LightSpell may never be lit. The interactive $1.9-million art installation at the new Pioneer Village subway station was subject to some debate at the latest TTC board meeting. German artists Jan and Tim Elder continue to balk at requests to censor what people write on the massive, eight-letter display. The Elders were on board with an earlier suggestion that the station's fare collector have veto power, but that won’t happen, because the station was built without a fare collector booth. So there's a possibility the installation will stay this way forever:

Former Scarborough shopping mall Santa is alleged Gay Village killer. Bruce McArthur made his first court appearance after being charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Selim Esen and Andrew Kinsman. Police believe there may be other victims. The arrest sparked the standard probe of digital detritus to learn more about who McArthur is. Recent history included photos of him dressed for what appears to be a seasonal gig at Agincourt Mall.

Some lukewarm takes on whether Toronto can get Amazon HQ2. Mayor John Tory is pleased that the GTA “made the playoffs." True believers think Toronto may benefit from the fact that Amazon wants to give the finger to Donald Trump, but skeptics think the rent is too damn high. (Paddy Power gives the best odds to Atlanta, Austin and Boston.) The exercise also showed the degree to which other cities are willing to embarrass themselves—and not all are ready to stop:

Bill Cosby’s retrial prosecutors are seeking #MeToo momentum. A second try at convicting Bill Cosby for sexually assaulting Toronto resident Andrea Constand will feature the voices of 19 other accusers—that is, if the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania D.A. gets its way. Speculation about how the cultural climate has shifted since last June’s retrial has factored into the coverage. After inviting members of the press to dinner in Philadelphia and shaking a reporter’s hand, Cosby attempted a timely joke: "Please don't put me on #MeToo."

Vanity Fair wonders if Vice outran its scandal only to pratfall in the marketplace. Sexual assault allegations that led to investigations and suspensions at Vice Media have sparked some pondering in the industry about whether the brand will be too toxic for sponsors like BMO, who are trying to promote women in the workplace. But a piece from Joe Pompeo guesses that the “rowdy and illicit” cachet of the company means it will escape with its reputation intact. It still remains to be seen whether Vice's $5.7-billion valuation can survive the shifting sands of content consumption.

Barenaked Ladies enter their middle-age era of awkward reunion rumours. When former mayor June Rowlands died on December 21, what came to mind for many was how she banned BNL from Nathan Phillips Square—even though her family wants it known that she wasn’t entirely responsible. Nonetheless, it'll come up again when the band is inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. “It’s a delicate thing to address,” Ed Robertson said about the prospect of performing again with Steven Page. (For now, the framing is reminiscent of that time Brian Wilson struggled to make a comeback as a solo act 30 years ago, while the rest of the Beach Boys topped the charts with “Kokomo.”)

Student government sounds like no fun now. Perspective on what it’s like these days is provided by a former Ryerson Students’ Union vice-president who recently quit her job. Lauren Emberson felt exasperated by the Facebook tags and comment threads. Combative student politicians would share her location amidst physical threats.

Word of the moment

DANFORTH OF THE NORTH

A hoped-for future appellation for the stretch of Yonge between Sheppard and Finch, whose future is currently up for debate.




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