Francis Porkloin

Francis Porkloin is a reporter for today, for you, for me, for us, for our children, for our children's children, and for our children's children's grandparents - which is us, again. Francis Porkloin is devoted to giving a voice to all people, including those who do not have mouths or have had them wired shut and can only make incomprehensible "Mmmrph! Mmmrph!" sounds. Francis Porkloin is committed to delivering the unbiased truth and telling the stories that others have no interest in telling - and that the public has no interest in hearing. Francis Porkloin is a Sagittarius.

EPB adds Festivus display to holiday window showcase

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(Source: flic.kr/p/f55zWg. Used under the CC-BY-2.0 license: tinyurl.com/24xvum)
(Source: flic.kr/p/f55zWg. Used under the CC-BY-2.0 license: tinyurl.com/24xvum)

Yesterday morning, EPB expanded its Holiday Windows showcase to include a display just in time for the annual December 23 holiday Festivus.

For over 60 years, EPB has upheld a tradition to decorate the windows of its downtown office with ornate Christmas scenes using trees, animated characters and thousands of lights, and this year, it made a controversial decision to include Festivus, an alternative holiday to Christmas.

The Festivus display includes the traditional unadorned aluminum pole and animated figures engaging in Festivus activities, including the “Feats of Strength” and the “Airing of Grievances,” plus characters expressing amazement at easily explainable events which are called “Festivus miracles.”

Signal Mountain awarded “Best Place in Tenn.” by residents of Signal Mountain

Signal Mountain (Used under the CC-BY-ND-2.0 license. Source: flic.kr/p/8TJ4eV)
Signal Mountain (Used under the CC-BY-ND-2.0 license. Source: flic.kr/p/8TJ4eV)

Earlier this week, the residents of the town Signal Mountain, located on Walden Ridge, awarded themselves the honor of “Best Place in Tennessee” after obtaining the results of a poll, in which only Signal Mountain inhabitants voted.

“We’re number one! We’re number one!” said the crowd of residents in a chant at the ceremony.

“Other towns and cities in Tennessee can go bite a dick,” said Signal Mountain town crier Leopold Windsor. “Our low crime and unemployment rates, well-educated populace and beautiful scenery make us the most ultra mega super-awesomest town in the state, and possibly the whole nation, planet and universe.”

“Just look at our new state-of-the-art Middle/High School,” said Windsor. “Our panoramic views. Our homogeneous demographics. We’ve got a house that looks like a freakin’ UFO too, so everybody else should just stop trying, ’cause we’re the best. We did it.”

Local Amazon facility to offer catapult-powered delivery service

Amazon PrimePult
Amazon PrimePult

Last Sunday on the CBS television show “60 Minutes,” Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced the company’s intention to offer rapid deliveries using unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly referred to as “drones,” in as early as 2015.

While this is a revolutionary idea for retailers, it overshadowed another delivery innovation from Amazon that is slated to be offered to Amazon Prime customers in Chattanooga in early 2014: a catapult-powered delivery service.

“Drone delivery may still be a few years away,” said Bezos. “But we have the technology, today, to offer catapult delivery, which can send packages to your doorstep in literally seconds.”

The technology, called Amazon PrimePult, will undergo a pilot program at the Chattanooga Amazon Distribution Center, the location of which offers largely unobstructed trajectories to residential areas within a five-mile radius.

“The catapult may seem like a low-tech apparatus – something from the Middle Ages,” said Bezos. “But the high-powered, incredibly precise catapults we have developed are on the cutting edge of modern technology, which take into account wind speed and direction readings, taken in real-time from over five hundred anemometers surrounding the facility.”

“Our tests have been a resounding success,” said Bezos. “Catapult deliveries so far have delivered packages, up to ten pounds in weight, to within five feet of their targets, 99.9% of the time, with only a few mid-air collisions with geese, helicopters and kites.”

Tenn. Poison Control and Miley Cyrus unveil new warning sticker design

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"Miley Yuk" poison warning sticker
“Miley Yuk” poison warning sticker

Coinciding with Nashville-born pop star Miley Cyrus’ 21st birthday, it was announced at a press conference yesterday afternoon by the Tennessee Poison Center that Cyrus had teamed up with the organization to make a new warning sticker design.

The stickers are intended to be placed on containers which hold poisonous household materials, to warn children to not ingest them.

“The old Mr. Yuk design was just getting outdated,” said Tennessee Poison Center director Pat Baldacci. “Now kids these days, they pay attention to Miley. And, she’ll get her face plastered on thousands of containers all across the state, so it’s a win-win situation.”

Mr. Yuk did not respond to the Chattanooga Bystander‘s request for comments.

UTC to provide free megaphones to professors, students

Megaphone (Used under the CC-BY-2.0 license. Source: tinyurl.com/lsw9q2e)
Megaphone (Used under the CC-BY-2.0 license. Source: tinyurl.com/lsw9q2e)

In response to numerous requests for the administration of the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (UTC) to deal with the issue of evangelical preacher Angela Cummings, a self-declared “saint” who has caused a stir with her outdoor, on-campus sermons, considered by many to be excessively loud and disruptive for nearby classes, UTC has implemented a new program to provide the use of megaphones for professors and students, free of charge.

“Our hands are pretty much tied,” said UTC provost Dr. Braden Hunniford at a press conference yesterday afternoon. “Rev. Cummings is exercising her First Amendment freedom-of-speech rights, so right now, we can’t do a thing to remove her from our campus or to shut her piehole.”

“But what we can do is give everyone these police-grade megaphones,” said Hunniford. “If it gets difficult to hear a professor’s lecture over this screeching harpy’s self-righteous yappings, then have the professor use one of these megaphones in order to be heard. It’s that simple.”

The issue received national attention in the last week after 24-year-old Colton Montvalo was arrested for disorderly conduct and other charges, who attempted to speak with Cummings after breaching a barricade surrounding her with his bicycle.

In addition to this, Hunniford described an effort to propose a new Constitutional Amendment which is gaining considerable traction, which would improve the original text of the First Amendment, by clarifying that “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, unless it is that of Angela Cummings.”

Local swingers propose “Friends With Benefits” ordinance

Swingers (Used under the CC-BY-2.0 license. Source: flic.kr/p/92tpuv)
Swingers (Used under the CC-BY-2.0 license. Source: flic.kr/p/92tpuv)

On November 12, the City Council of Chattanooga passed the first reading of a controversial ordinance that would allow unmarried domestic partners of city employees – regardless of sexual orientation – to receive benefits such as medical, dental, vision and life insurance.

While the ordinance, which narrowly passed with a 5 to 4 vote, was met with praise in addition to intense criticism, a group has emerged with its own proposal that would take the ordinance to another level.

Local swingers have banded together and drafted an even more inclusive ordinance, called the “Friends With Benefits” ordinance, which would extend benefits to all adult sexual partners of city employees.

“We swingers are all about spreading the love,” said swinger representative, Vern Scheerin, at a press conference yesterday afternoon. “Swingers need love. And insurance. And herpes medication.”

Scheerin, sporting a mustache, gold chain and a halfway-unbuttoned butterfly-collar paisley shirt, acknowledged that some employees might attempt to take advantage of the system, but he said that the ordinance is written in a such a way to reduce abuse.

“Before a city employee’s f-ck buddy can receive benefits, there must first be proof that actual, consensual penetration has occurred,” said Scheerin. “That random make-out partner you dry-humped while trashed on Natural Light, behind a Hooters in Myrtle Beach on spring break – nope, that doesn’t count.”

“According to this proposed ordinance, the proof may be in the form of a notarized affidavit with sworn statements from both persons or photographic documentation, which I will personally review,” said Scheerin, before licking his lips.

Littlefield glad he is no longer considered worst mayor ever

Left: Former Chattanooga mayor Ron Littlefield. Right: Toronto mayor Rob Ford (Used under the CC-BY-2.0 license. Source: tinyurl.com/l4trkgf)
Left: Former Chattanooga mayor Ron Littlefield. Right: Toronto mayor Rob Ford (Used under the CC-BY-2.0 license. Source: tinyurl.com/l4trkgf)

After a tumultuous week for Toronto mayor Rob Ford, with shocking revelations including admitting to the use of illicit drugs and leaked video footage with Ford making drunken vows to murder an unidentified person, former Chattanooga mayor Ron Littlefield expressed relief that he was no longer considered to be the worst mayor ever.

The embattled Littlefield endured constant criticism during his two terms as mayor of Chattanooga and was subjected to an ultimately unsuccessful recall campaign coordinated by three groups: the Chattanooga Tea Party, Chattanooga Organized for Action and Citizens to Recall Mayor Littlefield.

“Thank goodness I won’t go down in history as being the worst mayor ever,” said Littlefield. “And all it took was an alcoholic, drunk-driving, crack-smoking, belligerent, death-threat-making, sexist, racist, homophobic Canuck who talks about going down on his wife on live television.”

Marion County football coach tattoos rival’s logo on forehead to inspire his team

Marion County High School assistant football coach Michael Schmitt
Marion County High School assistant football coach Michael Schmitt

Earlier this week, Marion County High School assistant football coach Michael Schmitt was arrested and charged with vandalizing his own school by surreptitiously spray painting the logo of rival South Pittsburg High School and derogatory names in an attempt to rally and energize his own team before a game between the two schools two weeks ago.

Although that scheme didn’t work – the South Pittsburgh High team defeated the Marion County High team, 35 to 17 – Schmitt has gone even further, defacing himself by tattooing the logo and pirate mascot of South Pittsburg High School to his forehead, apparently trying to inspire his team.

Schmitt, who has stated previously that his favorite film is Fast Times at Ridgemont High, has more plans involving offbeat techniques, including personally defiling the Marion County High mascot, the Warrior.

Cleveland State Lady Cougars change name to Lady MILFs

Cleveland State Lady MILFs
Cleveland State Lady MILFs

At a press conference yesterday afternoon at Cleveland State Community College, it was announced that the women’s basketball team had changed its name from Lady Cougars to Lady MILFs, soon after the opening of its 2013-2014 season.

“The name ‘Lady Cougars’ didn’t bring to mind the image we wanted,” said women’s basketball coach Pam Wassermann. “When you think of a female cougar, you think of a withered middle-aged lady wearing too much make-up and an animal print top, smelling of the stench of desperation and a cheap Chanel No. 5 knock-off you’d find in a truck stop bathroom, haunting the line-dancing floor at the Electric Cowboy.”

“We wanted to convey a woman who was a little younger, yet just as feisty,” said Wassermann.

“Now a MILF, that’s different,” said Wassermann. “A MILF is a strong, active, fertile creature, ready to pick up junior from daycare after a busy day of hot yoga, shopping at the farmer’s market and selling homemade jewelry online on Etsy.”

Wassermann clarified that it was not required for a team member to have given birth or to be sexually attractive.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais is Uncle Fester for Halloween

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Rep. Scott DesJarlais (l), Uncle Fester (r)
Rep. Scott DesJarlais (l), Uncle Fester (r)

Rep. Scott DesJarlais, who represents Tennessee’s 4th congressional district, was praised by his constituents on Halloween for his convincing portrayal of the character Uncle Fester from the mid-’60s television show The Addams Family.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said DesJarlais, who seemed to be annoyed by the many people who were pointing at him and laughing. “I’m not dressed up as anything.”

“Stop. Please stop,” said DesJarlais, who turned and walked away from a crowd of people who gave him a light bulb and asked him to put it in his mouth so they could pose for photos with him.

“This is what I normally look like,” said DesJarlais, visibly flustered. “I can’t help it!”
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