The Bronx Blogger

Saturday, June 04, 2005

Sites Recommended by John

In the comment section for yesterday's post on Iraq, John left a comment with three interesting links.

One link is to the website Future of Iraq Portal, which is a clearinghouse of links to blogs and websites in Iraq, and to websites that are related to what is going on in Iraq.

Another link is to a discussion forum in Iraq, Baghdadee بغدادي.

The last one is the blog of Husayn, a young Iraqi, called Democracy in Iraq (is here!). Very interesting stuff.

Thanks John!


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Hot Tip for Hungry Diners

Tonight I celebrated my mother's birthday at Roberto's, an Italian restaurant in the Arthur Avenue/Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx.

It's the best meal I've had in the neighborhood.

The restaurant is great. It's in a new location, on the other end of Crescent Avenue from where it used to be. It's about one block from Arthur Avenue in the shadow of the looming fortress-like complex of St. Barnabas Hospital.

The new location boasts a small, elegant bar near the entrance, and a sophisticated yet low-key decor with beautiful accents and exposed-brick walls. I had to remind myself once or twice that I was eating on Crescent Avenue in the Bronx and not on West Broadway in SoHo.

The appetizers, the wine, the bread, and the entrees were tasty and filling. Here's a review that you can peruse, here's a diners' ratings webpage for Roberto's, and here's a webpage for the restaurant that has information such as the address and the regular menu (the pictures are of the old location several blocks away, which no longer exists).

Mangia bene!


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Friday, June 03, 2005

Discuss Our War in Iraq with Matthew

The invasion of Iraq was necessary.

Saddam was a mass-murdering-and-torturing admirer of Stalin. We were very concerned that he might help or arm terrorists who would like to stage a massive, deadly attack against the United States.

After our first war against Saddam, in 1991, we tried containing him in a box. But the U.N. regime of sanctions against Iraq had gotten weaker every year, and it seemed inevitable that far stronger measures would have to be taken.

In addition, we wanted to establish a working liberal democracy in the Arab Middle East, in the hope that other dictatorships would weaken and topple too. If democracy could spread, then both the "root causes" and the state sponsors of terrorism would disappear from the world stage.

Many well-informed and patriotic Americans disagree strongly with this assessment. I invite anyone who would like to comment, for or against, to do so.


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Thursday, June 02, 2005

Guantanamo Bay: The Story Newsweek Didn't Want You to Hear

The weblog INDC Journal has a very interesting story, with plenty of links, called "TALES OF HORROR FROM THE AMERICAN GULAG".

The story documents conditions at the American-run prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and describes how many prisoners felt about their detention there.

Here are some interesting quotes from the prisoners:

“Americans are very kind people,” one English-challenged detainee said in the March 4 paper. “If people say there is mistreatment in Cuba with the detainees, those type speaking are wrong, they treat us like a Muslim not a detainee.”

“I’m in good health and have good facilities of eating, drinking, living, and playing,” remarked another. “The food is good, the bedrooms are clean and the health care is very good.”

I was directed to this story by Instapundit and Indepundit.

UPDATE: June 4, 2005

Here's a very interesting story from the weblog of Austin Bay about Koran manhandling and destruction at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp:

Fifteen to Five: Terrorists Beat Gitmo Guards in Koran “Mishandling”



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