Speed Week webpages starting 24 August 2008
contact Ken Fletcher
kenfletch'at)comcast.net
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Request
for
Contributions:
1930s "Speed Week" theme. The website "Spontoon Island" will publish a set of special webpages beginning 24 August, 2008. http://spontoon.rootoon.com/ The setting is a semi-tropical island in the North Pacific in the 1930s, with a population of anthropomorphs. There are some 1930s modern built-up areas on the island that include resorts and hotels for upper-income travelers and tourists. During the last week of August, the native government sponsors races ("Speed Week") that attract extra visitors and have extensive radio, newspaper & newsreel coverage. The races include courses for seaplanes (of various styles and sizes), land aircraft, racecars, racing motorcycles, and powerboats. There is is a page about the Spontoon Island Racing Association (SIRA) that has some earlier information on Speed Week. Contributors are invited to send in art or short text anecdotes related to the theme. I regret that I can't pay for contributions. You will be credited (and given a link, if you wish). Contributors retain their copyrights and may post the material in other locations. Display art (on the webpages) will usually be limited to within 640 by 640 pixels and under 256 Kbytes of storage. Art files can be larger, but they are likely be displayed from a text link, or a thumbnail link under 200 x 200 pixels. Ask about exceptions. Text contributions should be submitted in plain text (.txt) or rich text files (.rtf). Email before doing stories much over 1000 words. The website is for grown-ups, yet most of the material on the website would be G-rated. This is what is preferred for contributions to "Speed Week". Some mature situations and 30s-style mature art are allowed. The setting and its population can range from serious-anthropomorphic to funny-animal in style. It is a 1930s semi-tropical island. The clothing (or lack of clothing) should reflect that setting. There are some clothing references on the website, but 1930s pulp & adventure movies are acceptable clothing models: King Kong, the early Indiana Jones, etc. The local natives control the government and administration. They are a mixture of species, and they are modern and Polynesian in attitude. The very independent natives enjoy playing to the visitors' expectations and may choose to act unsophisticated. The visitors for Speed Week include many locals from other regional islands, and a layer of relatively rich visitors from across the Pacific.The main urban areas (Casino Island, South Island, Eastern Island) may get crowds at the best viewing spots for the races. The racing vehicles should be based on 1930s models, with some allowance for pulp-magazine science. Drawings of racers with tropical props or backgrounds would be very acceptable. Welcome images from Spontoon Island, showing island life during the Speed Week races: Reporters at work, restaurants and food vendors, natives selling souvenirs, hotel workers, and similar subjects. LINKS: There are reference links at the Spontoon website. Here are a couple of very good websites (via Robert Bartrop) related to 1930s aircraft and seaplane racing: General info & images, air racing, circa 1920-1950: http://www.air-racing-history.com/ Schneider Trophy (unlimited seaplane) racing (plus links to European seaplane images): http://www.hydroretro.net/indexen.html Another excellent reference site (via Bob Martin), with extensive links: http://www.schneider-cup.com/ Questions are welcome- Thank you, Ken Fletcher kenfletch'at)comcast.net [ You know what to substitute for the 'at) ]  A photo finish - Art by M.
Mitchell Marmel
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