MrsBlue, notorious hater of movie theaters, surprised my last night by spontaneously announcing we needed to go see The Artist, the first Hollywood silent movie since, well, Silent Movie. It might seem like a lot of work for a modern audience to take in a silent flick, but the storytelling was effortless, and the movie was pretty magical. Oddly, over the past six years, I have seen exactly one best picture nominee before the Oscars every other year. Sadly, this isn't a predictor, as the ones I've seen are 50/50 at winning (Avatar lost and No Country for Old Men won).

Silent Links:	Thanks Ant and Mike Martinez and Acleacius.
Play:	Next Please. Ancient Bear.
Stories:	Daughter of 'Star Wars' creator, fighting for MMA title. Thanks scorcese.fan.
Science:	WHO calls for publication of the full details of the new avian flu virus.
Media:	Better than Skyrim: Snow shoveling first-person shooter. National Geographic Megafactories LEGO. 22 Bond Movies in One Minute.
The Funnies:	Dilbert.
Follow-up:	Does anyone else remember "Animusic?" Now in real life.... Linsanity helps end Knicks blackout on N.Y. cable.