Japanese guitar maker murdered in California - Taku Sakashta - Luthier slain at work

The headlines read - Japanese guitar maker murdered in California!

Really this is one of the saddest stories I've read in a long time. Taku Sakashta was slain in cold blood. Police on Monday arrested Joshua Rhea Begley, 28, who lives in the neighborhood and has a long history of arrests for drug, theft and weapons offenses, on suspicion of murder, robbery and evading police over the slaying of Sakashita.

The justice system failed Sakashita and more selfishly, those of us who love fine instruments and precision craftmanship. Though I have never met Mr. Sakashta I feel a profound sense of loss. One look at the picture above shows that Mr. Sakashta loved his work. My thoughts go out immediately to his family and I wish them love, strength and courage.

As for Mr. Begley, his fate awaits him. If found guilty; at the very minumum, I wish him incarceration until he is nolonger breathing or alive.

Working with the general public can be difficult and dangerous. I've had people come in that have probably been wards of the state and most certainly they had brain chemical embalances. These people are a huge problem for society and dealing with them in a fair and humane manner requires a great deal of attention. I would rather refrain from debate on matters of politics on this blog but one thing is certain. This type of problem is not going to get better without recognition of the problem. Failing to recognize and address the problems which create crime is a failure of our society and an abomination. Be involved! RIP Taku Sakashta !

Closure: The person accused and finally convicted was sentenced to Life in prison without the possibility of parole. I have chosen to leave out the name of the person convicted as I would rather not give any publicity to ne'er do well people.

Let's celebrate Taku Takashta and let him be an inspiration!

Taku Sakashta's website ->> Awesome Guitars!!!

Red Hot Chili Peppers have a new guitarist

John Frusciante's out of the band. Getting the detail straight from the horses mouth is probably the best way to find out. If you click on John's name you will be directed to his site. For me I have mixed emotions about the change in the line up. I am elated to see that John is moving on because he is conscience of his musical and artistic growth. Without such growth we would have never been able to experience the Red Hot Chili Peppers and their epic shows.

John has grown as a human. I remember watching John in a video (disturbing video - beware)

whilst in the grip of heroin addiction and it simply made me think and realize just how much control drugs have on people. Drugs delude the user and I think ultimately John discovered this before his story became fatalistically tragic.

One only has to listen to RHCP's Stadium Arcadium to hear Frusciante and his band mates wealth of talent.

On John's website he laments the fact that there was, "No drama or anger involved," and that is a good thing! Nobody benefits from bitterness and in fact it consumes the vessel in which it is contained.Who will take John's place?

The new guitarist is a friend of Frusciante's - Josh Klinghoffer. Frusciante has been a very prolific artist and Josh Klinghoffer has appeared on a few of John's albums. Rarely do we get the opportunity to view the painful downward mobility of a fellow human only to see them rise from the abyss like a phoenix to brighten and enlighten us to the real potential of love, life and spirit.