The World Health Organization ... estimated that 1.6 million years of healthy living are lost every year in Europe because of noise pollution.

I grew up in a very secular home with no religion at all, so I was starting from zero.

Since I was relatively new to the Bible, I was surprised by the Old Testament God. He's wrathful, but at other times, He's incredibly compassionate. He's not a one-dimensional figure at all.

A loud noise will get your fight-or-flight response going. This, over the years, can cause real cardiovascular damage.

I know that you should always say yes to adventures or you'll lead a very dull life.

I am officially Jewish, but I’m Jewish in the same way the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant.

I don't believe that prayers actually change God's mind - if there is a God - but I liked praying for people in need. It was like moral weightlifting. I tend to be self-obsessed, and it was nice to get out of my brain once in a while.