David Israel Journal

Espionage as Sustenance

2008-02-16T01:07:00.002-05:00

i've got a new essay up over at the wonderful oneforthetable.com

One For The Table

2008-01-24T22:41:00.001-05:00

i've got a new short essay up over at my favorite new web site - the exceptionally savvy, savory, OneForTheTable.com.

you can check it out here.

Mental Jotto

2008-01-11T22:20:00.000-05:00

after years of searching for other jotto enthusiasts, with no luck, i think i've finally decided to put an ad out here on my site. drop me a line if this speaks to you. and if you don't know how to play but want to learn, check out the rules as i've posted them over on mentalfloss right here. and once you've practiced a bit, drop me a line.

5 christmas songs written by jews

2007-12-30T00:28:00.000-05:00

in case you missed this one over on the _floss: 5 famous christmas ditties written by jewish composers.

Vlogging now

2007-10-10T00:02:00.000-04:00

my first vlog On Music post over on the _floss. special thanks to sam fischer for taking so much time to do this with me. rock'n'roll.

Writers on Writing Interview

2007-08-28T00:40:00.000-04:00

you can go to iTunes and hear the podcast of a radio interview i did recently, or check it out here. (have patience or fast forward through the crazy intro music...)

Woody Allen Quiz

2007-08-15T00:48:00.000-04:00

thought you all might like to try your ear at my latest quiz over on the floss. how well do you think you know woody allen's films? i bet it's harder than you think.

A True Story

2007-07-27T00:27:00.000-04:00

my latest word wrap over on the _floss might make you smile... that is, if you've ever had a horrendous experience with customer service reps on the phone. check that out here.

you might also enjoy my latest for the mag: a story on the yiddish rival going on in la and around the world. that one is right here.

lastly, mangesh and will, who started the _floss when they were at duke, just made the 30 Under 30 list of america's coolest entrepreneurs over at inc mag. read all about it here.

Name that guitar solo

2007-06-08T10:03:00.000-04:00

the quizzes are really catching on over at the floss. tens of thousands are taking them and passing them around the web. here are two new ones:

name that guitar solo and a follow up to the first cartoon quiz -- much much harder this time!

More Quizzes

2007-05-26T09:41:00.000-04:00

so many fun mental_floss soundbite quizzes, not enough time to keep up with them. here's one i made on cartoon characters, and another that tests your knowledge of famous quotes. Still another on songs from the movies, and lastly, perhaps my fav, at least the one that was the most fun to edit, one on tv jingles.

Sherry Lansing

2007-04-26T21:44:00.000-04:00

i was fortunate enough to interview sherry lansing recently, the first woman in history to run a major motion picture studio. at the age of 60 she walked away from her successful career to concentrate on her charity work. which is to say: she's one of the most upstanding people you could meet in hollywood!

check out the whole story here.

TV theme songs

2007-04-20T00:43:00.000-04:00

i've edited two new quizzes i'm thinking you need to take, now... check 'em out:

tv theme songs 1

tv theme songs 2

My latest

2007-03-24T09:20:00.000-04:00

here's my latest cover story for mosaic: a fascinating interview with stanley gold.

also: have some fun with this movie quiz i made over at the floss.

Music Quiz No. 1

2007-03-15T18:05:00.000-04:00

i've started posting some "name-that-tune" type music quizzes over on the floss.

check out the first one here.

Bro in the mo

2007-03-03T11:34:00.000-05:00

my brother marc has a new doc that's been making the rounds. it's about an experience he had visiting with the infamous john of god. check out the trailer...

On Music

2007-02-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

i've started a new music feature over at the _floss. enjoy...

Recovered Voices at LA Opera

2007-02-03T01:17:00.000-05:00

my latest for the mag. check it out here

Puttin' my Jewface on

2007-01-27T22:13:00.000-05:00

first let me place a huge apology on the table for my lack of posts here. in addition to the teaching, floss blogging, and novel-finishing, i've recently been named editor-in-chief of a magazine here in los angeles called mosaic. so i'm back in an office, working long hours, mostly as a journalist, which is new and shiny and very fulfilling, to my delight.

i'll try to make time to update this site as often as i can, but no promises until i get into a nice rhythm at the magazine. meanwhile, if you want to read a piece i wrote about this very hip, new CD put out by reboot stereophonic, you can go here.

and to buy the CD, check out reboot stereophonic here.

Just Kidding

2006-10-02T12:34:00.000-04:00

my latest for the la times is up... a little send-up of children's books.

Another Covenant?

2006-09-24T14:35:00.000-04:00

this one i wrote for the la times in honor of the 50th anniversary of cecil b. demille's the ten commandments, a film which obviously had a big impact on me.

Covenant Schmovenant

2006-09-22T10:35:00.000-04:00

new piece up over at the morning news today, just in time for the high holidays.

Two Ditties

2006-09-17T15:03:00.000-04:00

too busy blogging over at the floss to keep up with my journal... my apologies. but here are the latest two pieces from the la times...tattoo you and reality bites.

Times Ticking

2006-09-03T12:12:00.000-04:00

i know my readers are spread far and wide, so i'm hoping someone will drop me a line if you're reading this in belgium... 'cause i have a very specific question about a very specific belgian custom. (and, no, it has nothing to do with lawrence ferlinghetti.)

meanwhile, i've got a new ditty in the la times mag, which you can check out here, and another appearing in each of the next three issues. so stay tuned.

Learning Annexed

2006-07-31T14:37:00.000-04:00

for those who missed yesterday's la times... here's my latest.

mental_blog

2006-07-26T11:27:00.000-04:00

i've been holding off on this post for a while as we worked on building up an archive for you to read, but you can now, officially, tune into my daily writings over at the wonderfully singular, brand new, and newly branded, mental_floss blog. (rejoicing! cheering! dropping whatever you're doing and clicking on link! more cheering!)

for those who've been following this journal, you know i've been writing fairly consistently these last months for the magazine... but this is something completely different: two postings a day, at least, happening in real time, as i become an official blogger.

and i'm not the only wit on the space. we've got many other skilled, crafty, funny writers bringing you the daily skinny on technology, science, the arts, trivia, history, sports and everything in-between to help you feel just a smidge smarter every day.