tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:39:26 +0000Politics, soccer, language, Japanese culture. You see the connection.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)Blogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-2275224642129902377Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:36:00 +00002009-12-19T18:39:26.233+09:00So I got this email from Haloscan, telling me I have to upgrade to their newer commenting system for an annual fee, or I lose the entire system, as well as the entire history of comments for this blog.Fair enough. Goodbye.With that, I'm going to officially step away from blogging, at least until I figure out what I actually want to do with a blog (I never got into it, to be honest). When I do http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/12/please-stand-by.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-1350680111399912963Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:05:00 +00002009-11-25T10:10:49.373+09:00One HUGE drawback about laptops is that many of the essential components are proprietary (if, say, you break the keyboard on that expensive model of yours - which I did once - that's pretty much it for you unless you feel like paying for expensive repairs and shipping to and from the in-house service center quite likely back in America), much unlike desktops where you can go to the hardware storehttp://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/11/for-anyone-who-is-wondering.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-3090525242733412500Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:18:00 +00002009-10-17T22:19:34.638+09:00I know it's just a comic strip, but his persistent materialism is really getting on my f***ing nerves.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/10/clarence-from-jumpstart.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-6142545597994500276Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:40:00 +00002009-10-14T20:48:13.436+09:00Behind Landon Donovan's resurgence and the best FIFA tournament finish in US history, this was your breakout year. Rest easy and heal, for with a World Cup berth in hand, your work is done for now. We'll be thinking about you tonight and every other night.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/10/no-9.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-3085944884622941822Sun, 11 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +00002009-10-11T13:02:20.970+09:00See you in South Africa!http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/10/every-heart-beats-true-for-red-white.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-7380374351208176304Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:54:00 +00002009-10-10T18:28:48.077+09:00On Thursday morning, we will all wake up knowing one of two things:The United States has qualified for its sixth consecutive World Cup, orThe United States has fallen to fourth place in the CONCACAF Hexagonal, meaning a home-and-home with a South American side for the 32nd and final spot in the 2010 tournament.Take a look at the recent press and the chatter in the blogosphere. There is an air ofhttp://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/10/five-days-from-now.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-9008202307326067661Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:01:00 +00002009-09-22T07:03:21.699+09:00In America, when you walk down the street, you're much more likely to meet a racist than a socialist. Perhaps the Redneck Scare is what Joe McCarthy should've been looking into.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/09/all-i-know-is-this.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-5595335685975704643Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:04:00 +00002009-09-11T22:06:22.540+09:00Never forgive, nor forget.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/09/eight-years-on.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-8942265270067339675Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:49:00 +00002009-09-09T19:17:45.649+09:00The national team travels to a place familiar to American prospects of getting to the World Cup. 1989 sounded the Shot Heart Round the World. 2005 kicked off the United States' most successful final round of qualifying, first place the Hexagonal for the first time.A win on Matchday Eight at Hasely Crawford Stadium doesn't secure a berth. And on the current run of form, the US doesn't appear tohttp://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/09/no-choice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-8694289624064736888Sat, 05 Sep 2009 09:03:00 +00002009-09-05T18:17:54.759+09:00The United States faces many parallels today as it did at this point in the Hexagonal eight years ago. The national team was riding high early on, Mexico was in shambles, then the quadrennial three-pointer in Azteca was dropped in a thorough loss away. The next game at home against Honduras would prove crucial towards cementing US hopes of World Cup qualification. This is right about where we http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/09/matchday-7.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-3471133693059423716Mon, 31 Aug 2009 03:59:00 +00002009-08-31T13:03:51.974+09:00Go ahead and call for a foreign coach, they haven't had much success in MLS this decade. If you want someone who knows the system inside and out (and Lord knows New York needs one), you don't hire a guy with no MLS experience (Westerhof for Chivas, Gullit for LA) or someone with a big ego (pre-deflated Arena). You go with the guy who just works hard and expects his men to put in ninety minutes http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/08/abmod-for-permanent-head-coach.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-152211895565458767Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:34:00 +00002009-08-23T16:56:54.828+09:00Back when I was putting all my writings on Elfwood, I used to comment about the "poetry" on that website and the lack of any sort of quality put into it. That was ten years ago and I'm older now, but I don't think my opinion has changed one bit.I'm reminded about this from listening to last week's Prairie Home Companion, a clip show dedicated to poetry. There is a rhythm and a pattern to poetryhttp://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/08/little-rant-about-poetry-and-writing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-471458427411177302Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:57:00 +00002009-08-16T16:59:39.243+09:00That's my analysis.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-york-red-bulls-suck.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-2328011933799296228Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:07:00 +00002009-08-12T19:18:31.050+09:00Arena couldn't do it. Sampson got the closest. Bora didn't need to. And today, neither does Bradley.But after two consecutive cup finals in a summer made for American soccer, three points at the last impregnable fortress in the region in a World Cup qualifier will cement the United States' reputation as the undisputed force in CONCACAF.It needn't happen today. But it can. And it will.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/08/azteca-will-fall-today.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-4496700067117416766Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:57:00 +00002009-08-10T15:58:06.674+09:00Rated R. Opens this Friday.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/08/death-panels.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-4574256577915957494Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:03:00 +00002009-08-06T13:04:52.091+09:00No matter what the score was, no matter who the opponent was, no matter how important the game was, I had always thought that the players on the field cared more than the people they were playing in front of.I don't believe that tonight.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/08/it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-3192028045193377400Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:47:00 +00002009-08-04T15:10:51.706+09:00I have to wake up in three hours so I can catch a flight back to Japan in nine. It is dark and quiet, and all I can think about is what happens next.I'm not a rich man; choosing teaching as a profession and research interest makes the odds on those prospects seem daunting. And the rumor is that teaching in Japan will become a bit more expensive for me if I want to renew my visa. As I've said http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/08/alone-on-big-comfy-sofa.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-4113490192074653114Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:28:00 +00002009-08-01T17:31:35.531+09:00You know those otaku who go to anime cons and think sarcasm every five seconds is a clever tool to win girls over? That was Joe Queenan tonight.Is there a bigger, more bitter, more clueless scumbag that sounds completely respectable in the American zeitgeist today?http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/08/joe-queenan-on-real-time-this-week.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-7320542557950735436Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:58:00 +00002009-07-30T14:02:19.332+09:00If you so happen to be in Shizuoka, say, in November, and want to plop down 10-20,000 yen for a conference registration, stop by one of my two presentations at this year's JALT Conference at Shizuoka Granship:Sunday, 11/22 @ 9:20AM - Cultural Perspectives and Influences of TeachersMonday, 11/23 @ 9:20AM - Random Elements in the Language ClassroomThe latter one was presented upon at the NEAR http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/07/working-weekend.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-423250650754250665Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:03:00 +00002009-07-22T23:27:56.359+09:00The war of words continues to escalate in the soccer blogosphere over Fangate. Did Beckham instigate? Does he deserve the verbal abuse? Should Garber suspend the fairweather Designated Player?Here's my angle: are fans entitled to their opinions once they buy their tickets?Ask the Eurosnobs, and apparently the answer is no, especially if you're an LA supporter or an MLS fan.With the L.A. Riot http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/07/eurosnobs-mls-fans-should-accept-place.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-5620874793364732833Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:34:00 +00002009-07-21T14:43:29.582+09:00The mangling of the English language (and I take a descriptive approach whenever possible) is bad enough with banner ads - "Search anything your want" read one poorly designed ad a few years ago, and very few these days top the ads from IGG.com ("Take gun! Save your girl from bomb shelter!"), which are two steps away from "All your bases..." And when it comes to online gaming, what could be http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/07/worst-banner-ad-ever.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-2959576622373331028Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:34:00 +00002009-07-16T22:43:07.606+09:00At the same time MLSNet headlined that Beckham "reaffirms commitment" to the league, a separate article has indicated that the Galaxy player will ask for another loan to AC Milan at the end of the season.This is not about where is the best venue to allow players to best prepare for their national team's run through the World Cup. If it was and the Eurosnobs have their way, there is no point in http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/07/dont-believe-beckham-for-minute.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-2873480343220358223Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:26:00 +00002009-07-06T05:27:10.369+09:00It throws your entire schedule off and you may not like the consequences when you get better.One more week of this.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/07/dont-get-sick.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-822734865697106742Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:46:00 +00002009-06-28T22:48:59.592+09:00Whipped 3-0 in the first round. Lost Michael Bradley in the semifinal to a red. Playing a still recovering Carlos Bocanegra. Using a roster that contains talented players everyone knows will never get playing time in the final. Playing the same team that whipped us 3-0 in the first round.If you don't believe, then don't watch. But this team has a chance today. We could win. We can do this.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/06/we-can-do-this.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17921378.post-5328158940423548857Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:06:00 +00002009-06-22T08:07:18.601+09:00Now he's just a loser.End of message.http://obligatorydiscord.blogspot.com/2009/06/sorry-giuseppe-rossi-is-not-traitor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Roehl Sybing)0