Music Review

By Rylan W.

This time instead of doing a album review I'm going to tell you about some music videos.

  I discovered OK go because of their awesome videos. They are from Chicago. The band is made of 4 people.

   OK go’s newest video, I Won't Let You Down just came out Oct 27, 2014. It was filmed in Japan and features the band riding Hondas new 1 wheeled vehicle UNI-CUB with Japanese school girls twirling umbrellas. In the entire video they use several hundred of these transportation devices. The band starts in an open inside area and moves outside were the school girls join the band with umbrellas. They end the video with a shot from high up in the sky and scroll the credits by opening certain umbrellas and closing umbrellas. If you would like to see this video here it is:

 I also discovered Ty Segall this past year. He plays guitar, sings vocal, and also plays drums. He is from San Francisco.  

  Ty Segall has just released a new video, Manipulator. In the video you are able to modify/manipulate what things are. For instance, if the video starts with a painting on a wall, then you can click it and change it into something else like maybe a waffle. When you watch the actual video though, you are not able to change it but it is still really cool. At some point, the video changes scenes from a bedroom to the dessert but still continues to have Segall playing guitar and singing in the center of the screen. If you would like to see this video here it is:

 I have a third video but the video is so inappropriate that I can't even say the name of the video or the band name. Check out this awesome video of some masked man playing guitar instead.

Goodnight Nashville!

Video Games

As many of you know, technology is advancing at a very fast rate. But gaming technology is going two or three times as fast, with games and tech coming out super frequently. Gaming is kind of like the edge of technology, with games like COD: advanced warfare and legend of zelda: hyrule warriors. We will give some information and opinions before cracking your piggy bank to buy one. Were giving you some reviews.

                                          

1. 

   By: Lucas G-V.

   Legend of Zelda: hyrule warriors. This one is much different from a classical zelda game. First, it isn’t based on questing and adventure, it’s a hack-and-slash variant. It keeps some of the core components of zelda; but adds more to the game. For one, the graphics have improved a lot. Also, it adds mechanics from a hack and slash. Such as keeps and outposts and main goals. The boss system is also different, boasting a more challenging variant of the classical characters. If you’re a fan of the Zelda franchise, I would definitely say go ahead and buy it.                                                   

2. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (COD) is a realistic future war game with advanced technology.I saw the trailer of COD,and it looks so realistic.If I were playing, it would be amazing seeing the graphics. This game, like the others in the franchise, keeps the fast paced action-y feel. It contains a lot of new mechanics; the grapple hook, the new killstreaks, and rocket boots.
3. Super Smash Bros. Ah, super smash bros. This one has a lot of new characters like rosalina, pac-man, and I believe mega man. Has the same basic style of pitting characters from different games in one-on-one combat. Better graphics and is for the 3DS and wii u.                                      

            

Vote              

      

XBOX ONE / WII U OR PS 4 ?                XBOX 360  / WII   OR   PS 3 ?  

 

Music Review: Disgraceland

Disgraceland by The Orwells

By: Rylan W.

The Orwells is a Chicago rock band from Elmhurst. The Orwells started in the year 2010 when they were in 9th grade. They started as a school band. The band is made of 5 people, Mario Cuomo (vocals), Dominic Corso (guitar), Matt O'Keefe (guitar), Grant Brinner (bass), and Henry Brinner (drums). They were influenced by many including Jack White, Black Lips, and The Strokes. Before The Orwells were helped out by the band Twin Peaks, they played small shows in Mario’s garage. They played on The David Letterman Show  where Mario got on his back and slid across the floor. After the song, Letterman asked for an encore but guitar player Dominic Corso had ripped his strings off his guitar. Here is a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvodeJdwKb8

The Orwells newest album, Disgraceland, is their second full length album and the first not recorded in their basement. A few things have changed for The Orwells. Their first album, Remember When, most songs were recorded in 1 or 2 takes, leaving some songs with mistakes. Listening to Disgraceland, you realize that they have put more time into recording it. Something that has not changed is the we don't care what you think... whatever attitude. That’s what makes this album so great. The song “Dirty Sheets” is the perfect example, “from the east coast to the west, we ain't the worst, we ain’t the best”. I give this album 5 out of 5 stars.

  Other stuff I’m listening to right now, Jake Bugg, Jack White, AC/DC, and OK Go. Check them out. Goodnight Cleveland!

Halloween costumes

Look at all the wonderful costumes this year at our recent assembly. Which ones do you like best?

Photos!

We now have a slideshow of recent photos taken by our newspaper staff. Look for the Photo tab on the right hand side of this page. Or just visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/iamschicago/

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars Review

By: Lillian M.

   

I have recently finished reading The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. It is a funny, exciting, heartbreaking tragedy/love story type book.  It is about a girl named Hazel Grace Lancaster.  She has major lung cancer. Her mom decides she is depressed and sends her to a support group. There she meets one Augustus Waters. He is a survivor of osteosarcoma, bone cancer, leaving him with an artificial leg. Their relationship spirals into a romance that takes unexpected twists and turns. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. JOHN GREEN IS CURRENTLY MY FAVORITE AUTHOR!!!! ☺

I recommend this book to anyone who IS NOT squeamish, and DOES NOT cry at little things like a puppy getting a thorn in its paw, as your house is already guaranteed to flood with tears.

The movie version of The Fault in Our Stars is not as good, but, it includes much of the same elements that I find satisfactory: funny, witty, sad, exciting, etc. The movie has far more yelling, crying and kissing than the book. In the movie, they have taken out a scene from the book in which Augustus and his mother are fighting. I wonder why?

MOVIE .VS. BOOK

THE BOOK IS BETTER! Even you TV addicts will agree with me. The book has more internal thinking and emotional value. The movie is still really good though.

FUN FACT:

If anybody reading this article has seen the movie Divergent, you will realize that the actress who played the role of Beatrice Prior also has the role of Hazel Grace Lancaster. Also, (if you have seen Divergent you might find this odd) the actor who took the role of Beatrice Prior's brother, Caleb Prior, has taken up the role of Augustus Waters. For me, it was rather awkward: former brother kissing former sister? Ew. I wonder what it was like for the actor/actress!I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.

Extended Interview with Mr. Feeley

By: Amanda S.

Extended Interview with IAMS librarian Mr. Feeley about Banned Book Week

Have you heard of Banned Books Week?
YES!  I love banned books week! It provides us an annual reminder of how fortunate we are to live in a free society and how we have to stand up sometimes to demand that our right to read be honored.
       
At I.A.M.S, has a parent, teacher or student asked you to remove a book from the library? If so, what book? And what did you do?
I have never received a formal book challenge at Inter-American. A formal book challenge is when somebody requests that a book be removed from the library.

On a number of occasions parents have contacted me to express their objections to some books that they didn't feel were appropriate for their children. On each of these occasions I asked the parents to share their concerns with me so that I could help their students to identify and check out books that are a good fit for their interests and that are better aligned with the values of the family. I think it's a good thing when parents and children read together or discuss what they are reading together. It promotes reading, promotes good family relationships, and provides families opportunities to discuss their values.

What do you think about banning books?
I am opposed to the practice of banning books. I believe that the freedom to read is extremely important. A book that some people find objectionable is a perfectly good book for many others. We live in a diverse society. I believe that libraries should have all kinds of books so that people of all ages can choose what is right for them and for their families. The most important thing is that people read and learn about the world around them.

What if I told you that Captain Underpants is number one in the top ten 2014 challenged kids books and The Hunger Games being number five? What do you think?
I knew that! I am not surprised that there are people who object to those books. I understand that in a diverse society people will not always agree about what is appropriate reading material for young people.

Which of these books do you have in your library?

                1) Captain Underpants  YES

                2) The Bluest Eye  NO

                3) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian  NO but I just ordered it. Thanks for the suggestion!

                4) Fifty Shades of Gray NO

                5) The Hunger Games  YES

                6) A Bad Boy Can be Good for a Girl  NO

                7) Looking for Alaska YES

                8) The Perks of Being a Wallflower  YES

                9) Bless me Ultima  YES

              10) Bone YES

Is there any book you feel is not appropriate for a school library?
This is a K-8th grade library. Certainly there are books intended for adults that are not suitable for an elementary or middle school library.

Fran Feeley, NBCT
Bibliotecario Escolar/School Librarian
http://iamslibrary.wikispaces.com/