Friday, November 14, 2008

Heat: Fire Engine, Harbin Technologies, Harbin Pools

Near the Harbin Hot Springs' front gate is a vintage fire engine from the 1950s, in very nice condition, which is one of the first things you see after driving up the 4.2 mile-long road from Middletown, California. On its passenger side door, it says "Middletown - 608 - Harbin Springs Annex." It has some flame detailing on its front, right fender, and three fire extinguishers that look like they might work on its right running board, behind an "Extreme Fire Danger" sign. The sign reads:

[NOTICE
NO SMOKING
NO CANDLES
NO FIRES
of any kind
violation with result
in immediate expulsion
(all in capital letters)
].

The seat in the flatbed in the back of the truck, from which some one might have operated the water controls during a fire, is covered with leopard skin-like textile. There are a few remaining hoses on the truck, that are probably nonfunctional. Harbin is hot, and this fire engine is apropos, as a symbol.

At the Thursday night dance in Harbin's Conference Center last night, the DJ had set up a number of black lights on beautiful tapestries that were influenced by Hindu and Mayan - so, 'New Age' - art. Perhaps between 40 and 70 people attended, over the course of the evening. The dance's energy is integrating, and unique to Harbin, due to its milieu. After the dance some people went up to soak in the pools.

The Conference Center has recently been renamed the "Stan Dale Conference Center," in memory of the founder of Human Awareness Institute, whose workshops fit in well with Harbin.

The technologies that Harbin uses in general are those for a 1200-1700 acre Hot Springs' retreat center, so, for example, there are buildings, vehicles, backhoes, and pool cleaning tools, and some technologies which gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, including sound systems, and black lights. And computers are used to play rock and roll and techno music.


{Are the Harbin pools a kind of technology that have salutary effects - that is, harmonizing effects - on bodyminds, that is, on a kind of symbolizing information technology?}

Heading to the pools . . .

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