Mirador2 News 3/12/10

by Sophia Bollag

Earlier this year, Toyota recalled 12 different vehicle models due to reports of unintended, uncontrollable acceleration in its cars that has, according to the Los Angeles Times, resulted in 34 reported deaths and 22 reported injuries. Congressional investigations into the situation are pending.

The vast majority of reported cases occurred after 2002, when Toyota began installing fully electronic throttle systems in its cars.

The original recall was of the floor mats in Toyota vehicles, which the company claimed could entrap the gas pedal and cause the car to accelerate. Toyota advised drivers to put the floor mats in the trunk. When reports of unintended a c c e l e r a t i o n continued to come in after the floor mat recall, Toyota also recalled vehicles equipped with gas pedals manufactured by the CTS Corporation, but it has not been proven that this was the cause of the acceleration.

According to the New York Times, “Consumer groups have pointed to potential electrical problems [with the electronic throttle]” as a cause of the unintended acceleration.

Toyota has denied that this is the cause of a problem, citing a study conducted by Exponent, a company hired

by Toyota, and other studies conducted by Toyota, itself, on Toyota vehicles. According to the New York Times, the study conducted by Exponent was called flawed by a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

ABC News reported that an automotive technology professor at Southern Illinois University “can recreate a short circuit in the electronic throttles of Toyotas that can

cause a surge of acceleration.” The evidence from his tests was presented during the Toyota C o n g r e s s i o n a l investigation on Feb. 23.

In an interview with the New York Times, the executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, Clarence Ditlow, explained that it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the acceleration “because when one examines the vehicle there is no failed part—such as a stuck

accelerator—to find.”One of the most dangerous aspects of this problem

is that many drivers are unsure of what to do if their car begins accelerating out-of-control.

“I would probably just freak out,” said junior Maddie Fischer, who drives a Toyota Tacoma.

According to Consumer Reports Magazine, the best thing to do if your car begins accelerating is to hit the brakes, shift into neutral, and steer off the road.

Toyota Recalls Cars Due to Acceleration Problems

by Katrina Kovalik

Schools across the country have made use of numerous resources for monitoring students, including campus surveillance systems, filtering software on library computers and even social networking sites like Facebook.

However, the administration of Harriton High School in Pennsylvania has been accused of taking their supervision role past legal limits when the cameras on school-distributed laptops were used to spy on students within their own homes. On Nov. 11, 2009, Assistant Principal Lindy Matsako, accused 15-year-old student Blake Robbins of improper behavior and cited a supposedly incriminating laptop photo of Robbins in his bedroom as evidence.

The Robbins family has filed a lawsuit against Harriton High School of the Lower Merion School District on the grounds of violation of privacy.

“I think what they’re doing was absolutely terrible and scary,” said Robbins on a segment on Good Morning America. “They are invading my house. They might as well be sitting in my room watching me without my knowing.”

Robbins and his parents have told reporters that the school accused him of selling drugs after they mistook a piece of candy for a pill.

Harriton High School gave out 2,300 laptops to its students starting last year. The Lower Merion School District claims that all of the laptops had been installed with a security feature that allows the laptops’ cameras to be remotely activated in order to locate one if it were reported missing or stolen.

The attorney for the Robbins family contends that schools have very limited rights under the constitution and that those rights don’t extend to monitoring students’ off-campus and non-school related activities.

“When a school decides to provide equipment for students, there needs to be a very clear understanding with the parents and the students about the safety and use of that equipment,” said Miramonte computer lab technician Karen Wetherell. “But I don’t think that this type of video surveillance has a place in a school district.”

The school’s administration has told the press that they are convinced they will prevail in court and promise to better inform the community about the laptops’ security features. But with more and more students from Harriton stepping forward with testimonies of having seen their laptop’s camera lights flickering green, the school may have more than one family in need of an explanation.

New Toyota Camrys roll off the production line at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky February 8, 2010.

Photo: Charles Bertram/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT

MTV’s “Made” Holds Auditions at MHS

Twelve different Toyota vehicle models were recalled after reported cases of unintended acceleration

On March 9, MHS students tried out for the MTV transformation reality show by Mackenzie Lee

The “15 minutes of fame machine” came to Miramonte on Tuesday, March 9. MTV Made, famous for transforming students from geek to chic and prissy girly girls into tough dirt bike riders, held open auditions for new show participants in the office.

Excited by the opportunity to be “made” and see their name on television, students crowded the office to get a sign up sheet.

“There were tons of people in the office,” said office TA senior Olivia Moore. “Some kids were even fighting over the sign up sheets.”

Close to 20 students crowded the office after school for the first interview. Because student release forms had not been signed, students could not be taped for MTV’s New York offices to review. Once release forms have been submitted, students will be called back for a recorded interview.

“I’m not nervous at all,” said sophomore Robert Robinson. “I like being myself and I want to sing and express myself through music and rapping.”

However, some students auditioning were not as nerve-free as Robinson.

“Yeah, we’re really nervous,” said seniors Tanya Iqbal, Heather Finertie, and Maxine Sharf.

Students have different goals in mind when wanting to be “made.” Some auditioned in the hopes of becoming skateboarders, surfers, techno-DJs, male ballet dancers, TV show hosts, boxers, male models, ice skaters, singers, and more.

“I want to be made into a singer,” said senior Samantha Hyde. “I like the feeling you get when you listen to music, that tingly feeling. I want to bring people emotion through my singing.”

The students waiting to be interviewed felt like they have what it takes to be “made.”

“I’m trained and ready to go,” said Robinson.But, some doubt that a Miramonte student will

be chosen. “It’s hard work,” said registrar Drue Kendall. “I hope

someone from Miramonte gets chosen but I don’t know if someone has the guts to do something extremely opposite of themselves.”

Pennsylvania School Violates Student Privacy

Miramonte students wait in line to be interviewed by a “Made” representative about their transformation goals.

Photo: D. Louie

Junior Bryce Pummer fervently expresses his desires to become a techno-DJ to one of the show’s interviewers.

Photo: D. Louie