Apparently the remnants of Bethlehem Steel are appealing to Autobots and Decepticons.
A film crew from ”Transformers 2” will bring those shape-shifting robots to life in south Bethlehem next month for a movie scene in front of the iconic furnaces.
Of course, no one will see the robots because they’re computer-generated. But anyone will be able to see the action at the old Steel site as the filmmakers transform it into a fictional Chinese city populated by people from the Lehigh Valley.
I have to admit, I have torn feelings on public monitoring by police and other authorities. Although I do believe it can help in containing crime, I also believe every camera is another step at reducing our liberty, privacy, and in some way – our rights as well. I know nobody can expect privacy in public, but I still don’t like the idea of having someone watching over me every time I leave the house. Again, I realize that is NOT what this is… but it is a step closer to being like Britain which is under surveillance just about everywhere.
By this summer, Bethlehem police will use six pole-mounted moveable cameras to record activity at high-crime areas, crowded streets lined with Musikfest revelers and bridges that may be clogged by a vehicle crash.
”It’s the equivalent of a police officer operating for 24 hours a day with a photographic memory,” said Mayor John Callahan, ”. . . a memory that can be brought into court if necessary.”
From CNN:
Population: 75,448
Pro: Business-friendly environment in a university town
Con: Vegas comes to Bethlehem?
Bethlehem, once the Lehigh Valley’s steel capital, is now bustling with tech and biotech startups, thanks to resources stemming from Lehigh University and health centers in the region.
The city welcomes new businesses with open arms, offering technical assistance, low-interest “gap” financing, a tax abatement program, enterprise zone incentives, and a loan pool providing up to $2 million for new and existing businesses. In addition, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, an internationally recognized, state-funded program based at Lehigh University, links early-stage technology firms and established manufacturers with funding, employees, technology, and universities.
The city has been looking to develop other areas of business. Sparking some controversy is a $600-million development project that is slated to include a large casino on the old Bethlehem Steel factory site. But for now, the city remains low-key. Lehigh Valley is centrally located 50 miles north of Philadelphia and 70 miles west of New York City. Low real estate prices (the median home price hovers around $160,000) make it a popular bedroom community for the larger cities, but also an advantageous spot to launch. Hiking and biking trails wind through several parks, and the Lehigh River provides opportunities for boating and fishing. -Peter MacDougall
If you aren’t familiar with the Lehigh Valley, it’s a region in Pennsylvania about an hour North of Philly, and an hour and a half West of NY City. It’s primary cities are Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. I’ve been a resident of Bethlehem since 1995 and have seen the drastic changes and adaptations from the downfall of Bethlehem Steel to the renaisance that has taken place over the last 10 years.
One of the great things that has happened is the Lehigh Valley getting the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. We have a new park, Coca-Cola Park, and our team – The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. They’ve had several open houses over the last few months for the area to see the stadium being built and to get information about tickets and such. About a week ago we purchased tickets for a Sunday afternoon game but didn’t have any further plans. However, today we were really impressed with what is being built and I think it’s going to be a great park to watch baseball in so we purchased an 18 Game Season Ticket Package as well. This package allows you a few advantages such as priority to purchase playoff tickets if applicable before the general public. Actually, it goes Season Ticket Holders, 36 Game Package Holders, 18 Game Package Holders, 9 Game Package Holders, General Public. You also get the opportunity to upgrade your seating package the following year, or purchase your tickets for 1, 3, or 5 years at todays prices. If we enjoy the innaugural season coming up I can see us purchasing a 36 game package or perhaps even season tickets. I’m really looking forward to it! Go Pigs!!
Here are some pictures I took today at Coca-Cola Park on my Flickr site.
