Feeling very nourished by this Pitchfork deep dive on Primus. pitchfork.com/reviews/albu...
Primus: Pork Soda
Read Sasha Geffen’s review of the album.
pitchfork.com
Richie Assaly
@rdassaly.bsky.social
Writes about music, books and politics. https://linktr.ee/richieassaly
NEW: Criminal charges against seven of the eight people who were arrested during a pro-Palestine sit-in at an MPs office last fall have been dropped. The Crown cited a “lack of public interest.”
Crown Drops Nearly All Charges from Pro-Palestine Sit-in at MP Bardeesy’s Office
Nine months after being arrested at a protest supporting the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza, charges against seven of the eight defendants have been dropped entirely. The case again raises questions about…
thegrindmag.ca
Chris Alexander used fabricated evidence to accuse journalist David Pugliese of being a Russian spy. Ten years earlier, he made international headlines for his blatantly Islamophobic policy efforts as Stephen Harper’s immigration minister.
The Grind is being sued for defamation. We intend to defending our reporting. We need your support to be able to fight this case and to continue publishing essential journalism in Toronto. See the full announcement for more info.
The Grind Is Being Sued By an IDF Reservist Soldier
This defamation case could sink one of the only publications closely covering the Palestine solidarity movement in Toronto and the repression it has faced. We need your help…
thegrindmag.ca
Whoever called The Odyssey Nolan’s first “spear and cry” film was unfortunately spot on
Independence isn’t the only question Albertans will be voting on this fall. The Oct. 19 ballot will also include five questions centred on immigration that critics say have been designed to demonize newcomers and immigrants by painting them as a threat to prosperity. forwardweekly.ca/referendum-n...
Alberta’s Referendum Puts Newcomers in the Crosshairs | By Richie Assaly
Forward Weekly feature for July 26, 2026.
forwardweekly.ca
Putting SUDDENLY lower than HONEY is CRIMINAL
Exclaim!@exclaimdotca.bsky.social · 2w agoAll of Dan Snaith's Albums Ranked from Worst to Best, Including Caribou and Daphni
The upcoming Alberta referendum will include questions about immigration that critics say are misleading and clearly designed to scapegoat newcomers and refugees. If they pass, this will mark a massive victory for separatists. My latest for @forwardcanada.bsky.social
Alberta’s Referendum Puts Newcomers in the Crosshairs | By Richie Assaly
Forward Weekly feature for July 26, 2026.
forwardweekly.ca
Take some time to read this if you haven’t yet, or bookmark it for later
Gaza and the Problem of Moral Stupidity • EQUATOR
Forty years after Edward Said demanded ‘permission to narrate’, the truth from Palestine has never been more widely known. And yet the annihilation continues.
equator.org
hello friends! in a week's time i'll be launching my first book, A Nation of Tinkerers: A History of Electronic Music in Canada from 1945 to 1985, at Osler Records right here in toronto. i'd love to see you there!
The Israeli military has killed 568 soccer players, coaches and officials since Oct. 2023. Meanwhile, six clubs in the Israeli Football Association are based in illegal West Bank settlements. Organizers are calling out FIFA's hypocrisy and inaction.
Behind the Scenes of Toronto’s Palestinian Football Exhibition
The Palestinian Youth Movement’s exhibit brought athletes, artists, and community members together to celebrate cultural identity and a shared love of football…
thegrindmag.ca
Forget Ossington or Dundas West, all the cool kids are hanging out in York this summer. New in The Grind, a handy guide for eating and drinking your way through Oakwood Village, via @bodybuzzrecs.bsky.social @thegrindto.bsky.social
Hot York Summer: A Food Tour
Eat your way through Oakwood Village, an under-appreciated food destination jammed with unique eateries and bars, plus a sprawling ravine to relax in when it’s time to digest…
thegrindmag.ca
Helped produce this interview with Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi. Lotta interesting stuff in here, give it a listen
Forward Canada@forwardcanada.bsky.social · 2w agoWatch this week’s Forward Weekly special feature — a wide-ranging video conversation with the Alberta NDP Leader. www.youtube.com/watch?v=t15n... #abpoli #cdnpoli #ableg
The summer is in full swing, with dozens of festivals, outdoor shows and screenings taking place between now and Labour Day weekend. Make the most of your summer with our handy guide to the city's best and most exciting events.
Your Guide to Toronto’s Hottest Summer Yet
The biggest, best festivals and outdoor shows happening each weekend of the summer until Labour Day, including lots of free events!
thegrindmag.ca
Ten years after Honest Ed’s closed, its scrappy neighbour PRICE WAR is calling it quits. Sad times
Ontario's jails are using an artificial intelligence tool that disproportionately places Black prisoners in maximum security The government anticipated its tool AI would produce biased outcomes, but used it anyway My latest @breachmedia.ca investigation breachmedia.ca/black-prison...
Black prisoners are assigned harsher living conditions in Ontario jails—thanks to AI ⋆ The Breach
Ontario jails are using a program that claims it can predict prisoners’ behaviour, disproportionately putting Black prisoners in higher-security facilities
breachmedia.ca
As the country burns, Carney writes a $2 billion cheque for a subsidiary of an American-owned military company to build 190 armoured combat vehicles.
Mark Carney names Ontario defence company as strategic partner, awards nearly $2B contract
The new contract will see the firm’s facility in London churn out 190 armoured combat support vehicles over four years, the prime minister said.
thestar.com
Reviewed the phenomenal new record from Kelala, one of pop’s most exhilarating experimentalists. @exclaimdotca.bsky.social
Kelela's 'new avatar' Offers a Glimpse of Another World │ Exclaim!
Your daily dose of the best music, film and comedy news, reviews, streams, concert listings, interviews and other exclusives on Exclaim!
exclaim.ca
Reviewed the phenomenal new record from Kelala, one of pop’s most exhilarating experimentalists. @exclaimdotca.bsky.social
Kelela's 'new avatar' Offers a Glimpse of Another World │ Exclaim!
Your daily dose of the best music, film and comedy news, reviews, streams, concert listings, interviews and other exclusives on Exclaim!
exclaim.ca
For the Toronto Star, I spoke to some record shop owners “the second vinyl revival,” a trend largely driven by young people who are tired of streaming. “We’re definitely seeing a technological backlash taking place,” one owner told me.
Toronto's best record stores? Sonic Boom, Play De Record, Kops and Rotate This all make our list
Sonic Boom, Play De Record, Kops and Rotate This all make our list. Plus, seven others worth browsing.
thestar.com
Toronto is best understood by the people who truly love the neighbourhoods, the food and the culture that make up this giant city. Richie is one of those people and you should read this.
Richie Assaly@rdassaly.bsky.social · 4w agoToronto's best Nepali food is at Lali Gurans, a mom-and-pop restaurant and community hub in Parkdale. I went behind the scenes for the @westendphoenix.bsky.social
Toronto's best Nepali food is at Lali Gurans, a mom-and-pop restaurant and community hub in Parkdale. I went behind the scenes for the @westendphoenix.bsky.social
Today’s Special: Samay Baji — West End Phoenix
Parkdale’s Lali Gurans serves up hard-to-find Nepali and Newari favourites with a side of pop from the house band.
westendphoenix.com
Also killed two boys, 8 and 10, and their taxi driver
Erin Cunningham@erinmcunningham.bsky.social · 4w agoAn Israeli strike in Gaza just before the kickoff of the Egypt-Argentina World Cup match killed a top Palestinian aid official who helped organize public screenings of the game across the enclave. apnews.com/article/gaza...