gas taxes, others, like former Pennsylvania Governor, Ed Rendell (D) tell CNBC, "Say that cost the average driver $130 a year. They would get a return on that investment" in safer roads and increased quality of life, he added.
The Washington Post's Chris Mooney points out that federal gas taxes have been "stuck" at 18 cents for over 20 years, last raised when gas was barely a dollar a gallon and that the tax must increase not only to improve the infrastructure, but to "green" our behavior, and help our nation find tax reform compromise.
Is a gas tax politically plausible?
Mooney writes, "So, this is not an argument that a gas tax raise is politically plausible — any more than a economically efficient tax on carbon would be. It's merely a suggestion that — ignoring politics — it might be a pretty good idea."
Rendell noted, "The World Economic Forum, 10 years ago, rated us the best infrastructure in the world," adding that we "need to do something for our infrastructure, not in a one or two year period, but over a decade."
Others would note that this rating has not crumbled in just a few years, that despite many bridges and roads in need of repair, our infrastructure is still superior to even the most civilized nations.
Regardless of the reasons, most believe that Congress won't touch this issue with a ten-foot pole, especially leading up to another Presidential campaign season starting next year.
"I think it's too toxic and continues to be too toxic," Steve LaTourette (the former Republican congressman best known for his close friendship with his fellow Ohioan, Speaker John Boehner) tells The Atlantic. "I see no political will to get this done."
Whether the time is fortuitous or not, and regardless of the positive side effects, many point to a fear of voters' retaliation against any politician siding with a gas hike, so this matter going any further than the proposal stage is unlikely.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Over the past months, I have been delighted to have someone to bounce ideas off. I find that having a partner allows me to think and reach beyond my areas of comfort and to explore new ideas. The fact that we are both artists and value new ways of looking and doing things is exciting to me.
I wanted to record some of our thoughts and conversations over the since May. So much has happened since then. I have kept notes of our journey thus far and want to post snippets of our process both in video and also in writing.
I find "process" of creating anything essential and often forgotten. I thought it would be interesting both to ourselves and the people who follow us to lay out our journey with Wholehearted Preneur from the start. Can you help me?
"The essence of synergy is to value differences, to respect them, to build on strengths, to compensate for weaknesses.
Once people have experienced real synergy, they are never quite the same again.They know the possibility of having other such mind-expanding adventures in the future."
Many of us were taught to be independent and to "do it all" on our own. I know I was. I valued my ability to work alone. However, I discovered that I could be much more efficient and effective when I respect the opinion of others and collaborate with them. When I allow myself to engage in this group process, something is born that is more powerful than anything I could create on our own.
I believe that in trying to find creative solutions to a problem, it is first important that I make the time and space to ponder the problem alone. Later, I like to engage in a collaborative thought process. Great and novel solutions and ways of problem solving are the result of following this process.
3. Brainstorm solutions without judging but rather genuinely considering the suggestions being offered.
4. As a group, pick the best solution.
It is my thought that as we go along in creating and building "Shine Business" it is important for us to not only respect and value each other's opinions but to keep open to seeking others who will join our conversation bringing their unique thoughts and strengths.


Seventeen years after my Grandpa Bob passed away, my dad planned a family reunion at a park in Northern Utah. Prior to the reunion, he invited his four siblings and their children to email him their favorite memories of Grandpa Bob. He compiled the memories in a 16-page document and printed copies for everyone.
One of my favorite entries came from my cousin, Natalie, who signed off with an apology: "I'm not a good writer, so hopefully this all made sense. I'm sad my memory isn't better." I was surprised. The stories Natalie shared were interesting and specific, full of fun details and sayings Grandpa was known for. Her words painted a vivid picture of him that made me miss him acutely. I didn't once notice an ungrammatical sentence in that collection of memories. That's not what matters. What matters is authenticity, voice, and perspective. What matters is that our stories get told, in all of their imperfect glory.
Would you like to make 2018 a year to tell your family stories? Let these simple tips inspire you to put pen to paper. No one is more qualified to tell your family's story than you are.