Midnight Facts for Insomniacs Shane Rogers

Get ready to plunge into the adrenaline-pumping history of roller coasters, amusement parks, and theme parks. From ancient Russian ice slides to the stomach-churning steel giants of today, discover the twisted tales behind iconic rides and learn about the masterminds who turned thrills into a global phenomenon. Buckle up and keep your arms and legs inside the podcast at all times, it’s going to be a bumpy ride…
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In this episode:  
Medieval Festivals
Pleasure Gardens
Dyrehavsbakken
Brakemen
A.C.E: American Coaster Enthusiasts
Vauxhall
The White City
Coney Island
Russian Mountains (Sliding Mountains)
Nicolas Beaujon and the Promenades Aeriennes
Centrifugal Railways
Lamarcus Adna Thompson, Father of the Rollercoaster
The Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway
Mauch Chunk Gravity Railroad
The Cyclone
Tubular Steel
The Matterhorn
The Formula Rossa
The Kingda Ka
Disney
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Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
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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
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Episode Notes and Sources
 

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Access the entire back catalog of After Midnights, plus bonus episodes and video livestreams over at the brand new MFFI Patreon: 
PATREON
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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
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Join Shane and Duncan as they venture into the dark and baffling world of dangerous viral trends. From laundry detergent consumption to milk-crate balancing, uncover the psychological allure, societal impact, and potentially lethal consequences of these hazardous internet fads.
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In this episode:  
The Saltine Challenge
The Cinnamon Challenge
The Tide Pod Challenge
The Salt and Ice Challenge
The Milk Crate Challenge
The Skull-Breaker Challenge
The Sleepy Chicken Challenge
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Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
~
Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
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
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Prepare for an eerie, unsettling journey through the silent streets of the world’s abandoned ghost towns. From a city frozen in time by the Chernobyl disaster to the slavery-staffed coal mines of Hashima Island; from the jungle experiment known as Fordlandia to a reputedly–haunted western settlement that boomed and busted with the tides of gold fever, Shane and Duncan embark on a thought-provoking reflection on the impermanence of human settlements and the enduring stories they leave behind.
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In this episode:  
Pripyat (Ukraine)
Fordlandia (Brazil - Amazon Rainforest)
White Oaks (New Mexico)
Verosha (Cyprus)
Oradouer-sur-Glane (France)
Plymouth (Montserrat)
Hashima Island, aka "Battleship" Island (Japan)
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Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
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Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
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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
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Where is the line between activism and extremism? In this furry, feathered, fanged episode, MFFI tackles one of the most divisive and controversial organizations of modern times: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. 
PETA’s relentless pursuit of a singular goal has sparked global debate, controversy, scandal, and plenty of eye-rolling. From extortion tactics to undercover operations, from legal victories to losses in the court of public opinion, MFFI explores all of the drama, ethical dilemmas, and cultural shifts caused by PETA's aggressive fight for animal welfare. Follow along as Shane and Duncan wrestle with their own conflicted viewpoints and attempt to answer the age-old question: Do the ends actually justify the means? 
*WARNING: Episode includes descriptions of animal abuse
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In this episode:  

The World Before PETA
Tactics and Controversy
The Vegan Society of 1951
Peter Singer and "Animal Liberation" 
Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco
PETA-Lingo
Guiding Principles
The Breakthrough: Silver Springs
Campaigns and Successes
Ag-Gag Laws
Controversies
Unhappy Meals
PETA and Euthanasia
Conclusions

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Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
~
Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
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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
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In today’s supersized praise-worthy episode, MFFI uncovers the scandalous stories behind the rise of megachurches and explains how a few ambitious, unscrupulous grifters turned piety into profit and faith into a financial formula. From the pulpit to the bank vault, explore the controversial rise of these religious empires and the charismatic leaders who plunder the pockets of their congregations.
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In this episode:  
Just How Mega is a Megachurch? 
Gigachurches
The Business of Faith
Lakewood and Joel Osteen
The First Megachurch (1861): Charles Spurgeon and the Metropolitan Tabernacle
The First American Megachurch: Foursquare
Aimee Semple McPherson
The Prosperity Gospel
Oral Roberts
Vanco Payments
Kenneth Copeland, Demon-Face
World Changer's Church
Creflo Dollar and Project G650
The United States Inquiry in the Tax-Exempt Status of Religious Organizations
Deep Dive: Hillsong Church
Frank Houston and the Hills Christian Life Center
Brian Houston, Ned Flanders of Evil
Geoff Bullock, Darlene Zcheck, and the Hillsong Band
"The Church I See" 
The Rise and Fall of Carl Lentz and Hillsong NY
Accusations and Confessions
The Fall of Frank and Brian
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Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON
~
Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD
~
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
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Leave an Audio Message!
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Instagram
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Podcast Website
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Episode Transcript