Hey folks! Here's what's what in the news world re: security and insecurity.Sex Machines: a new game takes the human-machine relationship to its logical extreme. (Slate) Frank Rich writes on the politics of 12 Years A Slave (New York Magazine)The secrets of the world's happiest cities: what makes a city a great place to live – your commute, property prices or good conversation? (The Guardian)What 1984 can teach us beyond the dangers of surveillance (Salon)Ender’s Game vs. The Hunger Games: a military analysis (Wired)The power of patience: teaching students the value of deceleration and immersive attention (Harvard Magazine)The New York Times forum on the future of the humanities (New York Times) Police in Washington DC are monitoring gunfire with acoustic sensors on rooftops (Washington Post)Is there an 'angst canon' of books that teenagers read? (BBC News Magazine)For more about American Studies at UT, subscribe to our newsletter here.