Links to some of my favourite websites :
- BBC News - the best source of English language news there is.
- Asoboo.com - Japan based website, great networking tool for all those of you interested in Japan, creative and internationally minded.
- Flickr - great photo-sharing website.
- Stumbleupon.com - broswer add in for Firefox or Internet Explorer that puts the zing back into surfing the web.
- Japanorama.co.uk - Alfie's website for news, info, photos, visitor and resident information about Japan. Japanorama also offer web design services in Tokyo, Japan.
- Codelmark.co.uk - some pals of Alfie's back in the UK who have an awesome system for protecting and validating ownership of any digital stuff; from your will, your photos, your own musical compositions, data, etc etc. Proves integrity. Great stuff. Anyone creating anything should go check it out and ask for James.
- Wi-Fi Hotspots in Tokyo - massive list of thousands of wi-fi hotspots in Tokyo. To be honest though, you can open up your laptop practically anywhere and get a signal. Just need to register with one or other of the local wi-fi schemes. Details of one corporate style access service are here at iPass. Or you can read someone's excellent blog entry about the whole Tokyo wi-fi thing; pay-for wi-fi spots, free spots, war-chalking [if you fancy lugging a 15cm dish around town with you] etc etc.
- Nikon D300 Users Forum on Flickr - of which Alfie is a moderator since buying his D300 the day before they were even launched in Japan. Mmm, nice.
- Tokyo Art Beat - bilingual art, design and event guide.
- PingMag - the most wonderful online magazine about art, design and stuff in Tokyo and Japan. Great features, superb style. We love it to bits.
- QuikFlikWorld, Tokyo - superb short films by local film-makers including the utterly bonkers but very nice JR Lipartito and David Roy.
- Food Additives and E-Numbers - evil things, the lot of them. This is a great list of all of them. And, by god, there are shitloads! Helps with shopping but after a while you realise you can't actually do any shopping and just have to start growing your own food and raising livestock on the balcony of your tiny Tokyo flat.
- BlueHost - pretty damn good webhosts, despite the fact they are American. Goodness me, did we actually say that?
- Meiji and Taisho Era Japan in Photos - the National Diet's Collection of historic photos from the 1860s through to the 1920s. Awesome.
- Japan National Weather, Typhoon, Earthquake and Volcano Information Centre - does what it says on the tin.
- Yodobashi Camera - tons of the latest kit at Japanese prices. Which generally means a shitload cheaper than the UK. Mmmm, we love Yodo.
- Bic Camera - more shopping adventures to be had here. Cameras for dad. Toy department for the kids. Cookers, air-con, air cleaners, massage chairs, mobile phones, etc etc for the wife. Although for f***s sake don't let her in there with the credit card too often. Great points scheme means you get 10% back on all purchases to spend on more lovely electrical goods.
- Law Enforcement in Japan - essential reading for all potential visitors and residents. Well, sort of. But it is an interesting read anyway.
- JAM Club in Shinjuku - awesome basement venue where Alfie shot pics of legendary US punk band, The Dogs.
- The Nikon D300 - Alfie's current tool of choice.
- Nikon Lens Evaluation website - the pic on the front page of this site says it all: this fella has everything and has tested and written about it all. Essential reading before any Nikon lens purchase.
- Bythom - The other essential 'for god's sake don't buy anything Nikon before you read this' website.
- NUJ Rate card - this is what we work to for all our photography rates and it is essential reading for any journo or photographer if they are wondering what to charge people for work.
- The Keikyu Line - our local train line. Nihongo only website I am afraid. But even I can make out what I need to from it so you should be fine.
- Maniaker's Design Font website - the place for cool fonts, be they Japanese or Japanese inspired or just designed by funky Jap-o-nees people.
- Aspartame - excellent thread of stuff on the British Medical Journal website about this, the nasty of nasties when it comes to food additives. The US Airforce and Navy ban their pilots from imbibing the stuff. The Civial Aviation Authority advises pilots not to have it due to the risk of seizure and epilepsy. However, it is in loads of our food and practically every fizzy drink and bottle of squash you can lay your hands on.
- The Death Report - find out all sorts of morbid facts about what happend on your birthday.