No signs of life?

No, I'm not talking about my lack of blogging lately (busy December). I'm still referring to Roger Ebert, who has been not been heard from recently. The Academy Awards will be announced in a little over three weeks, with the ceremony to follow a month later. Ebert had claimed that he would cover the 2007 ceremony, but his quiet December makes me wonder. Writers write, and Ebert was one of the most prolific writers out there. At the very least I would have expected an occasional new "The Great Movies" or "Answer Man" column. Instead all that we have gotten is a blurb on his latest book, which was written who knows when. I'm even starting to question Ebert's availability for the film festival in April, which would be crippled without his active presence. Maybe he will emerge in January, but I would be surprised if it is not a gradual comeback, with writing first, and stuff like the review show later. And it is still not known how well he is speaking after those throat operations.