Nightside 20th Hour 11/13/26

Today is Friday the 13th and the last one of the year. There was a total of three Friday the 13ths in 2026. Are you superstitious at all? Why? Were you extra cautious today as a result?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever been out in public, and you find yourself a captive audience to what probably should have been a private conversation? One minute you’re looking at the variety of chips in aisle 12 at your grocery store, the next second, you know all about someone’s prostate exam that you never met because a fellow shopper decided to have their conversation on speaker phone while perusing the aisle with you! Are we getting too comfortable as a society? Is it rude to put your phone on speaker in public?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A global Microsoft outage involving a wide range of Microsoft 365 services including Outlook, Teams and AI assistant Copilot has dragged on into a second day Friday, impacting users, companies, and government operations around the world. Have you been affected by the outage? As Microsoft continues recovery efforts, it informs the public that the outage was not due to any malicious activity. The outage had us thinking…what’s something (basic survival needs aside) that you couldn’t go 24 hours without?And as this Friday the 13th's luck would have it, planes all over the country were grounded due to "communication issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A global Microsoft outage involving a wide range of Microsoft 365 services including Outlook, Teams and AI assistant Copilot has dragged on into a second day Friday, impacting users, companies, and government operations around the world. Have you been affected by the outage? As Microsoft continues recovery efforts, it informs the public that the outage was not due to any malicious activity. The outage had us thinking…what’s something (basic survival needs aside) that you couldn’t go 24 hours without?And as this Friday the 13th's luck would have it, planes all over the country were grounded due to "communication issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we hear the word dementia, Alzheimer's disease is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But there's another form that doesn't get nearly as much attention…Lewy body dementia. It can affect everything from memory and thinking to movement, sleep, and even behavior. Dan spoke with Brent Forester, Psychiatrist-in-Chief and Chair of Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center, about the warning signs, why the disease can be difficult to diagnose, and what families should know if someone they love is showing symptoms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is seeking to commute all 548 death sentences in the state to life in prison without the possibility of parole, arguing that state-sanctioned executions are incompatible with California's values. But the move is facing opposition from the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, which, alongside victims' families, law enforcement leaders, and prosecutors, is challenging the mass commutations, arguing that Newsom is disregarding victims' rights, jury verdicts, and the will of California voters. The group is preparing to fight the decision in court, insisting each case deserves individual consideration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is seeking to commute all 548 death sentences in the state to life in prison without the possibility of parole, arguing that state-sanctioned executions are incompatible with California's values. But the move is facing opposition from the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, which, alongside victims' families, law enforcement leaders, and prosecutors, is challenging the mass commutations, arguing that Newsom is disregarding victims' rights, jury verdicts, and the will of California voters. The group is preparing to fight the decision in court, insisting each case deserves individual consideration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the eve of Veterans Day, the Canton Select Board voted to reject a proposal to incorporate the Pledge of Allegiance into its regular meeting schedule. Board members said taking their oath of office already serves as a sufficient demonstration of civic and patriotic duty. The resident who made the request, Brenda Sweeney, said it was intended as a tribute to veterans, including her late father, but some board members believe patriotism is demonstrated through public service and actions, not simply reciting the pledge. Dan spoke with Brenda about her request and the board's decision.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Cambridge pizzeria, Source, is now charging a $3 restroom fee for non-customers looking to use their restrooms. The bathroom policy was created after customers started complaining about local concertgoers across the street who would flood the pizzeria’s bathroom leading to long wait times. Do you stand in solidarity with the pizza shop, or do you find the bathroom policy to be a bit excessive?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Data centers have been a controversial topic nationwide because of the energy and water resources they require to power AI. Here in Massachusetts, a 900-megawatt data center has been proposed in the town of Sutton and met with mixed reactions from locals. What are the pros and cons of constructing a data center? What’s the economic benefit of such an endeavor compared to the environmental impact? We’ll get into the data center debate and ask you, the audience, where you come down in this debate. Are you for or against having a data center in your town?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.