There are 2 Firefox extensions I've discovered recently that I can't browse without.

Autopager - You know how when you browse a site and an article is spread across many pages? Autopager loads the next page of the content you're browsing, which saves you time and clicks. Just scroll down, and the page will load. It works on almost every site I try it with.

Mozilla Weave - This extension lets you save and sync your firefox passwords, forms, cookies, history, tabs AND BOOKMARKS on a central mozilla server, so wherever you have firefox, you're information is accessible. I can switch between my laptop and desktop seamlessly. If my computer were to explode, my info would be backed up. It's developed by Mozilla labs, so it's goes through many security tests before updates roll out.

There are a handful of websites I've been frequenting lately. They're worthy of my appreciation in a blog post.

Reddit.com - I signed up here a few years ago when it was trying to emulate digg.com. It was a pretty cruddy site with not much traffic and a lack of features. A couple months ago, I tried it again and I have to say it has surpassed digg in content and usability. You can create your own "reddits" which is like creating your own feed for catching links about any subject. It's very customizable and pretty fast paced.

Marketplace - This site is a byproduct of NPR. The journalists cover business and government in a combination that lets one see "the big picture." The content is great, especially the whiteboard sessions with Paddy Hirsh.

22 Tracks - This music site highlights 22 handpicked tracks for 22 different genres of music. That's 484 (I did that in my head) songs!

Picking amongst the top 3 this year was very difficult. 2009 Was a good year for me and music.

1. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz - I listened to this album more than any other this year, and for good reason. It's excellent from start to finish. While the other albums in my list are great from start to finish as well, It's Blitz had the most range and styles. The songs went from Disco Punk to Highlander feel to dance ballad.

2. The Horrors - Primary Colours - Mix a little Bauhaus, Joy Division, and the Cure, and you get the Horrorrs. Primary Colours rocked from start to finish with screamy guitars, great beats, and vocals that could go from haunting to excited.

3. Silversun Pickups - Swoon - I loved the powerful intro to Swoon, There's No Secrets This Year, that set the tone for the entire album. It always got me bobbing my head. The echoey, distorted guitars of course remind me of the Pumpkins, but they are clearly their own band. Swoon somehow got the Silversun Pickups nominated as Best New Artist for this year's Grammy awards. That's sort of stupid since this is there 2nd full album and they've been around since 2005. Nevertheless, the album is great and all rock fans should give it a try.

4. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic - After three albums of genius (The Soft Bulletin, Yoshimi, and The WAND) a lot of FLIPS fans wondered if the band was going to continue down it's path of quirky, poppy, ear candy song. The FLIPS changed direction a bit and instead of going the poppy route, they made Embryonic which is a bit dark, psychadelic, and even jazzy. They really freak out on this 2 disc album and it's pretty clear that the band pushed themselves out of the comfort zone they were getting into. Embryonic is more of an album which you listen to by yourself.

5. Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream - These Aussie weirdos grew on me as I gave there album a few listens. The synthy dance sounds are sort of like MGMT, but they definitley have their own 80's influenced style. Walking on a Dream just makes me feel good.

1. Inglorious Basterds - Historical inaccuracies didn't stop me from loving this movie. A great soundtrack, captivating dialog, a great team of heroes, and some senseful violence kept me hooked. The actors were all top notch, especially Cristoph Waltz, the clever Nazi officer. It was long, but not once did I feel like it dragged. This was a complete production from start to finish.

2. Moon - This quiet psychological sci-fi thriller went under most people's radars. There was very little to this great film with a clever twist. More people need to see it. Sam Rockwell was pretty much the only actor in the film and he carries it like a pro.

3. Black Dynamite - I have a reason to be bias to like this movie, but I don't need it. This parody of every 70's blaxplotation film was a brilliant comedy that got every detail right. Everything from the acting, the hilarious marketing (which was too non-existent), the stock footage, and subtle mistakes made on purpose made me love this movie.

4. Rudo y Cursi - This Mexican film about two brothers breaking into the world of professional soccer and stardom was funny and touching. The comedy made commentary about brotherhood, machismo, and the price of fame. While soccer was the driver of the film, the actual action took a back seat for most of the movie. That was a wise choice.

5. The Hangover - I have 3 comedy's on my top 5 list this year. The first two were a bit subtle, but The Hangover was more slapstick and in your face. I literally laughed out loud throughout The Hangover many times, and both times I saw it. It is definitely a comedy classic that will be rerun on cable TV for many years to come.

There are a handful of bands I vow to never miss when they come to town. Of course the Pumpkins are top of the list, and the Flaming Lips, and Notwist are on my list too. I think I need to add the Cold War Kids. They put on a great, energetic show.

Chris and I showed up to the Wiltern around 7:30 so we could get floor passes. Unfortunately there was already a line stretching around the block, so we hopped into Denny's which now serves beer! After taking our time there, we went inside just as the opening band was starting up, and we got a pretty cloes spot to the right of the stage. The lead singer from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah lead the first act, and I forget what they are called but they were ok. Most people were just waiting them out.

The Cold War Kids took the stage and dove right into there bluesey-jazzy-rock sound. Their lead singer, Nathan Willet, has a great vocal range and really brought the passion on stage. It seemed like all the band members could switch off between playing piano, guitar, and a number of hand instruments like tamborines and maracas. They were pretty versatile. The best songs of the night were Audience, Sermon, Santa Ana Winds, Hospital Beds, Hang Me Up to Dry , St. John, and We Used to Vacation. The latter was there closer which everyone sang along too. The show had a lot of energy from start to finish and the band was completely together. I can't wait to see them again.

Roman will get that title.

I was in Texas last weekend for the 4th time in 2 months. I was in and around San Antonio visiting Kait for the New Year. On Saturday, the group of youngins (Texan word) went on a countryside BBQ tour of hill country. I tell you what (Texan phrase) we had some great food and had a great time.

Kreuz Market - Lockhart, TX - After driving about 2 hours towards Austin and passing my old stomping ground of New Braunfels and San Marcos, we reached Lockhart. Kreuz Market was our first stop. The building is huge and feels like a small warehouse. The line was long which is a good sign, but also meant we had to wait in line. There were actually two lines, one to get fixins, and one to get sides and drinks. After about half an hour, everyone was at the table ready to go. Unfortunately they were out of ribs (beef and pork) but the brisket, shoulder, and sausage were great. Kreuz prides itself on a no fork and no BBQ sauce policy. They claim their meet is soooo good, that you dont need forks, and BBQ is useless since they have nothing to hide. I think their sausage was the best I had all day.

Smitty's BBQ - Lockhart, TX - Also in Lockhart is Smitty's. They are sort of Kreuz' rival. The two were once owned by the same family (a hundred years ago) but had a split. They are about a mile apart from each other, so we didn't have much time to digest our prior meal. Smitty's had a gritty entrance. The walls were black (from years of smoke) and rough old men sat in the dark hallway giving us city slickers the eye. We got our order (which was a lot of food for not much money) and grabbed a table in the more friendly and campy dining area featuring beerhall seating. I went straight for a rib and cut off some meet for everyone, so I could take the bone for myself. I literally vaccuumed the meat off the bone right into my mouth. The bone was clean in seconds. That's what BBQ is all about. Everyone liked the meat at Smitty's and there was a consensus that Smitty's was in first place. I did notice everyone getting Blue Bell ice cream on a sugar cone and figured that must be some kind of Smitty's tradition. Actually, everyone was doing it because it was just a dollar which was just the right price for me to join in.

City Market - Luling, TX - I have to say, I don't think City Market got a fair shot. We quickly dismissed it as not that great, but I think the service turned us off. The beef was very tender and the sausage was juicy. I couldn't quite suck the bone clean but it was good. I enjoyed the BBQ sauce at City Market, but I think I was alone in assessing it as good.

Rudy's - Fair Oaks, TX - This was the home site for our group's BBQ mission, and our final stop. We  were all stuffed, but insisted on finishing the day at a place near home. Rudy's had decent meat, but what I really loved was their chop. That was fantastic, and I still daydream about it every now and then. The rest of their meat was adequate.

Cooper's BBQ - Llano, TX - In early December I was in Austin for WOD IV. Tridi hosted and took us to Cooper's BBQ Pit. The 4 of us on the trip each got about three pounds of meat to eat and have for later. I had some chicken which was amazing and some ribs that had meat quivering off the bone as it got close to my mouth. I think Smitty's and Cooper's were on the same high level.

I really didnt care to see Avatar, but Chris convinced me to go see it in 3D. I was thinking this movie would be more style over substance and I was mostly right. It wasn't awful though. I think most movie fans will enjoy it.

The story was very straight forward with no twists or surprises. It's predictable with rather lame dialogue and acting that lives up to that lameness. I don't get how a movie that costs over $400,000,000 has such lame dialogue. Another trivial thing that bothered me was that in the year 2154, there is a cure for paralysis but it's expensive so you have to fly to another planet and be an indentured servant to pay for it. I guess health care in the future is still in shambles. The main character who's paralyzed is a marine, and I have to wonder how awful his government must be to not take care of him. By the way, it's the year 2154 and he still has to wheel himself around in a wheelchair. I'd think he'd have a chair with a motor or a hover chair by then.

The story was full of September 11, and terrorism allegories  in which the humans, resembling American military men, were the bad guys terrorizing the indiginous and peaceful Navi people and environment on the planet Pandora. Despite all the boring bleeding heart messages intertwined into the lame story, I still like the movie.

There was a documentary feel of this new world in which the hero, Jake, explores imaginative flora, fauna, and landscapes. It's pretty neat and full of eye candy. The fantasy elements of the indiginous Navi being able to connect to nature with their hair was pretty cool. There was also an interesting code of life and a unique Navi language created just for the film.

Since the movie was full of eye candy, seeing it in 3D enhanced that experience. There were a lot of moments where I felt like I was being rained on or something on the screen was landing in my lap.

Avatar is long, and I'd say more than half the time of the movie is focused on showing off and explaining life on planet Pandora. I liked that part a lot and would recommend seeing this film just for that aspect. Don't go to this one expecing a great story. Most of the plot will have you rolling your eyes.

My sister and I have been raiding the vintage shirt collection in my parents closet. There are some amazing artifacts in there like original Pink Floyd and Greatful Dead shirts. We've also been uploading some old pics to facebook. I discovered one of the old pictures had my dad wearing a shirt I nabbed from him today.

My dad in Hawaii in 1985

Me in Bagdad in 2009. I need some sunglasses