It wouldn’t be late December on the intarwebs without the obligatory predictions regarding the year to come from all and sundry, qualified or otherwise. The LA Times, however, got John “EDGE.org” Brockman to round up some top-rank talking heads to speak their minds on the forthcoming twelve months. The seven pundits include Steve Ballmer, Chris Anderson and Brockman himself. Their opinion? We’ll be back in control.

While the rest of the world marks time before new year’s, the space industry is keeping busy. Today saw the successful launch of the COROT space-telescope satellite atop a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur. COROT’s mission is to look closely at star systems in an attempt to locate exoplanets.

That book you wanted not on the shelf at the library, or out of stock at the store? No problem – just get one printed up while you wait, Espresso style. This technology is going to do strange things to the publishing industry – but for better or for worse?

How can you tell that podcasting has jumped the shark and gone mainstream? Because even Her Royal Majesty is down with it.

Because he’s far too modest to crow about it here, it falls to me to announce that Tobias Buckell, a co-blogger here at Futurismic, has just made a new three-book deal with Tor – congratulations, Tobias!

What’s that? You’ve not read any of his work yet? Well, I’ve read his debut novel, Crystal Rain, and I thought it was excellent. Go read the first third for free if you don’t believe me – or catch a podcast of one of his short stories over at Escape Pod. Guy’s got the skills, y’all.