Eugene, Oregon, says it would take 44,816 staff hours and cost nearly $2.5 million to process a local newsroom’s request for records about officer Justin Peckels, whose alleged misconduct includes punching a resident during a traffic stop. The request covers possible misconduct from 2018 to 2026; a separate request about former officer Eric Klinko drew an estimated fee of nearly $196,000. The city says it must search records belonging to every current and former employee, rather than limiting the search to likely custodians. The author argues this citywide approach makes the estimate needlessly prohibitive and is designed to discourage scrutiny. The contrast is striking: Eugene recently committed $342,000 to AI-powered license plate readers, yet claims record searches are extraordinarily difficult.
The case illustrates how excessive public-records fees can obstruct journalism and shield police from accountability. The author compares Eugene’s estimate with past federal agencies’ multimillion-dollar or even hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars estimates, noting that federal rules can limit fees when agencies miss deadlines, while local protections are weaker. Oregon allows fee reductions when disclosure serves the public interest, but agencies often disregard that discretion. Double Sided Media is appealing the estimate. The author calls for fee caps, required public-interest waivers for journalists, and better search technology so agencies can respond efficiently. Without those safeguards, a nominal right to public records can become inaccessible to small newsrooms and watchdogs.
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David Chapman imagines a post-Singularity future where AI brings a surprising reprieve from disaster, focusing on what people might find meaningful rather than on technology. He argues that meaning is found in present experience, not in an imagined eternal or cosmic realm, and that searching elsewhere can obscure it. (meaningness.substack.com)
Walter Koenig, best known as Pavel Chekov on the original Star Trek series, has died aged 90. He also reprised Chekov in six films and played Alfred Bester in Babylon 5. (bbc.com)
Scottish surgeon Joseph Bell, who taught Arthur Conan Doyle at the University of Edinburgh, inspired Sherlock Holmes with his powers of observation and deduction. Medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris explores Bell’s life and influence in her new biography, Sleuth-Hound: The Case of the Real Sherlock Holmes. (arstechnica.com)
The Onion Voting Simulator 3D is a free satirical walking simulator from Onion Interactive, released on Steam on October 26, 2026. Players navigate a school gym on Election Day while resisting the temptation to stay home, with surreal obstacles including demons and Hell. (store.steampowered.com)
Neiman Marcus’s 2026 Fantasy Gifts lineup includes a Star Wars Legacy Experience. The listing presents it as a high-end Star Wars-themed offering from the luxury retailer. (neimanmarcus.com)
Unwanted political and marketing texts flood the author’s phone, while Apple’s spam filters fail to catch them. The author avoids replying STOP because it makes recipients responsible for opting out of unsolicited messages. (notes.npilk.com)
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