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One problem with more Americans isolating themselves around "people like us" – or those who earn similar incomes — is an increasingly polarized electorate; another, the loss of social capital gained by living in a mixed neighborhoods.

The tight U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts is getting feistier. Republican Sen. Scott Brown is going on the offensive, running his first attack ad against his Democratic challenger, Elizabeth Warren. Yet going negative is risky, thanks to an earlier agreement between the two candidates.

Pope Francis is widely revered for his many years of work with the poor. But he has not been immune from criticism in a country that has gone through tumultuous times.

In his short time in the Senate, Tea Party Republican Ted Cruz has already made a mark — and in doing so, he's simply ignored a tradition of new senators being seen, not heard. Cruz's sharp elbows have some colleagues wincing and others hoping he'll run for president.

Guns and America were born around the same time and grew up together. Columbus and other early explorers were probably the first Europeans to bring guns to the New World, archaeologists say. And the arquebus — a long-barreled, musket-like weapon — was most likely the first personal firearm on mainland America.

Many economists would applaud a change in the way Social Security administrators measure inflation. But many older Americans may hiss at using something called the "chained CPI," fearing a new formula will cut their benefits in coming years.

The Boston Marathon bombings. The fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas. The defeat of gun control legislation. We absorbed these past six days in an instantaneous, nonstop, firsthand-but-once-removed way that now defines our communal experiences.

Under current laws, if a background check shows your name is on the national terror watch list, you can still purchase a gun. Government data show that people on terrorism watch lists were able to buy guns or explosives after a background check more than 1,300 times between 2004 and 2010.

The Consumer Price Index is one of the most familiar measures in economics and politics. Some in Washington want to change the way the index is calculated to better reflect consumers' shopping habits. While the proposed change is described as a technical fix, it could cut the federal deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.

American officials tell NPR that Syria's preparations are more extensive than previously reported. The U.S. and NATO are preparing for ways to address the chemical weapons threat.