Oh god my mind. This is beautiful in a terrible and wonderful way? His work is hideous but also so, so magnificent. The entire notion is just so absolutely powerful.
- matthew r.f. balousek
Had coffee with a navy commando. Discussed war and peace, surfing and politics. The men here are affable and deadly. Tried tracking down Abdullah, the leader of the surf scene in Jaffa. No one seems to know his whereabouts. The last anyone heard he was in jail. Lots of phone calls, chasing leads, waiting around. A two-hundred shekel guitar was purchased to alleviate boredom. Went to the skatepark at night, a dog got stuck in the bowl. In other news, four Hamas gunmen were killed in gun battles today, a commander of Islamic Jihad was struck with a rocket while riding a motorcycle, two Palestinian civilians were injured when their house was struck by a tank mortar, and three Israel Defense Force soldiers were injured, including one who was shot by a sniper. Numerous Qassam rockets were fired at Sderot and the western Negev.
- matthew r.f. balousek
We received a text saying two Israeli civilians were killed when Palestinian militants breached the border and attacked a fuel depot near Nahal Oz. Both Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility, though Israel blamed Hamas, responding with air strikes, and mobilizing tanks for an offensive in Gaza. An hour and a half north of the violence, in Tel-Aviv, the waves have gone flat.
- matthew r.f. balousek