Predictions for Second Life in 2007

I know it's still 3 weeks' until the New Year, but I wanted to get a jump on all the other predictions that are inevitably coming. So, without the aid of the next fortnight-and-a-half's knowledge, and with a lighthearted attitude, I give you:

15 Big Predictions for Second Life in 2007!!!!1

1. Second Life will surpass World of Warcraft for total users. At least, on paper.
2. Terra Nova will double their SL / WoW post ratio, bringing it up to 1:5. *grin* Additionally, there *still* will not be a legal court case involving virtual land ownership rights, further bolstering Terra Novans' casual indifference to Second Life.
3. Someone in the mainstream media, at least state-level, will quote the SL Herald in a story, and not realizing the Herald's self-proclaimed tabloid status, write something totally bogus.
4. Linden Lab will open up servers in other continents to reduce load, and *not* license their software until 2008.
5. Havok 2. ................ NOT!
6. Metaverse Development Companies explode in numbers, with lots of them lacking the talent to do it properly. Widespread outsourcing and subcontracting will occur. If we're *lucky*, we'll get compatibility with other 3-D formats and be able to hire people trained in Maya, 3DStudio, Bryce, etc.
7. At least one major MDC will fold or leave SL for unrelated projects.
8. Avatar will become the big tech buzzword of 2007, thanks in part to WoW's established popularity, Second Life's growing popularity with businesses, and the Nintendo Wii's "Mii" system.
9. Improvements in search features in SL will lead to a widespread price plummet of non-scripted items due to massive competition from all the new users. Residents will begin to realize that CopyBot isn't at all a threat to their sales, but each other. The successful brands will either have brand name recognition and/or complex scripted functionality.
10. At least one major attempt to compete with SL will arise. At best, it will be playing a game of 4-year catch-up with Second Life's feature set.
11. IMVU and Skype will both be bought by another company, most likely Google or AOL or Yahoo to be integrated with their messenger services.
12. A Second Life business (not necessarily an MDC) will be purchased by a major corporation.
13. A Second Life business (also not necessarily an MDC) will have an IPO on a legit stock market, not necessarily American.
14. Ed Castronova will speak before Congress about taxation in virtual worlds.
15. Neal Stephenson will finally utter the words "Second Life" publicly. Philip Rosedale and thousands of other fan-boys (your truly, included) will swoon.