“Tron” Inspires Name Change

Posted on December 15, 2010 by atomictv

Video game designer Todd Hartley became ‘Tronster” for the love of the movie
by Michael Sragow (The Baltimore Sun, 12/15/2010)

The Parkville boy’s parents had deemed him too young for “Tron” when it played in theaters in 1982. But he loved it when he saw it several years later on a neighbor’s VHS tape.

Soon, he wanted to join the new frontier of electronic bulletin boards. To post, he had to pick a moniker.

“A lot of people chose aliases like Dark Knight or Thunder Hawk,” he said recently. “I logged on for a week as Tron.”

By the end of the week he realized there were seven or eight people in Baltimore alone using Tron. He wanted a different name that could include ‘Tron’ in eight characters or less.

“My 11-year-old self came up with Tronster,” he said.

The nickname stuck. For the past eight years it’s been his legal first name, too.

Tronster (formerly Todd) Hartley, 34, now designs video games for Firaxis Games in Sparks.

Continue reading “Tron Inspires Name Change” at The Baltimore Sun.

(Visit Tronster’s web site at tronster.com.)

Posted in 2010s, Kitsch | Leave a comment

Baltimore Zine “Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore!” Seeks Submissions For Special “Hon” Edition

Posted on December 15, 2010 by atomictv

by William P. Tandy (Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore!, 12/14/2010)

Prompted by the recent public furor over a Hampden restaurant-owner’s trademarking of the word “hon”, award-winning local literary zine Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore! announces a call for submissions of stories, essays, poetry, photography and related artwork for an upcoming issue focusing on the term’s roots, its celebration and exploitation, and its past, present and future roles in Baltimore’s identity.

“Given the anger and pure, raw emotion floating around out there, it’s clear that there is much more at play here than a simple three-letter term of endearment,” says Smile, Hon Editor William P. Tandy. “That said, what a wonderful thing it would be if we could put this well-nigh unprecedented outrage and energy to positive use – for the city, for ourselves, for each other.”

Continue reading at Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore!.

(Current and previous issues of “Smile, Hon, You’re in Baltimore!” are available at Atomic Books.)

Posted in 2010s, Atomic Books, Hampden, Media | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pigging Out: Baltimore Bar Hosts “Bacon Happy Hour”

Posted on December 14, 2010 by atomictv

by Monica Garske (Aol News, 12/14/2010)

Bacon. It’s everywhere: on our plates, in our drinks and constantly on our minds.

Now, the popular pork product is even showing up at a dive bar in Baltimore — at a tiny watering hole called Bad Decisions that’s quickly becoming the place to pig-out.

Every month, Bad Decisions — located in the lively Baltimore bar district of Fells Point — differentiates itself from the dozens of other bars in the area by hosting a smokin’ hot event called “Beer & Bacon Happy Hour.”

For one highly anticipated night each month, the bar turns into a full-blown bacon bonanza, with bizarre bacon-themed cocktails, a fancy bacon-centric dinner menu and bottomless bowls of fresh-off-the-griddle bacon.

It’s a pork pig-out for the books, enough to give anyone the meat sweats.

Continue reading “Pigging Out: Baltimore Bar Hosts Bacon Happy Hour” at Aol News.


Travel Channel’s “Bacon Paradise” Sneak Peek


Bad Decisions Commercial

Posted in 2010s, Dining, Fells Point, Nightlife, Roadside Attractions | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Underground Moonshine Industry Thrived in Middle River During Prohibition

Posted on December 14, 2010 by atomictv

Illegal stills made eastern Baltimore County a destination during roaring twenties
by Keith Roberts (Essex-MiddleRiverPatch, 12/13/2010)

Josenhans store, BCPL Legacy Web

The 18th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of “intoxicating liquor” (as defined by the enabling legislation “The Volstead Act”).

It was ratified and took affect in 1919. Unbeknownst to those who encouraged prohibition, it created an entirely new industry and gave birth to an era which was to be known as “The Roaring Twenties.” Bootlegging, moonshining, and speak easy’s became the businesses where the money was to be made.

For baby boomers such as myself, our only knowledge of this era is that of watching Robert Stack portraying Elliott Ness on the TV show “The Untouchables.” In my mind I can still hear “Elliott” yelling “Rico, Youngblood”

Although most of the action associated with prohibition took place in major cities like New York and Chicago, rural areas such as southeastern Baltimore County were not immune. The largely undeveloped lands in the Back and Middle River Necks had dense forests which provided an excellent cover for those inclined to operate and hide their moonshine stills.

Back and Middle Rivers themselves turned into exceptional highways for the transportation of the finished product.

Continue reading “Underground Moonshine Industry Thrived in Middle River During Prohibition” at Essex-MiddleRiverPatch.

Posted in Booze, Crime, Essex / Middle River | Tagged , | Leave a comment