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luvvewan · 3 years ago

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I'm so excited you are taking prompt again!!! For the hurt/comfort dialogue prompt #12, “You’re normally the tough guy. Today, let me be tough for the both of us.” From Obi-Wan to Qui-Gon. It doesn't have to be exact words, because I am honestly having trouble picturing Obi calling Qui a "tough guy"....

Thank you cass-rw for the prompt! I did change the dialogue up a little, as you suggested: “You have protected me more times than I can count, Master. This time, let me protect you.”

I’m still accepting prompts! This one got me good, wrote the whole thing this morning instead of doing any chores. It was glorious.

—

“No.”

Obi-Wan turned away, gathering a breath. The vastness of the dark forest beyond the small cave stared at him and he stared back, half in fear, half in wild, unearned hope. He knew from his research back on the ship, before all of this happened, before—he blinked and swallowed, shooing away the intrusive thoughts. He needed to be clear-headed. Focused. Alright, he could do that. On the ship, he had read about a small village somewhere in this forest.

People. Medicine, perhaps. Help.

“Padawan.”

The hand on his wrist tightened, though the pressure was still alarmingly weak. Obi-Wan looked down at his Master. “What else would I do? Leave you here to..” the words caught in his throat and he shook his head. “Master, you know I must do this.”

Qui-Gon’s blue eyes were clouded with pain, but they focused on Obi-Wan. Sweat gleamed on his too-pale skin. His long hair had come loose somewhere along the way and hung limply around his face. “You must…do as I say,” he managed to rasp.

Obi-Wan wiped the sweat from Qui-Gon’s brow with the edge of his sleeve. Heat blazed against his fingers where they brushed against his teacher’s forehead. “Let me look at it.”

Qui-Gon tensed where he was slouched against the rough cave wall. His hand crept over the wound. “There’s nothing to be done, young one. We called for help. They’ll…” he paused, trying to wet his dry lips, “Someone will come.”

With a careful touch, Obi-Wan pulled Qui-Gon’s hand away, so he could see the tiny tear in Qui-Gon’s tunic, rust-colored blood blooming around it.

Not very much blood, but then, it wasn’t blood loss Obi-Wan was worried about. It was the poison.

Qui-Gon must have noticed the change in his expression, despite Obi-Wan’s best efforts to appear calm, because he reached for Obi-Wan, patting his knee. “It seems to be slow-acting. I feel…okay, right now. We were lucky to find shelter.” A moan escaped him, and Obi-Wan helped him settle on the ground, quickly shedding his own robe and rolling it up under Qui-Gon’s head.

The cave was decent enough shelter, and the Force shields were added camouflage, well-worth the strain to Obi-Wan. Master Windu had said no skill was mastered until used in the field; certainly Obi-Wan had never maintained a Force shield for so long before. But he knew it would not be enough. The Noxii hunters that chased them were cunning and quick—able to land the poisoned dart in Qui-Gon’s flank before Obi-Wan even understood what was happening. There was no doubt in Obi-Wan’s mind that the Noxxi would catch up to them, despite the advantages the Force afforded them.

Which was why he needed to go for help. The Noxxi were outlaws, with very little support outside of the extreme fringes of society. He doubted the modest village was a haven for criminals, but they might be sympathetic to a young Jedi. The problem was he could not get through the dense forest fast enough with Qui-Gon in tow. If the Noxxi found them on their journey, Obi-Wan wasn’t sure he could defend himself and his Master from them all. Yes, he was sure he needed to make the trip alone. He would be infinitely faster. Once he reached the village, he could borrow a speeder, medical supplies…

“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon called to him, softly, from the ground.

He had two water skins in his pack. He would leave them both with Qui-Gon, and just take a swig before he set off. If necessary, he knew how to coax water from the forest.

“Obi-Wan.”

He’d need to gently pull Qui-Gon further into the cave, as far into the concealment of the shadows as possible, and cover him with branches and moss, so the Noxxi might not notice him, if they passed through while Obi-Wan was gone. Qui-Gon would have his lightsaber if—

“PADAWAN.”

The harsh whisper cut through everything. Obi-Wan’s stomach flipped at the obvious rebuke in the word. He kneeled beside Qui-Gon, head bowed in acknowledgement. His raggedy braid slipped out from behind his shoulder and dangled between them.

Qui-Gon inhaled, as if gathering the strength merely to speak. “I told you, young one. I forbid this.”

Obi-Wan swallowed hard. “I cannot stay here and wait for you to die, Qui-Gon.”

An unexpected smile briefly brightened Qui-Gon’s eyes. He lifted his hand, and Obi-Wan ducked down to meet it. His mentor cradled Obi-Wan’s cheek in a wide, clammy palm. “I cannot let you leave when it might kill you, Padawan. You will not do this. Not for me.”

Obi-Wan blinked against the sudden prick of warm moisture in his eyes. He squeezed Qui-Gon’s hand and rocked a little, letting the wave of worry and fear crest within him before replacing it with the steadiness of resolve, duty, the Force. “You have protected me more times than I can count, Master. This time, let me protect you.”

Despite his growing fragility, Qui-Gon dragged him in closer, until their foreheads were nearly pressed together.

Obi-Wan could feel the sick-sour breath against his face. He was not an initiate, or even a child anymore, but something inside him wanted to curl into the comfort of his Master, someone older and wiser, and hope the threats around them just vanished into the cool night air.

Qui-Gon stroked the back of his head, smoothing down the nerftail. “It is my duty…” he coughed and moaned, his pain spiking through their Force connection. “My duty to protect you. Don’t take that from me.”

He had very rarely gone against Qui-Gon in their near-decade as master and apprentice. Obi-Wan knew it was the right thing to do in this instance, but it didn’t make it easier. He could be sanctioned by the Council, or worse, damage the bond between himself and the man who had raised him. Yet no conceivable consequence mattered when Qui-Gon’s life was at stake.

He would do what he must.

Obi-Wan shored up the guards around his thoughts while allowing Qui-Gon access to his general presence in the Force. He emanated frustration and dutiful acceptance, emotions of a loyal Padawan’s surrender. “Yes, Master,” he answered at last.

A relieved, shaky sigh. “Thank you.”

—

Qui-Gon came to the independent conclusion that they should settle in the depths of the cave. Obi-Wan was sweating and trembling a bit himself by the time it was done.

His Master apologized for his helplessness and insisted Obi-Wan drink from a water skin.

Obi-Wan helped Qui-Gon take a few slow sips before doing as he was told, just a swallow to soothe the dry burn in his throat. The night ripened outside the cave; he heard the drone of nocturnal insects, the rustle of a slight wind through the trees.

“Come here,” Qui-Gon tugged at his tabards and Obi-Wan turned, crawling over to him. The ceiling of the cave was much lower here, claustrophobic. He wasn’t sure how a man of Qui-Gon’s size had been able to fit, but Obi-Wan was neither tall nor broad, and squeezed in beside his teacher.

Qui-Gon was spread on his side, head still pillowed by Obi-Wan’s robe. Obi-Wan drew closer at Qui-Gon’s urging, until he was snug in the curve of his Master’s body, and a heavy arm rested over top of him.

“Help will come,” Qui-Gon murmured against his hair.

Obi-Wan watched the night-flies twinkle and wink at the mouth of the forest. He wondered how long it would be until someone received their message, way out here. He wasn’t so sure Qui-Gon would be alive when reinforcements finally arrived. “I can help you,” he tried again, this time using a different tactic. “Do you think I’m incapable?”

Obi-Wan felt immediately guilty for pretending to be offended, for questioning his Master at all in a dire time like this. A large hand laid on his chest, over his heart.

“There is nothing of which you are incapable,” Qui-Gon told him, his feeble voice somehow filling up the entire cave. “It is me. Obi-Wan. I..I am…incapable of losing you.”

Obi-Wan felt Qui-Gon’s lips press into his sweaty hair.

“Someone will come. Just stay here with me, Padawan.”

Obi-Wan found he couldn’t speak so he nodded, the forest suddenly blurring. He listened to Qui-Gon’s breathing slow down, though it did not find a healthy rhythm. He sensed the poison seeping through his Master’s aura, like a scum-squid’s fatal ink spreading in clear, clean water.

The dart was wrapped up in a cloth in one of his belt pouches. He wondered if a healer could at least vaguely identify the toxin from inspection of the dart. Qui-Gon’s symptoms were so common—fever, weakness, pain. How difficult would it be to narrow the options down?

He needed time. He couldn’t wait.

As if he could hear the direction of Obi-Wan’s thoughts, Qui-Gon pulled him tighter to his chest, inhaling fitfully in his sleep.

The dirt was surprisingly soft under Obi-Wan’s cheek. His adrenaline waned now that he was lying down and his own, slighter injuries made themselves known. He had some painful bruising on his back from a fall during their desperate, clumsy escape from the Noxxi ambush. Headache raged behind his temples. He wasn’t certain what hour it was, only moderately confident in the date, but it had been a long while since he’d eaten or slept.

Was Qui-Gon right? Would the travail to the village pose too great a risk? Obi-Wan shut his eyes, the headache pulsing harder. He wondered if he might be concussed. Perhaps he was overestimating his abilities. After all, he was not yet a senior Padawan, and his own Master, a devastatingly adept warrior, had been felled by these hunters.

He let the warmth of Qui-Gon’s arms settle in his bones. He knew the man’s plan had been exactly this, to keep Obi-Wan so close there was no way he could leave the cave without Qui-Gon knowing. Right now, Obi-Wan could not even roll over onto his other side and not awaken his Master.

He thought of Qui-Gon’s fear, a slash of silver in the black night. No fear for himself, of course.

I am incapable of losing you.

Obi-Wan understood what Qui-Gon had meant by those words, because Obi-Wan felt the same way. Losing his Master was not something he would survive. And he had not been taught to surrender in the face of mortal danger.

Resolved, his eyes flew open, and Obi-Wan steeled himself for what he needed to do next. He was no match for Qui-Gon, in Force strength or physical might, except the poison was stealing away his vitality with every passing moment. In their current circumstance, Obi-Wan might be able to nudge Qui-Gon deeper into sleep, maybe even a healing trance, and then he could extract himself from the protective embrace.

They had not covered Force suggestions among fellow Jedi before, not even at the Temple. Obi-Wan supposed it was a more advanced technique for a mid-level Padawan. Or Qui-Gon just didn’t want him to know how to do it because…well, because of situations such as the one they were in now.

Luckily, Qui-Gon was unshielded, and his unconscious Force presence floated out in the open. Obi-Wan sent calm sensations along the ties that held them together.

I am alright. I am here with you.

He repeated the messages, dispatching more and more, letting them carry Qui-Gon deeper into the soft, sheltering void of sleep.

Poison cannot touch you. You are of the Force. The Force cannot be poisoned. May the Force be with you, Qui-Gon Jinn.

He was not a healer, any more than he was a Jedi Master, but Obi-Wan wished fervently for a blessing, that his attempts at healing would do something to help Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan waited a few minutes, until he sensed Qui-Gon sink well below the surface. Then he very carefully pulled back the arm that held him, and inched out, replacing it on the bed of powdery dirt.

His hand drifted to his belt, alighting on his saber, and touching the leather pouch where the deadly dart was stored, just to be sure. He set the water skins close to Qui-Gon and placed leaves, branches and tangled moss on top and around him. He spared a second to study his Master, just in case—

No. There was no just in case.

Only the Force.

Obi-Wan wanted to touch Qui-Gon’s bearded cheek, but worried it would wake him. His throat felt like it was closing. “Forgive me,” he whispered, and sneaked out of the cave, away from his wounded Master and into the night, towards help.

#star wars #obi-wan kenobi #qui-gon jinn #obi-wan #fanfic #obi wan and qui gon fanfiction #fanfic prompts #LuvEwan prompts

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tudorstuart · 6 years ago

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Last thoughts on Game of Thrones

(probably)

Now that the show is done, and GRRM will probably never finish Book 6, much less finish the series, what are we left with?

I’ve read the five books that are out. I haven’t read the Dunk and Egg stories or any of the “historical” material that GRRM and his enablers have put out. I loved the first book, liked the second and the third, and struggled through the fourth and the fifth. The series as a whole is okay. The show is one of my favorite shows.

My thought after reading A Storm of Swords was that GRRM had broken the narrative so hard (RW, Dany ruling in Essos, Stoneheart) that he had effectively written himself into a corner that he would be hard pressed to get out of. So far I have been proven right: not only has his writing pace slowed considerably but the narrative of the books themselves has ground to a halt. He has deconstructed the tropes of epic fantasy so thoroughly (and in some instances needlessly) that his characters are left to wander through increasingly bleak landscapes and environments with no plot to anchor them. This would, I suppose, work if GRRM was a prose stylist of enough skill to keep me interested regardless of the lack of a plot. Just look at The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry to see how this can work. But he’s no Tolkien or Erikson, and we are far away from the Tower of Joy, one of the most stylistically rich passages of the first book.

I bring all this up for two reasons: to say (1) I don’t have the same attachment to these books that a lot of my fellow nerds do; and (2) to point out the textual difficulties involved in adapting this material.

(1) means I don’t care that the King of the Iron Islands sits on the Salt Throne instead of the Seastone Chair. I didn’t tally up the differences between the show and the books while I was watching. I was interested in the world and the characters but what I really wanted was good TV and a good story. I got those things.

(2) The show came out right after Book 5 was published. Was GRRM’s plan that he would stay ahead of the show since there would be at least five seasons directly adapting his books before the show got ahead of the books? Until he tells us, we’ll never know. We have since learned that GRRM was in regular consultation with the writers about the structure of the story after Book 5, so I would be very surprised if the major beats in Books 6 and 7 don’t look very similar to the major beats in the show. I’ll eat crow if I’m wrong!

I’ve been thinking about this show in two different frames: 1) Prestige TV and 2) Epic Fantasy. I think these two frames help us understand, or at least help me understand, why the show developed the way that it did.

1) Prestige TV: After The Sopranos ended, HBO badly needed another critically acclaimed, watercooler show that would bring in the ratings. In that respect, Game of Thrones would allow HBO to live up to its original premise-- “it’s not TV! It’s HBO!” and create a show that simply would never air on network TV. Epic Fantasy! Boobs! Dragons! Direwolves! Classically trained British actors! Prestige TV also relies on shock value, and in this sense too the GoT narrative was perfect for HBO. But in another sense the budget GoT required as the narrative expanded and the scale broadened was an outlier; none of the other shows HBO is hyping now, not even His Dark Materials, require the kind of dollars GoT hoovered up (that might change in the third book of HDM). In that context I can see why things got more constrained for the show. 2) Epic Fantasy. But from another perspective I would argue that the accelerated narrative of the final two seasons actually works to the story’s advantage. I think of the show as a whole as a narrative in three parts. Seasons 1-4 are Part One: we’re introduced to all the major players, the two major conflicts (the Iron Throne, the White Walkers) are set in motion, and then a series of deaths in S4 move most of the remaining players beyond Westeros. 5-6 are Part Two: Realignment. The surviving players try to pick up the pieces and create new identities for themselves. By the end of part two, Cersei is (seemingly) on one side and everyone else is on the other. 7-8, Part Three: Conclusion. With the battle lines drawn, all is action. There’s not as much intrigue and conversation because, well, the promise of violence between good guys and bad guys and worse things has to be fulfilled.

There are lots of people right now making parallels between GoT and some period in late medieval and early modern history, because the first book looks like the Wars of the Roses plus Mongols plus dragons, but to me that’s the wrong frame (not the least because GRRM got a lot of his history from weird sources). This is Epic Deconstructionist Fantasy in the modern, Tolkien-esque vein. What does that mean? A lot of modern fantasy falls into one of three categories: 1) Heroic Fantasy (where everything is basically okay at the end; nothing much changes: Harry Potter, Tad Williams) 2) Grimdark (the opposite: Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence) 3) EDF (Tolkien, LeGuin, Zelazny, Erikson) GRRM’s books are largely grimdark - for now. We don’t know how they’ll end. GRRM has teased for years that the seventh book will be nothing but the wind whistling over the graves of the main characters, but there is no way HBO was going to greenlight -that-. The show followed the grimdark trajectory throughout Part One and Two. But after S6 the show couldn’t go that route anymore. It could go Full Heroic Fantasy and crown Jon or Dany or both, or it could go the more interesting route and embrace the EDF narrative. EDF requires that most conventions of the genre be upended and the world be changed substantially. Its endings are usually bittersweet. People we want to be good turn out to be bad, or at least messily human. Dany’s turn towards villainy echoes similar transformations in Tolkien and Keyes (The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone). Jaime struggles with the better angels of his nature but loses out to his demons (and at the very least keeps Brienne out of King’s Landing) ala Boromir. Jon Snow reminded me profoundly of Ged at the end of The Farthest Shore: “he is done with doing.” Sansa and Arya are free to choose their own paths (like Corwin in Zelazny’s Amber), unburdened of the expectations placed upon them by the patriarchal system -- because with the election of Bran to the kingship, that system has been dealt a mortal blow! Power now rests with a bunch of up-jumped commoners (no, Tyrion and Brienne are not commoners, but they are outsiders in other ways). The ending reminded me of nothing so much as Lloyd Alexander’s The Beggar Queen: a new system is in place, but it might all come crashing down! Hence the ambiguity of Tyrion’s answer to Jon’s question: “ask me again in ten years.” (also, back to point #1 about Prestige TV, if HBO decides to go back to the GoT well, they need the Starks alive and out of the Seven/Six kingdoms) Those are my thoughts. The narrative started as a grimdark fantasy but ended as something significantly different, because its genre allowed for, if not demands, a bittersweet, non-heroic ending. And it worked. For me. It was certainly one of my favorite shows of the last several years.

#game of thrones

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skionline · 2 years ago

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Part of the ship part of the crew

Working closely with the Tacticians, as a Sr. Joining the Oracle Analytics crew meant I would be boarding a ship that is setting its sails to a future with truly governed and secure data exploration, smooth sailing across data preparation, and an embedded one-click compass to provide direction for smart data analysis!

While this is only scratching the surface of those who make up the strong Oracle Analytics crew, I knew that this crew is where I wanted to lower my anchor. Principal Architect, acting as the Pit Crew Boss, he shows how leveraging these waves of data correctly using the advanced analytics, AI, ML, and data visualizations capabilities within Oracle Analytics can make a ship (or your company) fly! In a sea of data, the journey ahead may appear intimidating, but with Jignesh Mehta, our Sr. Working closely with the trimmers (Aziza) to find the fastest way around the course, Clayton's role is crucial to the success of Oracle Analytics and the journey we are taking! His ability to get the most out of his crew-mates is second to none. Our Tactician, Rich Clayton, VP of Analytics Product Management, is responsible for getting the boat around the course and providing the strategy to give the Oracle Analytics crew the best advantage. His contagious energy rubs off on the the rest of the crew and pushes us to live out the "all hands on deck" mentality. Bruno is a leader with decades of experience in Data, Analytics, and AI. Our Mainsheet Trimmer, who's responsible for the crew's runners and for maintaining the speed and momentum of the ship is none other than Bruno Aziza, our GVP of AI, Analytics & Cloud. The impact that our Skipper has made on the world of data, platform, and application is far from done! His competitiveness and drive to be the best is infectious. Putting my faith in the leadership of a technologist, like Larry, our ship's Skipper, is easy to do. It is exciting to board a ship that is setting its sails under Oracle's founder and CTO, Larry Ellison. Just like the crew that races for Oracle Team USA, the Oracle Analytics crew strives to be the best too! Let me describe the Oracle Analytics Crew: This time around I was the one getting my hands dirty playing with OBIEE 12c! From building interactive dashboards to writing in-depth reports on the advanced analytics features offered in the product, I was getting a clearer vision of where Oracle was taking BI. Jumping ahead a year, I got the privilege to work for and learn from Oracle ACE directors Kevin McGinley and Stewart Bryson at Red Pill Analytics. From the day Rich grabbed my notebook and became a cartographer to this very day, the Bay Area map has been folded in my wallet as an internal reminder that I had to get to the place with the circle and star around it.I had to get to Oracle! Not just any map, this map was simple but crucially important for this specific Brendan ( Doyle) The Navigator! This map was Rich's rough sketch of the Bay Area with Redwood Shores (RWS), Oracle's HQ being circled and starred. Besides gaining further affirmation that going into the analytics field was a smart choice, I also gained a map. After learning more and more about the work Oracle was doing to impact the analytics world from Rich and Mitch, I knew I wanted to be part of it.

#Part of the ship part of the crew

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richwall101 · 3 years ago

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On Some Distant Shore

I find myself upon this distant shore, but how I came here I do not know Far to my right and to my left the beach runs out of my view, How far it is I cannot say, but to the horizon, and far away. The day is warm, the sky is blue, but it is a lonely place, A cloud or two far above, and a light breeze upon my face.

The sound I hear is of the waves, and they crash upon this shore, I see the sparkle of the spray, and the freshness of the sea. All along this wide expanse a great ocean meets the earth. As if in harmony, the beginning of some new birth, Why is it then that I am here and do not feel out of place?

I see no other life as I would expect to see, and If I should walk to my left or to my right no difference would there be, It would seem as if I had not moved, a scene that had not changed. The land that rises beyond this shore is open with just a tree or two, Hear and there the grasses sway but nothing else is in my view.

What brought me then unto this place and why is that I am here? I see no reason and can think of none, but no harm have I been done. Much time has passed, although how long I cannot say, but the sun is still high within this sky, and not another thing has changed. The waves roll in from that great sea, but all seems oddly familiar to me.

It as though I have been brought upon this place, which in my memory resides, a gentle quiet land but without desire to know, how strange it is that this should be so, although I see no living thing, I am not here alone. There is within me a certain grace, a knowledge that I had, but until now I did not know, and so it is that here I stand, upon this distant shore.

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware” - Martin Buber

RW 20 December 06 - in memory of my late son Chris Walker 06.03.1974 - 08.01.2005

#Poem #Verse #Lyric #Grief #Dreams

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our-mrs-saku-love · 4 years ago

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The Audi R8: Origins, Generations, Specifications

All things Audi R8 on Automobile.

Audi R8 Essential History Despite a rich motorsports history with overwhelming success in both rallying and endurance racing, Audi's always remained at arm's length when it came to producing a true sports car. The once-popular Audi TT has most of the right ingredients, but the front-wheel-drive underpinnings pulled primarily from the VW Golf kept it well below the Porsche Boxster, Nissan Z cars, and BMW's assorted roadsters and two-seat coupes.

Since the early 1980s, Audi remained content developing high-performance versions of its premium coupes and sedans, focusing on promoting all-wheel drive technology and turbocharged engines, even if the resulting speed-specials were softer and more road-oriented than the adrenalin-charging weapons from Mercedes-Benz' AMG or BMW's M division.

It was only during the early-2000s when the reality of an Audi supercar began to coalesce, born from Audi's ongoing Le Mans domination and the then-recent acquisition of Lamborghini by the Volkswagen Auto Group. To amortize the cost of development of the nascent Lamborghini Gallardo and to bring Audi a little closer in-line with Mercedes and BMW, the plan for the mid-engine Audi R8—the brand's first supercar—took shape with the Le Mans Quattro concept in 2003.

Audi Le Mans Quattro Concept Visually, the Audi Le Mans Quattro concept was nearly identical to the production R8 that arrived in 2007, though the wild twin-turbo V-10 engine was tossed for a more production-friendly iteration of Audi's naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V-8. Power was reasonable for a mid-engine sports car of the era, with 414 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque sent to all-four wheels through either Audi's R-Tronic six-speed automated manual or a gated six-speed manual transmission. Zero-to-60-mph times for these early R8s were around the low four-second mark, with a top speed around 188 mph.

The Audi R8 Goes V-10 For the 2009 model year, the R8's Lamborghini roots shone in full-force, when the updated 5.2-liter V-10 from the Lamborghini LP560-4 was shoehorned into the R8. Fun fact—that Lamborghini V-10 is actually an Audi V-10 pulled from the S6 and S8. So, the R8 V10 actually uses an Audi V-10 pulled from a Lamborghini, but we digress. The V-10 engine increased the R8's output to 518 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, dropping the zero-to-60 mph sprint to 3.9 seconds, and raising top speed to 196 mph.

The Audi R8 Spyder Drop-top Spyder variants launched for both the V-8 and the V-10 models, with the V-8 adding an extra 14 horsepower over the V-8 coupe, growing the total to 428 horsepower, though torque remained unchanged at 317 lb-ft. The limited edition R8 GT arrived in 2011, cutting 220 pounds from the curb weight of the regular R8 V10, while increasing the V-10's output to 552 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque. As you'd expect, the R8 GT also brought with it a range of suspension, braking, and aerodynamic upgrades over the regular car to compensate for the additional power and to enlarge the overall performance envelope. Production of the GT was limited to 333 units worldwide, with an additional 333 unit run of the corresponding R8 GT Spyder.

The first-generation R8 received a mid-cycle refresh for 2012 in the rest of the world, arriving in the U.S. in 2013 as a 2014 model year. The refresh brought mostly aesthetic updates, though a few significant mechanical upgrades were also brought to the R8, most significantly a new seven-speed dual-clutch replacing the balky R-Tronic automated manual transmission. Standard magnetic damping was also added for the R8 V10, an optional upgrade for the V-8 models.

The R8 V10 Plus arrived on our shores in 2014, adding a new range-topping trim with extra power and performance in the same vein as the older R8 GT. The same 5.2-liter V-10 as found in the standard R8 V10 was upgraded to 542 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque in the R8 V10 Plus, which also got a re-tuned suspension, updated interior, and massaged aesthetics.

Second-Generation Audi R8 After these short-lived upgrades, the first-gen R8 was replaced by an all-new model in 2015 for the 2016 model year. In keeping with the Lamborghini bones of the prior generation, the second-gen R8 shares much of its structural DNA with the Lamborghini Huracan. This includes the familiar 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V-10—the only engine offered at the moment—initially available with either 533 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque in the base R8 coupe or 602 horsepower and 413 lb-ft in the R8 V10 Plus coupe. With the exception of the limited-edition R8 RWS (Rear Wheel Series), power is transferred to all-four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

For 2019, the second-gen R8 was updated with extra power and an aesthetic refresh. Power for the base coupe jumped to 562 horsepower and 413 lb-ft, while the newly renamed R8 Coupe Performance Quattro packs 602 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. Performance for all iterations of the second-gen R8 is impressive; factory-quoted zero-to-60 mph times range between 3.2 seconds and 3.5 seconds, though these times have proven to be conservative in independent tests.

Audi R8 Highlights Time will likely be kind to the Audi R8. The first generation of the supercar consistently ranks at the top of many enthusiast's lists of best designs of the 2000s, and it's only going to get better with time. Although older R8s may carry a bit of a stigma as simply a used supercar, give it time—or pick one up now, while they are at the bottom of their depreciation curve.

Once the first R8s are out of the too-new-to-be-classic but too-old-to-be-cool dead zone, the R8 will be one of the better ways to get into something genuinely exotic for not much more than the price of entry to a loaded mid-size crossover SUV. Early V-8s are particularly inexpensive to purchase, and compared to a Ferrari or Lamborghini of similar vintage, significantly less expensive to keep on the road. As far as upkeep price goes, think more than a BMW or Audi sedan, and less than an Aston Martin—maintenance on a regular Porsche 911 is likely a good comparison.

By design, the R8 of any generation is a more professional, lower-key supercar—if that's even a thing. The current R8 is priced closer to the Porsche 911 Turbo, current Acura NSX, and Aston Martin Vantage than to Lamborghini's Huracán or McLaren's 720s, but in our experience, the R8 doesn't fall far short of those more exotic models in performance or theater. In fact, we'd likely take a new R8 over any of the listed alternatives on the strength of its sound and the vicious launch control. We've also heard whispers that a first-gen Audi R8 V10 with the gated manual transmission is one of the best "exotic" experiences that can be had for less than $100,000, so there's that.

Audi R8 Buying Tips Audi R8s of any generation or spec are fairly robust and shouldn't provide too many undue surprises mechanically. A thick sheaf of maintenance records is always a welcome inclusion with any potential purchase, as is a pre-purchase inspection at a local specialist or dealer. Parts availability for the R8 is high, considering even the oldest R8s still have factory support from Audi—for now. As stated above, expect regular maintenance bills similar to what you'd expect of a Porsche 911.

If you are in the market for a first-gen R8, we highly suggest you seek only those with either the six-speed manual transmission or the later dual-clutch examples. Avoid the R-Tronic at all costs; it's clunky, slow, relatively fragile, and for some enthusiasts, ruins the overall experience. Engine type matters, too, as V-8s will obviously be more affordable than the V-10s, but there is a significant difference in both speed and upkeep between the two engines—as well as a difference in prestige, which can enhance (or detract from) collectibility.

Audi R8 Auctions Despite undeniable desirability, the Audi R8 isn't collectible enough to cross the stage at major auction houses—yet. Bring a Trailer never disappoints, as the healthy record of sold R8s is enough to give an idea of what you might pay for a first generation. For second-generation R8s—the current model—there are enough on Audi lots that you might be better off getting one straight from the source.

This 2009 Audi R8 4.2 w/ six-speed manual and only 8,000 miles sold for $67,000

A 2010 Audi R8 V10 w/ six-speed manual sold for $72,000

This second-gen 2018 Audi R8 RWS claimed $118,000

A late-model first-gen 2015 Audi R8 4.2 with six-speed manual was bought for $80,000

Audi R8 Quick Facts First year of production: 2007 Last year of production: Ongoing Base Price: $171,150 (2020) Audi's first supercar Lamborghini bones for (relatively) cheap Time will be very, very kind to the R8 family We'll take ours with the V-10 and the gated manual, please Audi R8 Articles On Automobile We drove the refreshed first-generation Audi R8 in 2012.

Here's our review of the second-generation Audi R8 V10 Plus.

We sampled the rare Audi R8 RWS as well.

We got our hands on the updated second-gen Audi R8 late last year.

And just for fun, here's a test of the race-ready Audi R8 LMS.

Audi R8 FAQ You have questions about the Audi R8. Automobile has answers. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked Audi R8 queries:

Is The Audi R8 A Supercar? Absolutely. With any engine or transmission and from either generation, the Audi R8 is quick, fast, and visually stunning enough to be considered a supercar.

How Fast Does An Audi R8 Go? The early first-gen Audi R8 4.2s topped out at 188 mph, while the latest and greatest Audi R8 V10 Performance Quattro smacks a mighty 206 mph.

How Much Is The New Audi R8? The base 2020 Audi R8 will run you $171,150.

What Year Is The Best Audi R8? Hmm, great question. We reckon it depends on what you want from the car. For an engaging drive, we'd pick the cleanest first-gen V-10 with the gated manual we could find. However, the current R8 is stunningly quick and aurally spectacular as any car we've driven, so perhaps one of the few R8 RWS would find its way into our dream garage. ผลบอล7mคะแนน

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fossadeileonixv · 5 years ago

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Torino 2 Milan 1: WTF.......

here we go.....

As usual.... some kind of rating and a few sentences on each player.

DONNARUMMA A/D: Solid in the first half and a disaster late on. hard to fault him on the first goal as Bellotti hit a laser.... but still needs parried wide. On the second he gets caught on the wrong foot and deflects it towards the center of the area. That’s always a recipe for disaster and Bellotti again made him pay.

THEO: B/D: Love the offense. Crosses. Runs. Energy. YES YES YES! The defending leaves a bit to be desired BUT, much like RR, when you have a slug like Hakan in front of you there isn’t much you can do but hold tight and get help from Romagnoli. It’s tough to be both attacker and defender with no help.

ROMAGNOLI: B+ He’s real good.

MUSACCHIO and CALABRIA: C-: Our right side was under siege all night long. With only a 2 man midfield, I’ll to that more later, that’s not much cover. Without that help all the warts of these 2 were exposed. Aina had a field day bombing up and down and when we came out and met him Bellotti squeezed into the spaces created. Again. And again. And again. It was tactical stupidity by us and tactical simplicity for Mazzari.

KESSIE B: The more lung busting work he has to do the better, and there was plenty to be done yesterday. He was all over the place trying to fill gaps and also carrying forward. It’s this box to box workload where he shines. No complaints..... ok there was that awful finish. But was anyone surprised?

BENNACER C: I think we can all see the flaw in his game now. There’s a sloppiness and ‘out of control’ element to his game at times. The first yellow was ugly and, thanks to the ref, his second awful tackle was not carded. has to be more under control in that regard. Loved his ball carrying and passing though. Far more endeavor and a much larger passing range than Biglia.

HAKAN and SUSO F: Lazy. Sloppy. Worthless. How these 2 get on the field ahead of anyone else I have no clue. These 2 are about a month away from having me watch another team. They disgust me. A weak foul and flop by Hakan led to a counter and a goal. You can’t make this stuff up.

LEAO A-: My man. We haven’t had that much hard work and pizzazz since Jack was in his full glory. Made something out of nothing several times. Needs to be a mainstay out there. Now if we only had someone to get him some actual service. Bizarrely subbed off for Jack

PIATEK C: Sorry, but I’m not taking a PK into account in my ratings. You gotta finish man. That’s your job. 7 shots. 6 from inside the 18. 2 on target. Still no goals from open play this year. He wasn’t getting much service coming into this game, but he certainly got it last night. Looked clearly gassed late. Probably shoudl have come off instead of Leao.

JACK Incomplete: Love him to death but still looks like he’s hurt to me. Did some nice things up front but seemed to have a very hard time getting around. Needed to be able to either pressure their back line or come back deeper and help the midfield. Could do neither. Not his fault.

REBIC Incomplete: Much like Jack, not sure what his role was meant to be. Honestly, at this point I was just in a haze. He could have scored and I would have still been catatonic.

GIAMPAOLO:

Starting lineup with Suso as Trequartista and Hakan in the midfield? F.

What started out as 4231 quickly became a 424 as Suso drifted wide right and Hakan hid out between Leao and Piatek. That left only 2 in the midfield and abandoned the fullbacks. That’s a terrible setup. Whether Giampaolo intended that look or not, he has to know where

Jack sub: F He brought out our best attacker. Ok, fine. We were winning at the time and shoring up the midfield might have been the way to go. Instead jack seemed instructed to join the attack. A gassed Bennacer, in desperate need of help, got nothing. I have no idea what ‘problem’ this was meant to solve.

Rebic sub: F I guess he was just throwing on another attacker in a desperate hope to equalize? At this point you have 5 attackers (Jack, Rebic, Piatek, Suso, Hakan), one mid (Kessie) and a defense that’s been under siege all night.

Guess what?

We lost.

Blame the players all you want, and they deserve some, but Giampaolo set us up to fail, subbed to fail and we failed.

AC MILAN FACT OF THE DAY:

The average age of the starting lineup yesterday was 22.9

Other Random Thoughts:

- We had 3 shots on target in the first 24 minutes. Then none til the 92nd. I believe that makes 13 now in 5 games. Included in those whopping 13 shots is one goal from open play.

- Including the preseason, that’s 7 goals in 10 games with Suso at TQ. And our coach says he likes what he sees from him.

- Paqueta was so needed yesterday. the game was screaming for him.

- Then again, where was Rebic? We really needed an extra mid out there. Even Jose Mauri would have been nice to have around.

- Pepe Reina is an idiot.

- 0-0 would have been nice

- The formation i want to see?

433

Donna

Calabria-Musacchio-R13-Theo

Kessie-Bennacer-Paqueta

Suso-Piatek-Leao

We need balance and I think this gives us the balance we are looking for. Yeah I don’t like Suso, but he CAN make things happen and if he’s gonna be out there the only way to do it is him at RW in a 433. Obviously if Caldara ever gets healthy he slots in, but that’s starting to feel more like a dream than reality.

Cheers

Lisi

PS: SELFISH PLUG!

Last night my sons high school team won 3-0 over a local rival, completing the season sweep. Younger boy started at center mid and put one in. It’s things like that that make being a Milan fan a little easier.

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groupalpha · 7 months ago

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i completely forgor to show this the whole set

#rain world #rain world oc #rw oc #rain world iterator #rain world iterator oc #iterator oc #rw iterator #iterator #rw iterator oc #ruby skies by sapphire shores #endless beyond #thirteen elder stories #extracted prism sunsets #twelve far away dreams #eight crashing tides #last string of life #sunrise solar starlight lunar

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dustballdrawsartwork · 1 year ago

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Just some more detailed drawings of mine. Hope you guys like it! :D

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iambenjiijackson · 5 years ago

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The Groove Guide - Grave

Who are Grave? Are they yet another death metal band that are meant to be important? They're coming over to our shores in December with RW Entertainment who, granted, have brought a lot of bands over with perhaps stronger name power - but the Swedish group are actually quite an important act in the history of Scandinavian death metal. In fact, they are integral to the metal scene as a whole.

You see, Grave were one of three bands who were the nucleus of something bigger; from bands such as Grave, Nihilist and Carnage spawned members in more mainstream accepted bands - Arch Enemy, Entombed and Dismember the prominent acts. Which was albeit good for Sweden as a whole, but for Grave it meant they were relegated into the shadows, despite crafting a formula that mapped out the standard Swedish death metal embraced in the early nineties.

Their 1991 debut, Into The Grave, was a supercharged call to arms for the country's alternative music scene. It's blunt force trauma on the audible senses and acrid cover art, which helped set the tone for the macabre-yet-beautifully illustrated album artwork, garnered them international recognition within the underground scene with some reviewers citing it as one of the most important albums of that time - alongside Death's Human and Sepultura's Arise; the latter charting the Billboard 200.

Wherein the rise of death metal, particularly a media-fueled "feud" between Norwegian's black metal and Sweden's death metal scene, led to a full-scale assault on the musical world, it's splintering into different styles left Grave out of the loop. The band still attained a great deal of respect amongst their fellow death metal luminaries and aficionados - their 1994 album, Soulless, combined the groove elements which became concurrent in metal music with acts such as Pantera with Far Beyond Driven driving home a new, popular style of music that has become more accessible.

Perhaps it was the rise in nu-metal or the state the metal scene found itself in, but in 1996 the band went on hiatus for six years, coming back in 2002 with Back From The Grave, another highly regarded effort which continued their fusion of smash-mouth death metal and their groove elements. Having finally being heralded by mainstream media outlets for their works in the past and being cited as influential upon many new bands emerging from the scene, the band showed their crossover appeal by covering Alice In Chain's "Them Bones" on 2006's As Rapture Comes.

There most recent album, 2008's Dominion VIII, is a return to their hallowed roots; a sound not too dissimilar to Into The Grave. Furthermore, they've been continually rumoured to be touring with fellow hard hitters Dismember for a European tour - and should they enjoy New Zealand, rich with its own history much like their native Visby, who's to say we don't get a healthy dose of that line-up?

You see - they're not just another death metal band.....

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geraldcallway-blog · 5 years ago

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