Today, I am going to the airport to travel to Japan. Over the next few months, I will once again be a professor at Kyoto University, as part of a research team working to integrate macroeconomic principles from the principles of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) into a broader framework to build national Resilience changes to address climate change, demographic challenges, transportation and housing challenges, and more. So starting tomorrow I will be in Kyoto and as promised my blog posts may be slightly less regular, although I think I will be able to continue my usual output. I’ll tell you more about the work we’re doing, including the release of a book we collaborated on last year. There are also plans to hold a large event in Tokyo later in November to launch our latest work. I will provide details later when I find out. We are also planning to hold a Modern Monetary Theory workshop in Kyoto next April to welcome spring and the cherry blossoms. I’ll elaborate here as I learn more. I’m also writing a book that will touch on topics like degrowth and the sustainability of capitalism. Japan’s declining population offers a world-leading opportunity to reduce society’s dependence on economic growth and explore more substantive aspects of human existence. I lay out this argument in this article – Degradation, deep adaptation and skills shortages – Part 4 (October 31, 2022). Anyway, we can listen to some music before I reappear by the Kamogawa River tomorrow.
Image details
The opening image is one of the prints from – Tokaido Fifty-three.
If you click on it, you’ll see it in all its glory.
This is the last of 53 prints and depictions – Sanjo Bridge – This is a bridge in Kyoto City that spans the Kamogawa River and is part of the Sanjo Avenue (or Third Avenue).
It is the entry point to Kyoto on the Tokaido Route, taking travelers from Edo (Tokyo) to the ancient empire of Kyoto. Edo was the capital of the shogunate.
These prints were made by famous woodcut artists – Utagawa Hiroshige – After completing this route in 1832, between 1833 and 1834.
I love looking at his prints and this is actually one of the last examples of the original – Ukiyo-e – A style popular in Japan during the 17th and 19th centuries.
travel music
I love this song – Apostle – which is taken from the second solo album – in the sky – recorder- Petrarca — after he quit Fleetwood Mac.
This album marks a return to recording after dealing with mental health issues for a long time (8 years).
It was released in May 1979 and has some really beautiful guitar playing in it.
Apostle was originally released as a single in June 1978 (the B-side was backed by Tribal Dance).
The first time I heard it was when I bought the album. The version on the album was re-recorded, while the original faded away after being discontinued shortly after its release.
On the album, Peter Green is backed by another great guitarist, Snowy White, who plays rhythm guitar on this particular track (track 9 on the album).
Apostle was written by Peter Green, as were all the tracks on the album (some of which have some collaborations).
A remastered version was released in 2005, I believe based on the original single. That version is absolutely beautiful.
Martin Celmin’s biography of Peter Green (Castle books, 1995) is a must-read for fans of Peter Green – a portrait of a troubled genius Full of compassionate and detailed descriptions.
Peter Green is my favorite guitarist (along with Jimi Hendrix).
That’s enough for today!
(c) Copyright 2023 William Mitchell. all rights reserved.
