:Title: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Author: Jean Russell (CCAL30) :Date: Tue, 01 May 2007 16:56:14 PDT :URL: http://www.omidyar.net/group/community_stories/news/2/ What good things have happened or are happening as a result of a connection or catalyzing by Lars Hasselblad Torres? Deep gratitude to Lars for all he has done for so many which could never be captured completely, yet we seek to honor him with acknowledgment as we can. Please indicate if the story relates to something within or outside of Peace Tiles, as that will help with weaving the stories together later. ---- **Comments** :Author: Evonne Heyning (CCAL30) :Date: Tue, 01 May 2007 20:38:46 PDT Lars has quietly kept me going on so many occasions. He inspires me with art, media and development in collage.....the way he weaves so many influences into unique new works is astonishing! Working with him on the Global PeaceTiles Project has been one of the more enriching parts of my life these last few years. ---- :Author: Michele -> kids+art+charity (CCAL30) :Date: Wed, 02 May 2007 07:41:49 PDT I am so appreciative of Lars, fellow artist and creative soul. There are many natural connections I feel with Lars in the realm of visual creativity. Yet he is a thinking wo(man)'s artist - there is deep thinking and knowledge behind the canvas (er, tiles) and I think that's what I value the most and why I feel a great kinship with Lars. I've wanted to be an artist my entire life, but never "just" an artist - a thinking artist. An artist for change and for humanity. I've never really known how to do that and Lars has been my great discovery, a true role model of how to put all the pieces together. First day here, writing my o/net profile and introduction I said Lars was my hero already. I just knew it! Thanks Lars for being the arts champion that you are and for continuing to be my hero!! ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Wed, 02 May 2007 10:48:40 PDT Hey Jean, Evonne and Michele - thank you so much for the kind words - its peeps like you, expressive and passionate and rock-solid doers who keep me going too. Thank you - and as Ellison Horne used to say around here, "may good things come" :) ---- :Author: nmw :Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 02:29:25 PDT :Modified: Fri, 04 May 2007 02:34:15 PDT Lars is as "quiet as a mouse -- we like to have him in the house". ;D ==== |lars| .. |lars| image:: http://www.lucylearns.com/images/coloring-page-of-dr-seuss-dr-seuss-printable-coloring-page-green-eggs-and-ham-coloring-sheet1.gif :alt: this is lars :target: http://www.lucylearns.com/ :align: right We're *stickin' with you*, Lars -- *'cause* **you're** *made out of glue*!!! I **admire** how Lars *apparently* doesn't mind if people (and most of all the site management team) *seem* to not listen to him. It's like Lars calls out and says "**WATCH IT!! you're about to walk off the edge of that cliff!**" and then someone says "*hey -- look over there!*" and then somehow the person who was about to walk off the edge has been turned around. If it weren't for Lars every now and then showing up with his "voice of reason" the whole site would probably have fallen off of a cliff a long time ago. He and others are by no means happy with the present state of the site, but Lars doesn't "give up" as easily as others do. This is something I have wondered about WRT the so-called "Law of 2 Feet". What if Galileo had just gone to do something else? What if Christopher Columbus had decided to turn back? What if Martin Luther had not said "this is where I stand"? What if Rosa Parks had decided to get up and *move*? Each of these decisions would have changed the course of history -- and thereby the lives of **billions** of people. I'm not saying that Lars (or for that matter David Frayne or even myself) are in that position -- but it is *actually much harder to be stubborn about something than to give in to a majority*. The wisdom of the crowds is **not always right** (e.g. consider how Nazi Germany was built around *conformity* to the **propaganda** that was distributed via media channels -- much in the same way "Weapons of Mass Destruction" were used as an alibi for the many crimes against humanity that have been performed in Iraq over the past years). Hence, much of what Lars **contributes** is not readily apparent -- but just one look at his `friends list`_ should make it quite clear that most of the people who are *actively involved* at omidyar.net cherish and love not only him but also his *active, steadfast and persistent* **engagement**. .. _`friends list` : http://www.omidyar.net/user/u962055606/feedbacklist ---- :Author: Michele -> kids+art+charity (CCAL30) :Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 06:21:51 PDT Norbert, This is - by far - my favorite post of yours...A. I can understand it; and B. It's singing the praises of Lars! :-P ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 08:43:59 PDT nmw, thank you - sincerely. oh the places you'll go ;) ---- :Author: RicHARD ~The Anointed One~ Makepeace (CCAL30) :Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 14:26:32 PDT nmw said: This is something I have wondered about WRT the so-called "Law of 2 Feet". What if Galileo had just gone to do something else? What if Christopher Columbus had decided to turn back? What if Martin Luther had not said "this is where I stand"? What if Rosa Parks had decided to get up and move? Each of these decisions would have changed the course of history -- and thereby the lives of billions of people. I'm not saying that Lars (or for that matter David Frayne or even myself) are in that position -- but it is actually much harder to be stubborn about something than to give in to a majority. The wisdom of the crowds is not always right (e.g. consider how Nazi Germany was built around conformity to the propaganda that was distributed via media channels -- much in the same way "Weapons of Mass Destruction" were used as an alibi for the many crimes against humanity that have been performed in Iraq over the past years). Awwww . . . Norbert! You're either too smart for me, or too smart for your own good. How does singing the praises of OUR Vermont artist end up with stories about Martin Luther King, Columbus and Rosa Parks? And what is that stuff about Hitler? I don't know about Columbus and Galileo chickened out in his moment of truth, but Rosa Parks and MLK made the simplest vote possible with two feet. THEY stood up and THEY held THEIR grown. Standing one's ground is as important a vote as leaving. All of those Jews and homosexuals and intellectuals who left Nazi Germany voted with the law of two feet and must be seen as heroes. I think that you are right about the "Wisdom of the Crowds" because many times the "Crowd" is simply wrong. Lincoln said something like you can fool most of the people a lot of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. What I am working toward is consensus, not democracy. I think WE need ALL of the people ALL of the time. ----