NoScript

Overview
NoScript is an extension for Mozilla to manage which sites get to run Java and JavaScript.

This is desirable because JavaScript can sometimes exploit security holes on some computer systems, and you cannot trust every site trying to load JavaScript. JavaScript is also heavily used in advertising, even though it is not necessarily to use it, so NoScript can be used to block unwanted ads.

A good companion for NoScript is CookieSafe, which helps you choose which sites are allowed to set cookies.

Using NoScript
By default, NoScript blocks all Java and JavaScript. When your browser loads a site that is trying to use Java/JavaScript, a yellow bar will pop up at the bottom of the screen. If you want to allow Java/JavaScript for the site, click on 'Options'. There you can choose:
 * Allow domain - the domain will be permanently allowed to run Java/JavaScript; the yellow bar will not pop up again when you are viewing this site.
 * Allow domain temporarily - the domain will be allowed to run Java/JavaScript for the session; the yellow bar will pop up again when you start another session.

If the site you are viewing is using scripts from third party sites, you can choose to allow or block them individually.

NoScript and LiveJournal
Ads on LiveJournal depend on JavaScript to load, and if you do not allow remote sites to load JavaScript, you won't see the ads, only the blank spaces they leave behind. Furthermore, LiveJournal's advertising allows third party sites and advertising networks to load JavaScript, which you might not want to allow. However, the LiveJournal site itself needs JavaScript enabled for some features.

With NoScript, you can enable JavaScript for the main LiveJournal site while denying JavaScript ability to third party sites. To do so, allow livejournal.com permanently. Embedded media relies on the site lj-toys.com to load so you may want to allow this domain as well.