Midnight Facts for Insomniacs

After Midnight with AHC Podcast: The Top 5 Worst Fictional A**holes

It's an AHC takeover! On this week's rowdy, irreverent, NSFW installment of After Midnight, all three guys from the AHC podcast join Shane and Duncan to come up with a definitive list of the top five biggest jerks in fiction. From Mr. Burns to Freddy Krueger to Zach Morris, which epic a**holes will make the list? 
 
Thanks to Randy, Buddy, and Mikey for providing this week's hijinks; you can check the AHC podcast here: https://www.ahcpodcast.com/
 
What's in your top 5? Tell us in the Discord...
~
Access the entire back catalog of After Midnights, plus bonus episodes and video livestreams over at the brand new MFFI Patreon: 
 
PATREON
 
~
Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website

Deviant Subcultures

Welcome, insomniacs, to a captivating late-night rendezvous with the fascinating world of deviant subcultures. Grab your oversized plushie, dust off your fedora, slip into your favorite anime cosplay, or don your tracksuit—it's time to celebrate the extraordinary diversity of our world, one subculture at a time.
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
Furries
Bronies
Pervy Otaku
Gopniks
~
Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript
 

The 1980s Satanic Panic

Hail Satan! In the latest 1980s-throwback episode of MFFI, Shane and Duncan explain how sensationalized accusations and false memories led to the persecution of innocent people, the destruction of families, and the rise of a new form of religious extremism.
 
So turn off the lights, grab your crucifix, and take a trip down memory lane to experience the most notorious episode of mass hysteria since Salem: the Satanic Panic.
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
 Historical Precedent
The Red Scare
Anton Lavey and the Satanic Bible
The Rise of the Moral Majority
Satanic Serial Killers
Cults
Mike Warnke and the Satan Seller
Lawrence Pazder and Michelle Proby
Michelle Remembers
Hypnosis and Recovered Memories
The Kern County Day-Care Cases
The McMartin Preschool Trial
The West Memphis 3
Paradise Lost 
~
Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript
 

Outlaws and Renegades: The Hells Angels

Part myth, part mayhem, and all leather-clad rebellion: welcome to the shadowy world of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. 
In this week’s episode, Shane and Duncan explore the mystique and mysticism of a legendary biker gang, from the notorious riots and murders that publicly defined them to the fiercely-guarded code of honor that binds them. So grab a cup of coffee, or perhaps something stronger, and buckle up for an adrenaline-fueled ride through the turbulent history of the HAMC. 
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
Hells Angels: "Organized Crime Syndicate"
Recent Convictions
The Dutch Ban
The Apostrophe Debacle
Founding of the Angels Fontana, CA
Otto Friedly
The "Pissed Off Bastards"
Frank Sadilek and The Death's Head Insignia
Charters
Corporate Angels
Joining: "Han Around" to "Associate" to "Prospect"
Top Rocker, Bottom Rocker, Full Patch
One Percenters
Hunter S Thompson, The Hells Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga
81
The Culture of the Hells Angels
H.A. and Race
Ralph Hubert “Sonny” Barger
Altamont
Meredith Hunter and Alan Passaro
Harrah’s Hotel and Casino, Laughlin Nevada 2002
~
Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript
 

Instruments of War: Medieval Weaponry

Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD!
On this week's episode, Shane and Duncan delve into the dark and deadly world of medieval warfare to learn how people fought, killed, and survived in the Middle Ages. From the elegant and lethal longsword to the gruesome and gory morning star, explore the history and science behind some of the most fearsome and fascinating instruments of war ever devised.
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
The 3 Criteria: Effectiveness, Cost, and Status
Chain Mail
Plate Armor
The Water-Powered Triphammer
War Horses
Horse Armor: The Full Bard
Peytrals, Chanfrons, Criniere, Caparisons
The Helmschied Family
Pre-Swords: Spatha and Gladius
Knightly/Long Swords
Sword Anatomy: Blade, Fullers, Cross Guards, Pommels
Axes
Axe Anatomy: Eye, Cheeks, Toe, Heel, Beard, Butt
War Hammers
Maces
Lances
Spears
Bows: (Recursive, Long, Cross)
Shields
Seige Weapons: Trebuchets and Catapults
~
Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript

Zombies and Incest: The Wild, Kinky World of Japanese Mythology (Shintoism)

Are you ready for a rousing tale of ghosts and gods and taboo brother-sister love? No, this isn't a new streaming series from HBO; this is MFFI's first episode covering the bizarre, freaky world of Japanese Mythology. Join the guys as they uncover the rituals, creation myths, and divine deities of Shintoism, an ancient religion that predates Japan’s recorded history.
**NOTE: THIS EPISODE BEGINS WITH AN EXTENDED UPDATE TO THE PREVIOUS EPISODE. TO SKIP TO THIS WEEK'S TOPIC, JUMP TO 11:00**
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
AI Episode Update
The Two Japanese Religions: Shintoism and Buddhism
Kami (Spirits)
Kegare (Impurity)
Kiyome (Purity)
Animism
Shinkai (Shadow World)
Torii (Gate)
Priests and Priestesses
Kami-dana (home shrines)
The Four Affirmations: Family, Nature, Purity, Festivals (Matsuri)
Buddhist Funerals
The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
The Imperial Family (The Yamato Line)
Takamagahara (The Plain of High Heaven)
Kotoamatsukami (The Five Gods, Original Kami)
The Zoka Sanshin: The High Creator, The Divine Creator, and the Central Master
The Kamiyo-nayo (Paired Gods)
Izanagi and Izanami 
Creation of Japan With Amenonuhoka (The Heavenly Bejeweled Spear)
Hiroku/Ebisu (The Leech Child)
Yomi (Land of the Dead)
Amaterasu (Kami of the Sun)
Tsukuyomi (Moon Kami)
Susanoo (Storm Kami)
Jimmu, the First Emperor
The Humanity Declaration
Yokai/Mononoke (Shapeshifting Spirits)
Nekomata (Cat/Demon Spirits)
The Oni (Demon Yokai)
Shuten-doji, King of Oni
Raiko the Hero
Hannya Masks
The Bancho Sarayashiki (The Dish Mansion at Pancho)
Okiku and Aoyama Tessan
The Ring
~
Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript

AI 2050: The Future of Artificial Intelligence

What will AI look like in 2050? Will it solve all our problems, or create new ones? Will our future AI companions be more “Her” or “T1000"? In the latest chrome-plated, mechanized, fully sentient episode of MFFI, Shane and Duncan discuss the possibilities and pitfalls of generative artificial intelligence, and explore all of the ways it might reshape media, society, economy, and culture.
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
The Swaggy Pope
The Dartmouth College Rockefeller-Funded AI Conference
John McCarthy Coins the Term "AI"
Deep Learning
NLP
The Data Age
Advanced Tamagotchi 
AI Tutors
Insurance
Autonomous Vehicles
AI Catfishing: Filters, Deepfakes
Bold Glamour
Coconut Kitty
Replika and the Emotional Connection
Robot Sexting
AI and the Economy
General AI
The Singularity
Alignment Research
Misalignment
Open AI Risk Assessment
AI Warfare
 
~
Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript

Artificial Intelligence: ChatGPT, Bing, Bard, and the AI Apocalypse

Ready or not, here they come: the robots have arrived.
Artificial Intelligence has been under development since the 1950s, but viable AI didn't explode into mainstream pop culture until the introduction of ChatGPT in November of 2022. The chatbot has since rocketed in popularity to become the fastest-growing consumer application in history, and prompted an AI arms race that shows no signs of abating. Artificial Intelligence is now piloting cars, painting pictures, composing poems, writing term papers, passing the bar exam, and (presumably) plotting world domination. 
Join Shane and Duncan to explore the technological breakthroughs that made these latest versions of AI possible, and find answers to all of your most pressing questions, including:
What is ChatGPT?
How does generative AI work?
Which AI is the smartest: ChatGPT, Bard, or Bing (Sydney)?
Is there a chance that any current versions of AI are actually sentient? 
How long does the human race have left before the arrival of AI armageddon? 
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
~
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
Overview
ChatGPT
LaMDA
Blake Lemoine
Bing/Sydney
GPT-4
Jailbreaking
Sydney and the New York Times
How to Build a Generative AI
Large Language Models and Natural Language Processing
Generative Adversarial Networks (GANS)
Stable Diffusion and DALL-E
Open AI 
Peter Theil, Elon Musk, and Sam Altman
Capped For-Profit Model
RHLF
Bard
~Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript

Historical Figures (That Might Never Have Existed)

For millennia, characters like King Arthur and Robin Hood have captivated the masses, inspiring songs and books and films and Saturday morning cartoons, but their reality is obscured behind myth and legend. Prepare for history-bending revelations as Shane and Duncan uncover the truth behind famous figures who might never have existed.
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
~
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
Sun Tzu
Robin Hood
Tokyo Rose
King Arthur
Spokespeople: Betty Crocker & Aunt Jemima
~Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript

Government Coverups: The Iran-Contra Affair

In the first installment of MFFI’s Government Cover-Ups series, grab your New Coke and Trapper Keeper for a trip back to the 1980s to uncover the truth behind one of the wildest political scandals in American history: the Iran-Contra affair. It’s a saga of guns, drugs, hostages, and lies that shook the White House to its core. 
~
Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
~
Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
In this episode:  
Ronald Wilson Reagan, the Actor
The Hollywood Blacklist 
President of the Screen Actor’s Guild
Ronald W. Reagan, Informant
Governor Regan
Candidate Regan
President Regan
Nicaragua in the ‘80s 
The Sandinistas 
Fall of the Samosa Dictatorship
The Contras (Counterrevolutionaries) 
Democrats Sweep Congress 
The Boland Amendments 
“The Enterprise”
Richard Secord
Oliver North
The Iran Iraq War
Operation Eagle Claw
Israel, Intermediary
Manucher Ghorbanifar, Sneaky Snake
National Security Adviser Robert MacFarlane
Shipments Commence
Hostage Release
John Poindexter
The Scheme Unravels
Eugene Hasenfus, Lucky Pervert 
Mehdi Hashemi
Fawn Hall and the Shredding Party
Cleaning House and the Tower Commission
Congressional Inquiry 
Oliver North, Celebrity Traitor
Repercussions 
George Bush 
The Cover-Up Complete 
~Join the Midnight Masses!
Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas. 
And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word! 
Midnight Merch
 ~
Leave an Audio Message!
~ 
Instagram
~
Podcast Website
~
Episode Transcript