Cruz-in' for a Bruisin'

Idioticus Trumpus

The only days when something galactically stupid doesn't come out of the mouth of asshat Donald Trump are those days when he avoids the press and says nothing at all. Fortunately for the republic, his narcissism is so advanced that he simply can't help himself, which in the end means that when actual voters begin indicating their preferences in actual primaries, the fact that 75-80 percent of actual GOP voters have consistently rejected him will finally mean something. Until then, though, the media will feed us an endless supply of Trump's patented fact-free bluster and pomposity.

"Go back home where you belong, Canuck!"

His most recent idiocy is bringing up the non-issue of Senator Ted Cruz's eligibility to run for president. I suspect this is because Trump has fallen behind Cruz in Iowa, and his massive ego can't accept that. I'm sure he assumes his witless, know- nothing supporters will swallow this nonsense hook, line, and sinker. And why not? They've already shown a complete lack of interest in facts or logic the entire campaign so far.

"You don't have even one lawyer on your staff, really?"

For his part, Senator Cruz responded the way one would hope: By comparing Trump's comments to the shark-jumping episode of Happy Days.

Well-played, Senator...

[Disclaimer: I have contributed to Senator Cruz's campaign, as I have to the Fiorina and Rubio campaigns.]

"Are you saying that the charge is trumped up?"

Nobody thinks you're funny...

V for Victory...Eventually

Original 1958 Flying V w/case

On January 6, 1958 the Gibson Flying V model guitar went on sale.

Intended to be a "futuristic" design, the V was not warmly embraced by guitarists, and production ceased in 1959. It would be eight years before any more Vs came off the Gibson assembly line.

The original 1958 model, made of korina wood, is highly prized by guitar collectors. There were only a few dozen of them made, and they fetch prices in the neighborhood of a quarter of a million dollars.

The design (and the corresponding sound)
of the guitar eventually found its audience, and both Gibson and its subsidiary Epiphone continue to produce V guitars today, including replicas of the prized '58 korina version.

Joe and "Amos," his original '58 Korina Flying V

My guitar hero Joe Bonamassa has owned and toured with a number of Flying V guitars in his career.

He's the main reason I acquired Veronica, my Epiphone replica of the '58 Gibson. I wrote about her (and him)  here...

But I'm Sure Those STDs Will Be Fabulous!

From the pen of Henry Payne, whose editorial cartoons you should read often, as I do.

Until Next Time...

One of early adopters of Gibson's Flying V design was blues legend Albert King, who employed a V as his main stage guitar from the model's introduction until his death in 1992.

Albert with "Lucy" in 1977

By far the most famous of Albert's
V guitars was not a Gibson-produced model, however. The guitar he called "Lucy" was custom-made for him by a fan. Other than the body shape, it has little in common with its Gibson cousins.

The current owner of the custom-built "Lucy" is actor and guitar collector Steven Seagal, who loaned it to my hero Joe Bonamassa to play on his 2015 "Three Kings" tour (which was a tribute to the music of Albert King, B.B. King, and Freddie King).





Today's send-off is a video of Joe playing "Lucy" for his performance of "Born Under
a Bad Sign," perhaps Albert's best-known song. The video was shot by my Bona-buddies Phil and Natasha Kornbluth at Joe's show in Camden, New Jersey last August 7.
(Phil and Natasha have special permission from Joe to film and photograph his shows whenever they can, which is often, and share the results online). Enjoy...