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American symphonies have just begun a new season — but many musicians around the country have yet to play a single note on stage.

Three one-act plays recently performed in Beirut are based on the actual words of Syrians. The show was performed in a bunkerlike space to replicate the conditions artists making such work endure. The actress could not be named. A TV series also takes on Syrian politics — Top Goon is an ensemble of finger puppets who lampoon President Bashar Assad. The filmmakers are also anonymous. To be caught with one of these puppets might be worse than being caught with a stinger missile.

Despite common perceptions, all pro cyclists did not use performance-enhancing drugs when Lance Armstrong was racing, says Joe Lindsey, a contributor to Bicycling magazine. "There were riders who made the right choice, and there were riders who made the wrong choice," he says.

Water wells and streams in Leroy Township, Pa., have been bubbling up with methane gas in the past few months. The state's Department of Environmental Protection blames nearby natural gas fracking operations. A local well operator has installed water filters for residents and says the problem has been fixed.

The framers of the Constitution didn't spell out all the responsibilities of the speaker of the House. In practice, one of those duties has been engaging in one-on-one negotiations with a president on important policy issues. But John Boehner says no more — even with new fiscal fights looming.

Republicans want to raise revenue by closing loopholes in the tax code instead of by raising rates. But tax breaks like the charitable deduction and the mortgage interest deduction come with interest groups willing to fight tooth and nail for them.

Despite the prominence of Asian artists in several aspects of hip-hop, they're still not the most visible performers in the genre. Dumbfoundead wants to be an exception.

Host Scott Simon catches up on the week in sports with Howard Bryant of ESPN: A surprise contender out of Chicago is taking on a well-funded operation with a mighty offensive attack and an NBA firing that surprised exactly no one.

Now the White House chief of staff, Lew finessed the 2011 deal that set up the automatic spending cuts and tax hikes set for the new year — and did it in a way that put President Obama in the catbird seat for the current talks. Now he's a possible pick to be the next Treasury secretary.

Democrats must untangle a potential government shutdown Thursday, a potential federal default, a vote on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill and a related vote on as much as $3.5 trillion in spending.