Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2007)
10 December Tesla Roadster: driven to make hybrids obsolete m N icholas A rntz __________ _ co-Editor-in-Chief With all of the debates over gas mileage today, what ultimately will be the solution? Toyota, for example, boasts one of the most fuel efficient cars on the road, the Prius, yet two months ago they argued in a California court against the proposed bill to raise the minimum gas mileage in that state. W hy would the leader in fuel efficient and low emissions cars risk their reputation in such a manner? Because their new trucks do not meet the proposed minimum gas mileage. We need more than just hybrids. We need an automotive company that is truly dedicated to going green. The answer: the Tesla Roadster, a 100% electric two door sports car, powered from 100% renewable energy. Founded last year, the Tesla Motor company has created a car that will revolutionize the auto industry; a car that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and a car that will be better in every way possible. "Tesla" is the brainchild of Croatian inventor, electrical engineer and scientist, Nikola Tesla, who created the induction motor and alternating- current power transmission. M ost electric car concepts have failed. Among the common complaints was the lack of power, acceleration and safety features... not to mention style. The same complaints have been made about modern-day hybrids such as the Prius, which takes a full 10 seconds to reach 60 mph and lacks any sort of track-ready handling. The Tesla Roadster, on the other hand, has a 0-60 time of under four seconds; the same time as the Lamborghini Murciélago and Porsche Carrera GT, which both cost around $300,000 and only achieve nine mpg in the city. Even though the Tesla doesn't run off of any gasoline or motor oil, Tesla tension on the cord, it stops charging immediately and disengages for maximum security. Besides the common m odem day safety equipment, such as a four- wheel Anti-lock Braking With absolutely no emissions and an engine running off 100% renewable energy, the Tesla Roadster is revolutionizing the automotive industry. The Tesla has the performance of high-end super cars, but costs about one third the price and achieves a comparative 15 times the fuel economy. Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors Motors claims the Roadster to obtain the equivalent of 135 mpg. The car has no exhaust pipe because it has absolutely zero emissions. There is also no clutch pedal, only two gears (first and second, with reverse the backwards motion of first gear), no motor oil, belts, filters or spark plugs. Surprisingly, the car's torque starts at zero rpm and continues through 13,000 rpm. With a "w aterm elon sized" rear wheel drive, three-phase, four-pole electric motor creating 248hp, the Tesla can hit 125 mph. With a cost of less than two cents per mile, the Tesla Roadster can travel 245 miles on one charge, and with a charging time of only three and a half hours, it can charge overnight and be ready to go. M odem safety equipment protects against any faults and immediately stops charging if a fault is detected. Plus, if there is any System and traction control, the Tesla Roadster has a windshield that completely blocks all UV rays and reduces infrared rays by 30%. It also comes standard with a customized PIN that is unique to each customer. Without entering the PIN, the car will not start, eliminating any chance of hot-wiring. Plus, when put in "Valet M ode," until the PIN is entered and Valet Mode is turned off, the car will limit the rate of acceleration, mile range, and speed, so there w on't be any repeats of the famous scene from "Ferris Bueller's Day O ff." The electric power that the Tesla Roadster is powered by can be generated from "natural gas, coal, solar, wind, hydro and nuclear sources," according to Tesla Motors. The whole concept of the Tesla Roadster is a car that puts nothing into the environment. Almost everything in the car can be recycled, even the battery, which lasts 100,000+ miles and is 100% recyclable; a refreshing change. Not only will the Tesla driver be saving the environment, they themselves will be saving money with tax incentives in certain states, and other “Once Upon a Mattress" brings laughs a K ira M atsuoka _____________ Staff Reporter Talent abounded in the Theatre Arts musical "Once Upon a Mattress" which ran Nov. 2-10. Based on the fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea," it is the story of Prince Dauntless played by Michael Busch, senior, who is searching for a princess. His controlling mother, played by Georgina Cohen, passes the test. Sturtevant turned in an exceptional performance. Not only is she a solid actress, she has the ability to take a song and make it her own, displaying passion and a unique connection with each note she sings. Cohen's manipulative acts and domination over the king caused the audience to break into laughter Controversy over mascots continues jjjraggjg___________________ | continued from page 4 The main reason a school chooses a mascot is because the animal or person embodies a trait or traits that the school wishes to project. A butterfly is known for its grace and beauty, traits that would not be intimidating on the football field. In West Linn's case, Lions are ferocious, brave and strong. The king of the jungle, they are respected by all other living creatures. This is the reason we use the Lion to represent our school. Native American symbols such as Warriors, Braves, or Chieftains are chosen as mascots because they too represent ideal traits for a sports team. These include bravery, teamwork, brotherhood and honor. Now I may be wrong, but these are things that I wouldn't mind being used to represent a group of people. When the mascot for a team is chosen based on positive characteristics, I feel that the argument carries no weight. In almost all cases, the Native American mascots do not belittle, but instead promote positive values and a positive image of the entire Native American culture. conveniences including "single-occupancy access to carpool lanes (in some states), free parking at charging stations at LAX and other airports, discount electrical rates for recharging and/or on the charging unit (available in some states), and no parking meter fees in an increasing number of major metropolitan areas," according to Tesla Motors. In the beginning, Tesla Motors did not expect to produce its prototype, but popular demand at auto shows resulted in the production of the stylish Tesla Roadster. Although the revolutionary car starts at $98,000, a price very few of us can afford, Tesla is in the middle of introducing a $50,000 four to five seat sedan, and, hopefully, a full line of electric cars in all price ranges in the future. With demands for higher gas mileage, and the roadblocks put up by big corporations, the Tesla Motor company could be the answer we're looking for. Princess Winifred, played by Andra Sturtevant, junior, is attended by Ladies in Waiting Whitney Finnerty and Casey Crawford, juniors. The musical was a mix of comedy, drama and song. Photo submitted by Jon Ares senior, puts Princess Winifred, played by Andra Sturtevant, junior, to a test with the hope that she will fail, but she gets a big surprise when the princess numerous times and kept me smiling. The king played by Avik Bandyopadhyay, did an exceptional job while "miming" his role since he had an evil spell cast upon him rendering him mute. The theme of love and friendship showed not only in the musical's plot but also in the actors and actresses. Without knowing the actors and actresses personally, I could sense a connection throughout the cast that I believe was necessary for their success. This was especially apparent in the scene with Bandyopadhyay and siblings Elise Biancardi, the jester, and Michael Biancardi, the Minstrel. It was such a delight to see the talented duo perform together. It appeared they were having a really great time. * With a mixed genre of comedy and drama, the musical appealed to a great spectrum of students, friends and families who came to support the theatre arts program. It was refreshing when the musical called for a break in the dramatic climaxes to throw in a joke or two, proving that life, with all its drama, can be fun. The performances by the * cast exceeded my expectations and the quick, quirky humor was well acted. It was a very enjoyable performance and left me thinking, no matter what obstacles are thrown at you, with love, you can succeed.
