Citing incorrect analysis, the National Retail Federation retracts its claim that “organized retail crime” is to blame for nearly half of shrink losses. / CNBC
See also: “Nearly one in seven shoppers admitted to having purposely stolen items at self-checkout, and nearly half of those said they would do it again.” / Business Insider
American pedestrians are dying at night in record numbers—the reasons why range from smartphones to homelessness. / The New York Times [+]
“I felt myself seesawing between gratitude for my life and preoccupation with the void.” On contracting endocarditis—and then having open heart surgery. / Dirt
“Could long Covid 'brain fog' be an acquired form of ADHD?” / Undark
Digging into reviews and box office data to identify the actors who are loved the most (Lupita Nyong'o) and the least (Rob Schneider) by critics and audiences alike. / The Hustle
Caught in a battle over reliable sourcing, editors who contributed to Wikipedia's road and highway infrastructure entries quit and make their own wiki. / Slate
Most Canadians live south of Seattle, Reno is west of Los Angeles, and more evidence of mental map oversimplification. / Atlas Obscura
From novelist Mphuthumi Ntabeni, five contemporary African must-read books. / Five Books
“Not that many people in the world will be able to do this.” AI can tell the estate Bordeaux reds come from with 100% accuracy. / New Scientist
Pantone's 2024 Color of the Year is: Peach Fuzz. / Artsy
See also: “Trends are predictable, yet hard to predict.” Dozens of artists and other creative individuals predict 2024's obsessions. / The New York Times Style Magazine [+]
Joshua Minsoo Kim's 10 favorite albums and perfumes of 2023, paired. / Tone Glow
“But is every pop edit good? No. Is there such a thing as too many edits? Yes.” The year's best club-friendly takes on pop tunes. / Resident Advisor