Tony Spears

Directing mind.

Former courts reporter.

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

In general, anyone trying to restrict openness of the courts — e.g. through pub bans, sealing orders, limiting access to exhibits — has to show why it's necessary. There has to be a real risk to the administration of justice that's well-grounded in evidence. Otherwise, no dice.

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

The courts are presumptively open... but more often than not, the door sticks when you try to get in. When that happens, you've got to give it a good shove. Justice Applegate's decision shows you how. Anyone covering court should give it a careful read. Open courts are a right.

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Quick beat that's far from perfection... but then again, so was the election.

Music to wonder why you bother voting to. #onpoli #OntarioVotes

https://t.co/9AJr8bBZNd

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Oh for the days when Ottawa City Council was merely hilariously ineffective. Like Homer Simpson at the Springfield power plant. Tonight feels more like Homer Simpson at the Pickering plant. #OTTpoli

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

More city council because it's so easy. Highlights from Wednesday's meeting. Music that you didn't really hear. #ottnews #ottpoli https://t.co/NXry1gTw4u

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

@DukeWestlake Sampled You Again

Quick one, mostly on the SP-404A

#dukewestlakesamplechallenge2

#SP404 #SP202

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

@someMarkFarrell @JohnWing5 @DescentOfAWoman Suggest using your thumb on the E; since most of the action is taking place between the E and high C it makes sense to have your hand over all those notes from the get go. Full fingering from first C wound be 1 2 1 2 3 3 5 3 2 1 2 3 1. Don't play it too clean though!

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

@PulpLibrarian I believe that's an ARP 2600 on the album cover, for what it's worth. A real beauty.

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

@darealdibiase From the weekend. Very silly, but Rhodes, Odyssey and 404 are serious fun. https://t.co/CjhyZTjVkJ

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Absolute certainty / Rising expodentially / Absolute certainty / We face a tsunami

More Ontario press conference audio. Music to homeschool your kids to (again). https://t.co/zwsE9KPapY

#onpoli #SP404

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

More city council because it's so easy. Highlights from Wednesday's meeting. Music that you didn't really hear. #ottnews #ottpoli https://t.co/NXry1gTw4u

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Music to get back on the LRT to. Featuring highlights from Wednesday's Ottawa City Council debate. #ottnews #ottpoli

https://t.co/pdkwQOmlSE

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Quick 404 flip for the #DukeWestlakeSampleChallenge — a bit sloppy but on deadline. Wicked sample from @DukeWestlake. #SP404A #SP404

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Found myself at a strange intersection between synths, lofi hip hop production and press conference audio. A pandemic mood for a difficult April in Ontario.

https://t.co/gWt79nyUeT

#lofi #lofihiphop #lofibeats #SP404

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

When Postmedia determined two Spearses were an unaffordable luxury, he was the one they kept. Sometimes management *does* know what it's doing.

[Tom Spears @TomSpears1]

It's been 42 good years at newspapers. Bye.

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Dear IT,

My keyboard won't dock with my laptop.

In addition, I am having difficulty locating the letters H through Z, inclusive.

Pls advise.

Yours, &c.,

T

[Pulp Librarian @PulpLibrarian]

#TuesdayThoughts: is synthpop dead?

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Obituary piracy! $20 million in damages!

https://t.co/zSL9tmr5P1

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Gaze into the heart of darkness, then come to @irenespub for the spacerock sounds of @TheDantDanners. It's music to travel the cosmos to, but without the deadly gravitational pull.

Doors at 8:30 p.m., TONIGHT ONLY!!!

The event (horizon) of the year! #ottmusic #ottawa

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

The crossword is getting cheeky.

(Answer: Ottawa)

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Spoiling one’s ballot is hardly novel. But the machines are clearly not designed to handle this. May I respectfully request that @ottawavote and the rest of the people who concoct these systems try to figure something out so this doesn’t happen again?

Thank you and happy voting.

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

TIL: There is no secret ballot in #ottvote if you decide to spoil your ballot.

I chose to leave my ballot blank when voting this afternoon (save for a cheery exhortation to Do Better scrawled in Sharpie in a convenient blank space).

[Tony Spears @WaywardPressman]

Ottawa’s elections website says you have the right to decline or spoil your ballot. It does not indicate that, by spoiling your ballot, the tabulator machine will tell elections officials — and anyone who may be in earshot — how you chose to participate in the democratic process.