Midnight Facts for Insomniacs

Murdersville U.S.A: The Serial Killers of Santa Cruz

Finally, an MFFI true-crime crossover!
In the 1970s, a small California surf town earned the nickname “Murdersville USA.” As bodies piled up with no explanation or apparent connection, the Santa Cruz Police Department became increasingly desperate. Gun sales shot through the roof, and the entire beachfront community devolved into panic. It would take years for law enforcement to unravel the convoluted chain of events and confirm that multiple serial killers had been simultaneously operating out of the same tiny town...and one of them was a six-foot-nine necrophiliac cannibal named Edmund Kemper.
And guess where MFFI is based? In fact, it turns out that the Sleepless Cell (the MFFI podcast studio) is located mere blocks from the former house—and grisly homebase—of one of the most notorious psychopaths in American history.
Join the boys for a terrifying romp through the blood-soaked history of Santa Cruz.
In this episode:
Santa Cruz in the 70s
The Ohta residence mass murder
John Linley Frazier
Herbert Mullin
Earthquakes and telepathy 
Victims: 
Lawrence White
Mary Guilfoyle
Father Henri Tomei
Jim Gianera+1
Kathy Francis+2
the Henry Cowell killings 
Fred Perez
Ed Kemper intro 
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Modern Snake Oil: From Cryotherapy to The Secret

We like to think we’re in the golden age of medicine, but the truth is that the healthcare industry is still rife with misinformation and hucksterism. Tune in this week for some eye-rolling examples of modern snake oil, and then check out episode 15 for an overview of notorious historical quackery. 
In this episode: 
K Tape
Supplements
Essential Oils and Aromatherapy
The Secret
Penile Extenders 
Whole Body Cryotherapy
Goop
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Stupid Criminals

Way back in episode 2 ("Heists"), Shane and Duncan learned all about the most notorious criminal masterminds in history. In this episode, they meet the B Team. Join the boys for a glorious celebration of schadenfreude, and delight in the misadventures of inept, bumbling criminal wannabes. 
 
In this episode:
Adventures with Flakka (Patrick Rempe)
Facebook dummy #1 (John Mogan II)
Penguin heist (Rhys Owen Jones & Keri Mules)
ATM blowtorch (??)
Britain's Dumbest Criminal (Jamie Sharp)
Alias misfire (Shareeka Strawn)
Bringing a knife--and a bat--to a gunfight (Derrick Mosley)
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Memes: They’re Literally Everything

This episode was a doozy. It turns out there's a ton of hard science behind memes, plus bucketloads of history, and this week's MFFI is packed.
In this episode:
Richard Dawkins and The Selfish Gene
Mimeme/Mimema/Mossy Bugs
Chad, M*A*S*H, and "Kilroy was here"
Frodo Lives!
Andre the Giant has a posse
Mike Godwin
The first digital meme: The emoticon, by Scott E Fahlman
Godwin's Law 
Michael Girard and the Dancing Baby meme
Mr. T ate my balls
Deidre LaCarte and The Hamster Dance
The Cuban Boys on the Canadian charts
Harry Whittier Frees and his lolcat postcards
LOLcats rule the 'net
Icanhascheezburger
Rick Rolling, FAILblog, Rage Comics
All your base are belong to us
Dank Memes
Scumbag Steve
Grumpy Cat
Change my Mind
Distracted Boyfriend
Ermahgerd
Kombucha girl
White guy blinking
Pepe the Frog
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Cults: QAnon, a.k.a W the Actual F

QAnon is straight-up bonkers. How bonkers? I'm glad you asked. Join the boys for an episode that goes way, WAY down the rabbit hole. 
 
In this episode:
Q Clearance
4Chan
8Chan
8Kun
Tripcodes
The Cabal
Satanic pedophile hollywood elites
The Deep State
The Great Awakening
The Storm
Adrenochrome 
Jim Watson is Q (or at least Q adjacent)
Terminology
WWG1WGA
Alice in Wonderland
ARM
Do your research
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Scandals: Television Edition

The third installment in the MFFI "scandals" series focuses on infamous TV shenanigans. Small screen, big drama. 
In this episode:
Adam Richman: Thinspiration
Paula Deen: Tasty racism
Charlie Sheen: Tiger blood
Shannen Doherty: High maintenance
Isaiah Washington: Hate crimes and misdemeanors
Kevin Spacey: Unusual suspect
Matt Lauer: Trap doors 
All of Fox
David Letterman: Don't negotiate with terrorists
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Urban Legends

They may not be true, but they're creepy as hell.
 
In this episode:
The Hook
Murderer in the Backseat
Ghost Hitchhiker 
Green Man
Slender Man 
Bloody Mary
Kidney Theft 
LSD Tattoos
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Ridiculous, Silly, Frivolous Lawsuits

The ability to sue your fellow citizens is a cornerstone of civilized society, and our legal system has often functioned as the last resort for the most vulnerable members of this nation. To put it simply: suing the hell out of each other is a sacred American tradition. 
 
But some lawsuits are just effing dumb. These are those lawsuits. 
 
In this episode:
Shayn Proler vs. Fire
Jimmie Dimmick vs. the Victims
Allen Heckard vs. Genetics
Jian Feng vs. the Truth
Stella Liebeck vs. Evil Corporate A-holes
Two Guys vs. One Inch (the Subway Suit)
Emile Ratelband vs. Rationality
 
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

More Idioms, a.k.a Say What?

You downloaded, we listened. In part 2 of one of the most popular MFFI episodes, Shane and Duncan reveal the meaning and origin behind more of the most-requested common sayings and idioms. 
In this episode:
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
Fall off the wagon
Long in the tooth
Cold shoulder
Face the music
Close, but no cigar
Welcome wagon
Get out of Dodge
At the drop of a hat
Salt of the earth 
Second wind
Heard it through the grapevine
...and more
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM

Cryptids, Mark 2: From the Mothman to the Wendigo

Back by popular demand! More cryptids, weirder cryptids, and cryptids with funnier names.
For the second installment in the cryptids series, the focus is North America (US and Canada). Enjoy!
~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at midnightfactsforinsomniacs@gmail.com~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM