2008 Fun Facts and Trivia

Gregory DeVictor is a trivia enthusiast who loves to write articles on American nostalgia.

Why Was the Year 2008 so Special?

What are some fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the year 2008? What were the top news stories in the U.S. and around the world? What happened in the business and financial sectors, in science, technology, sports, the entertainment industry, and in everyday life? What about famous birthdays, marriages, and deaths that year?

1. The U.S. economy faced the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The mortgage market collapsed, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 33.8% of its value.
2. General Motors and Ford Motor Company both reported record losses, and Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy.
3. Citigroup—the nation’s largest bank—reported a fourth-quarter loss for 2007 that approached $10 billion.
4. Bank of America took over Countrywide Financial, the nation’s largest mortgage lender.
5. Property prices continued to fall in both the U.S. and Europe causing hardship for both homeowners and financial institutions.
6. President Bush and Congress agreed upon a $150 billion economic stimulus package that gave most tax filers refunds of $600 to $1,200.
7. Barack Obama was elected president of the United States by defeating Republican John McCain.
8. Democrats increased their majority in the House and picked up five seats in the Senate.
9. Eliot Spitzer—the governor of New York—was forced out of office because of a sex scandal.
10. NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander found “proof” of water on Mars, and the Interior Department listed polar bears as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.
11. Back in the year 2008, Google released the first “public version” of the Chrome web browser.
12. Over 7,000 Starbucks locations took a three-hour coffee break for employee training.
13. Life expectancy in the U.S. fell slightly to 77.8 years, the first drop since 2004. The United States was also the 18th most obese nation.
14. The best colleges in the nation included Princeton, California Institute of Technology, Harvard, Swarthmore, Williams, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
15. The most popular feature films were The Dark Knight, Role Models, Mamma Mia!, Twilight, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and The House Bunny.
16. Dangerous Laughter by Steven Millhauser was a bestselling book, and American Idol (FOX) was the most popular television show.
17. The most popular song was Low by Flo Rida with T-Pain.
18. Inflation was 3.84%, unemployment hovered around 5.8%, and the retail price for a gallon of gas averaged $3.39.
19. Milk was $3.99 a gallon, eggs were $2.29 a dozen, and a five-pound bag of Yukon Gold potatoes cost $3.99.
20. The New York Giants were the Super Bowl champs, the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series, and the Detroit Red Wings were the Stanley Cup Champs.

Here are the five most popular TV shows from 2008-09:

1. American Idol - Wednesday (FOX)
2. American Idol - Tuesday (FOX)
3. Dancing With the Stars - Monday (ABC)
4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)
5. NCIS (CBS)

Here are ten cool food and beverage trends for the year:

1. Bacon
2. Brown butter pasta
3. Creme brûlée
4. Cupcakes
5. Fruit smoothies
6. Giant hunks of meat that were influenced by the Atkins diet.
7. Goat cheese
8. Recession dining - In 2008, consumers cut back on “small luxuries” like eating out because of the housing bubble, credit crisis, and high gas prices. As a result, over 600 Starbucks locations closed and casual-dining chains like Bennigans and Steak & Ale filed for bankruptcy.
9. Sliders or mini burgers - There were pizza sliders, chicken ‘n biscuits sliders, ham and cheese sliders, Brussels sprouts sliders, and Eggo breakfast sliders.
10. Whole grain products

This article teaches you fun facts, trivia, and historical events from the year 2008. Find out about popular TV shows, movies, music, books, foods, sports facts, famous birthdays, and other cool pop culture trends to get the right mix of questions and answers for your 2000s-themed trivia quiz.

Table of Contents

For easier reading and referencing, I have divided this article into the following categories:

1. Retail Prices in the Year 2008
2. The Financial Crisis of 2008
3. History Facts From the USA and World
4. Sports Trivia
5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends
6. Nobel Prize Winners
7. Most Popular Television Shows From 2008-09
8. Best-Selling Books
9. Highest-Grossing Films
10. Academy Award Winners
11. Entries Into the National Film Registry
12. Cool Pop Music Artists
13. Number One Music Hits for the Year
14. Favorite Christmas Gifts
15. Food and Beverage Trivia
16. Famous People Who Died in 2008
17. America’s Largest Companies
18. Companies and Brands Launched

1. Retail Prices in the Year 2008

These facts from the American retail industry have been made available courtesy of the Morris County Library in Whippany, NJ:

Automobiles (new):

1. Chevrolet Trailblazer: $25,705.00
2. Hyundai Accent GS: $14,090.00
3. Toyota Camry: $17,499.00

Automobiles (used):

1. 2006 Ford Explorer: $19,995.00
2. 2005 Chevrolet Malibu LS: $13,495.00
3. 2004 Hyundai Elantra: $8,000.00

Clothing:

1. Athletic shoes (New Balance): $39.99-$60.00 a pair
2. Girls’ sun dress: $7.00-$22.00 each
3. Junior’s capris (Union Bay): $19.99-$34.00 a pair
4. Junior’s shorts (Soffe): $6.99-$7.99 pair
5. Men’s pants (Dockers, casual): $24.99-$40.00 a pair
6. Men’s dress shirt (Arrow): $18.00-$46.00 each
7. Men’s polo sport shirt (Izod): $24.99-$38.00 each
8. Misses summer tops: $12.99-$29.00 each

Food and beverages:

1. Apples (McIntosh): $1.99 a pound
2. Bananas: 59 cents a pound
3. Beef (ground, 90%): $3.99 a pound
4. Bread (sliced white): $1.69 for a one-pound loaf
5. Broccoli crowns: $1.99 a pound
6. Butter (Land O’ Lakes): $4.59 a pound
7. Cantaloupes: Two for $5.00
8. Cereal (Cheerios): $3.99 for a 25-ounce box
9. Chicken (Purdue, cut up fryers): $1.20 a pound
10. Cookies (Oreo): $4.29 for an 18-ounce package
11. Corn (Green Giant): $1.19 for a 15-ounce can
12. Crackers (Ritz): $3.59 for a 12-ounce package
13. Eggs: $2.29 a dozen
14. Frankfurters (Oscar Mayer): $4.59 for a 16-ounce package
15. Grapes (seedless): $2.49 a pound
16. Juice (Hawaiian Punch): $1.99 for a 64-ounce bottle
17. Mayonnaise (Hellmann’s): $4.69 for a 30-ounce jar
18. Milk: $3.99 a gallon
19. Onions (yellow): Three pounds for 99 cents
20. Oranges (California): 99 cents each
21. Peanut butter (Skippy): $2.49 for a 16.3-ounce jar
22. Potatoes (Yukon Gold): Five pounds for $3.99
23. Rice (Minute): $4.49 for a 28-ounce box
24. Soda (Pepsi): $1.69 for a two-liter bottle
25. Soup (Campbell’s, tomato): $1.29 for a 10.75-ounce can
26. SPAM: $2.79 for a 12-ounce tin
27. Tomatoes (Hunt’s, canned): $1.89 for a 28-ounce can
28. Tuna (Bumble Bee): $1.49 for a six-ounce can
29. Watermelons (seedless): $7.99 apiece

Household goods:

1. Blender (Oster, 10-speed): $19.99
2. Coffee maker (Farberware): $39.99
3. Dinnerware (Mikasa, 45-piece set): $199.00-$400.00
4. Dishwasher (Whirlpool): $349.00
5. Laundry detergent (Arm & Hammer): $7.99 for an 80-ounce jug
6. Living room set (five pieces): $748.00-$798.00
7. Microwave oven (Emerson, nine cubic feet): $59.99
8. Range (Frigidaire, gas): $549.99
9. Refrigerator (General Electric, 25.6 cubic feet, side-by-side): $1,799.99
10. Towel (Oxford, bath): $4.99 each
11. Vacuum cleaner (Hoover, bagless): $69.99-$74.99
12. Washing machine (Maytag, 32 cubic feet): $499.99

Lawn and garden:

1. Chain saw (Stihl): $319.95
2. Grill (Kenmore, gas): $119.99-$149.98
3. Lawn mower (Honda): $729.00
4. Patio set (five-piece, aluminum with cushions): $449.99

Personal care and health:

1. Deodorant (Gillette): $7.99 for an 11.7-ounce package
2. Hair color (Nice ‘N Easy): $5.99 each
3. Mouthwash (Listerine): $4.99 for a 1.5-milliliter bottle
4. Pain reliever (Advil): $12.99 for a 200-count bottle
5. Razors (Gillette, disposable): $5.99 per three-pack
6. Shampoo (Pantene): $6.00 for a 25.4-ounce bottle
7. Toothbrush (Colgate): $3.49 apiece
8. Toothpaste (Crest): $2.50 for a 6.2-ounce tube
9. Vitamins (Centrum, multivitamins): $7.99 for a 100-count bottle

Recreation and amusements:

1. Backpack (JanSport): $29.99-$49.99 each
2. Bicycle (Schwinn, adult): $198.00
3. Blu-ray (player): $399.99
4. Blu-ray (movies): $29.99 each
5. Camcorder (Sony, 40GB): $999.99
6. Camera (Sony, 10 megapixel): $399.00
7. Computer (Hewlett Packard, laptop, 3GB): $899.99
8. DVD player (Samsung): $99.99
9. DVDs (movies): $12.99-$19.99 apiece
10. Golf balls (Callaway): $39.99 a dozen
11. Golf clubs (Wilson): $159.00-$189.00 a set
12. iPod (4GB): $149.99
13. Luggage (American Tourister, four-piece set): $89.99
14. Sidewalk chalk (Crayola): $1.99-$2.49 per 20-count box
15. Swim membership (Lake Hiawatha Swim Club): $179.00 per adult
16. Telephone (Verizon LG Dare): $199.99
17. Television (Samsung, 50″ LCD HDTV): $2,499.99-$2,999.99
18. XBox 360 game system: $279.99
19. XBox games: $49.99 apiece

2. The Financial Crisis of 2008

In 2008, the global economy faced its most dangerous monetary crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The financial meltdown began in 2007 with a downturn in U.S. and European real estate markets. Housing prices plummeted from Seattle to Dublin as homeowners fell behind on their mortgage payments and owed lenders more than their homes were worth. Money.CNN.com points out that in October 2008, nearly 85,000 people in the U.S. lost their homes to foreclosure, “adding vacant inventory to an already overburdened market.”

The root cause of the 2007-08 mortgage crisis was subprime or “second-chance” lending. Subprime lending means making loans to people who might have difficulty in maintaining a lender’s repayment schedule. TheBalance.com tells us that “Borrowers got into high-risk mortgages such as option-ARMs, and they qualified for mortgages with little or no documentation. Even people with bad credit could qualify as subprime borrowers.”

The monetary crisis quickly spread to the entire U.S. financial sector. Joel Havemann reveals that casualties in the United States included the largest mortgage lender, government-sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the entire investment banking industry, two of the largest commercial banks, the largest savings and loan, the biggest insurance company, and the auto industry.

CBSNews.com tells us that General Motors, the nation’s biggest automaker, lost $30.9 billion in 2008. That was “nearly $85 million a day, or more than $3,700 on every vehicle it sold in 2008.” Likewise, Ford Motor Company suffered a $14.6 billion loss in 2008, “the worst annual result in its 105-year history.”

The monetary crisis also left a sea of red ink in overseas financial markets. ForeignAffairs.com explains that “Thanks to the deep integration of global banking, securities, and funding markets, the contagion quickly spread to major financial institutions around the world. By late 2008, banks in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States were all facing existential crises. Many had already collapsed, and many others would before long.”

In 2008, global stock prices plunged to record lows and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 33.8% of its value. By the end of the year, the Great Recession had enveloped the entire globe.

3. History Facts From the USA and World

1. The average cost of new home was $238,880.00.
2. The average yearly income was $40,523.00.
3. The average monthly house rent was $800.00.
4. The average new car cost $27,958.00.
5. A gallon of gas cost $3.39.
6. The Consumer Price Index was $215.3.
7. Unemployment averaged 5.8%.
8. The minimum wage was $6.55.
9. The Federal Reserve reduced the benchmark interest rate to 2.25%.
10. Inflation was 3.84%. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, prices in 2017 were 13.85% higher than those in 2008. The dollar experienced an average inflation rate of 1.45% per year during this time period. In other words, $100 in 2008 was equivalent in purchasing power to $113.85 in 2017, a difference of $13.85 over 9 years.
11. Throughout 2008, property prices continued to fall in both the U.S. and Europe causing hardship for both homeowners and financial institutions.
12. In January, Bank of America took over Countrywide Financial, the nation’s biggest mortgage lender.
13. In January, Citigroup, the nation’s largest bank, reported a fourth-quarter loss for 2007 that approached $10 billion. Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit blamed the company's grim results on “subprime exposure in the company's fixed-income business, a surge in credit costs in its U.S. consumer loan portfolio and the staggering $18.1 billion writedown on its subprime-related exposure.”
14. In January, President Bush and congressional leaders agreed upon a $150 billion economic stimulus package that gave most tax filers refunds of $600 to $1,200, and even more for those with children. According to Minnesota Public Radio, individuals who paid income taxes received up to $600, working couples got up to $1,200, and those with children received an additional $300 per child. Workers who made at least $3,000 but didn’t pay taxes got $300 rebates.
15. January 21 was “Black Monday” on worldwide stock markets. The Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index tumbled 323.5 points, European stocks suffered their worst losses since 9/11, and Asian stocks also fell into a sea of red. Telegraph.co.uk points out that the worldwide rout began after George W. Bush's rescue package for the ailing U.S. economy “failed to convince investors” when it was unveiled late on the previous Friday (January 18).
16. In January, oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time in history.
17. In February, tornadoes swept through Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Alabama.
18. In February, Fidel Castro stepped down as President of Cuba after nearly 50 years in power.
19. In February, the UK experienced the largest earthquake in almost 25 years. According to Telegraph.co.uk, “Tremors were felt in areas including Merseyside, Birmingham, Leicestershire, Bedfordshire, Northampton, Norfolk, Surrey and Greater London. . . . Its epicentre was 15 miles north of Lincoln, near Market Rasen, and the British Geological Survey reported the earthquake as measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale--the largest in Britain since 1984.”
20. In February, the cost of a first-class stamp increased to 42 cents.
21. In February, the USDA ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of beef from a California slaughterhouse.
22. In March, the price of gold on the New York Mercantile Exchange hit $1,000.00 an ounce for the first time.
23. In April, the United States Air Force retired the F-117 Nighthawk.
24. In May, California became the second U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage. In 2004, Massachusetts legalized same-sex unions.
25. In May, Senator Edward Kennedy, a Democrat from Massachusetts who had been in office since 1963, was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
26. In May, the Interior Department listed polar bears as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. The WashingtonPost.com confirmed that “the loss of Arctic sea ice in a warming climate” could potentially drive polar bears “to the brink of extinction in less than four decades.”
27. In June, NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander found “proof” of water on Mars.
28. In July, the price of oil hit $147 a barrel.
29. In July, Belgian-based brewer InBev acquired Anheuser-Busch and created Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewing company. The newly-formed brewer had over 200 brands worldwide, including Bass, Beck’s, Budweiser, Busch, Carona, Labarr, Lowenbrau, Michelob, Rolling Rock, St. Pauli Girl, Stella Artois, and Whitbread.
30. In August, the 29th Summer Olympics opened in Beijing, China.
31. In September, Senator John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination.
32. In September, Lehman Brothers, one of the long-term champions on Wall Street, filed for bankruptcy. According to Money.CNN.com, “Bank of America refused to rescue the 158-year-old Wall Street firm without support from Uncle Sam. The British government wouldn't let Barclays (BCS) buy Lehman Brothers and its toxic balance sheet. And Washington decided against another politically unpopular bailout. So Lehman Brothers was allowed to fail. At 1:45 a.m. on Monday, September 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.”
33. In September, the sea got a lot quieter as the U.S. Navy agreed “to limit its use of sonar and other activities that unintentionally harm cetaceans and other marine mammals.”
34. In October, The Yellow River Conservancy Committee reported that one-third of northern China’s Yellow River was heavily polluted by industrial waste, and was unsafe for drinking, farming, or fishing.
35. In November, Barack Obama was elected President of the United States by defeating John McCain. Obama won 338 electoral votes to McCain's 161. He also became the first African American to be elected President.
36. In the 2008 election, Democrats increased their majority in the House and picked up five seats in the Senate.
37. In December, Google released the first “public version” of the Chrome web browser.
38. Another news highlight of 2008 was the Eliot Spitzer scandal. According to Telegraph.co.uk, “The governor of New York was forced out after it was revealed that he had paid $4,000 a session to a prostitute with an elite service that was under police investigation. A rising star of the Democratic Party, the shock was all the greater because Spitzer had cultivated an image as a corruption-buster.”

4. Sports Trivia

This information has been made available courtesy of Pop-Culture.us. Generally suitable for all age groups, sports questions and answers are a welcome addition to any trivia quiz.

1. Kentucky Derby: Big Brown
2. NBA Champions: Boston Celtics
3. NCAA Basketball Champions: Kansas
4. NCAA Football Champions: Florida
5. Stanley Cup Champs: Detroit Red Wings
6. Super Bowl Champions: New York Giants
7. U.S. Open Golf: Tiger Woods
8. U.S. Tennis (men/women): Roger Federer and Serena Williams
9. Wimbledon (men/women): Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams
10. World Series Champions: Philadelphia Phillies

5. Miscellaneous Fun Facts, Trivia, and Pop Culture Trends

PBS.org explains that pop culture is that loose blend of books, music, fashion and other daily ephemera that contributes to the identity of a society at a particular point in time. In the 2000s, radio, film, television, books, and the internet defined the essence of American pop culture.

1. The United Nations designated 2008 as the International Year of the Potato. FAO.org tells us that the potato “is an herbaceous annual that grows up to 100 cm (40 inches) tall and produces a tuber--also called potato--so rich in starch that it ranks as the world's fourth most important food crop, after maize, wheat and rice.”
2. In 2008, it took about two hours of labor to produce 100 bushels of wheat.
3. The price of a movie ticket was $7.00.
4. The most popular song was Low by Flo Rida with T-Pain.
5. The most popular feature films were The Dark Knight, Role Models, Mamma Mia!, Twilight, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and The House Bunny.
6. Since 2008, over $44 billion has been spent on gift cards that were never used.
7. The United States was the 18th most obese country.
8. In 2008, life expectancy at birth fell slightly to 77.8 years, the first drop since 2004. According to the CDC, “women were expected to live 80.3 years and men 75.3 years.” Reuters.com adds that “a baby born in 2008 could expect to live about one month less than one born in 2007, falling from a record high of 77.9 years in 2007.”
9. Popular baby names were Aiden, Jayden, Ethan, Jacob, Emma, Sophia, Madison, and Isabella.
10. The best colleges in the nation included Princeton, California Institute of Technology, Harvard, Swarthmore, Williams, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
11. New Zealand research scientists created a tear-free onion.
12. In February, over 7,000 Starbucks locations in the U.S. took a three-hour coffee break for employee training. According to NBCNews.com, the shutdown was spearheaded by Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz, who had recently regained control of the company amid concerns that it was losing its edge and facing increased competition from McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts.
13. In February, Microsoft released Windows Server 2008.
14. In February, Microsoft also released the WorldWide Telescope (WWT), an application for “viewing astronomical data.”
15. In March, Hulu was launched. Owned by NBC, it was the first video streaming service.
16. In March, DirecTV launched the DXI satellite.
17. In April, the last livestock auctions took place at the South St. Paul Stockyards as 2,500 head of cattle were brought by sellers who came “to witness the final hours of South St. Paul's 122-year stockyard history.” According to the StarTribune.com, “South St. Paul once was among the world's leading livestock centers, where millions of cattle, hogs, sheep and goats were sold in the stockyards and two major meatpackers--Armour and Swift--employed thousands of workers.”
18. In April, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a law that required chain restaurants with 20 or more California locations to post nutrition information on their menus.
19. In April, the musical A Catered Affair opened on Broadway.
20. In June, Apple released the iPhone 3G.
21. In June, Folgers Coffee was acquired by the J.M. Smucker Company from Procter & Gamble. (J.M. Smucker is the maker of jams and jellies.)
22. In July, MillerCoors began to operate as a single entity.
23. In July, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California signed legislation that banned trans fats in both restaurants and retail food establishments. The law officially went into effect on January 1, 2010.
24. In August, Apple introduced its latest line of iMac computers.
25. In September, actor, director, and race car driver Paul Newman passed away. In 1982, Newman and author A.E. Hotchner co-founded “Newman's Own,” a food company that manufactured salad dressing, pasta sauce, popcorn, salsa, frozen pizza, lemonade, and grape juice.
26. In October, Mars Inc., the manufacturer of M&M’s, completed its acquisition of chewing gum maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.
27. In October, Adobe Photoshop CS4 (11.0) was released.
28. In October, The Secret Life of Bees opened in U.S. theatres.
29. Irv Robbins, the co-founder of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream chain, passed away. The first Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor opened in 1946 in Glendale, California.
30. J.R. Simplot also died. In 1929, he started the J.R. Simplot Company that specialized in potato, onion, and fertilizer products. By 2005, the company supplied more than half of McDonald's French fries.
31. Wilbur Hardee passed away. He launched the Hardee’s fast-food restaurant chain in 1960.
32. Japanese-born American entrepreneur Rocky Aoki also died. He founded the popular Benihana Japanese Steakhouse chain in 1964.
33. Sidney Craig passed away. With his wife Jenny, he started the Jenny Craig chain of weight management centers in 1983.
34. Al Copeland also died. He founded the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant chain in 1972.
35. Herb Peterson, the creator of McDonald's Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwich in 1972, passed away.
36. Robert Mondavi also died. He helped to establish California wines as among the best in the world.
37. The movie Beer for My Horses opened in U.S. theatres.

6. Nobel Prize Winners

This information has been made available courtesy of InfoPlease.com.

1. Peace: Martti Ahtisaari (former President of Finland)
2. Physics: Yoichiro Nambu (United States)
3. Medicine: Harald zur Hausen (Germany), Françoise Barré-Sinoussi (France), and Luc Montagnier (France)
4. Chemistry: Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, and Roger Tsien (all from the United States)
5. Literature: Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio (France)
6. Economics: Paul Krugman (United States)

7. Most Popular Television Shows From 2008-09

This TV trivia has been made available courtesy of Nielsen Media Research.

1. American Idol (Wednesday) (FOX)
2. American Idol (Tuesday) (FOX)
3. Dancing With the Stars (Monday) (ABC)
4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)
5. NCIS (CBS)
6. The Mentalist (CBS)
7. Dancing With the Stars (Tuesday) (ABC)
8. Sunday Night Football (NBC)
9. Desperate Housewives (ABC)
10. Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
    

8. Best-Selling Books

This book trivia has been made available courtesy of PublishersWeekly.com:

Fiction:

1. Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
2. The Last Patriot by Brad Thor
3. Sail by James Patterson and Howard Roughan
4. Tailspin by Catherine Coulter
5. The Host by Stephanie Meyer
6. Rogue by Danielle Steel
7. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
8. Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais
9. Death Angel by Linda Howard
10. Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin

Nonfiction:

1. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow
2. Dewey by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
3. Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten
4. Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass
5. A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity by Bill O'Reilly
6. The Snowball by Alice Schroeder
7. The Purpose of Christmas by Rick Warren
8. Against Medical Advice by James Patterson and Hal Friedman
9. American Journey of Barack Obama by The Editors of Life
10. Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman

9. Highest-Grossing Films

This movie news has been made available courtesy of BoxOfficeMojo.com:

1. The Dark Knight
2. Iron Man
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4. Hancock
5. WALL-E
6. Kung Fu Panda
7. Twilight
8. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
9. Quantum of Solace
10. Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!

10. Academy Award Winners

These fun facts have been made available courtesy of BoxOfficeMojo.com.

1. Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2. Best Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
3. Best Actor: Sean Penn (Milk)
4. Best Actress: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
5. Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
6. Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
7. Best Original Screenplay: Milk
8. Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
9. Best Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
10. Best Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
11. Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
12. Best Costume Design: The Duchess
13. Best Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
14. Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
15. Best Sound: Slumdog Millionaire
16. Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
17. Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
18. Best Original Song: Slumdog Millionaire
19. Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
20. Best Foreign Language Picture: Departures (Japan)
21. Best Documentary - Feature: Man on Wire
22. Best Documentary - Short Subject: Smile Pinki
23. Best Animated Short: La Maison En Petits Cubes
24. Best Live Action Short: Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Alicia Keys: No One

11. Entries Into the National Film Registry

This film trivia has been made available courtesy of the Library of Congress.

1. A Face in the Crowd (1957)
2. Deliverance (1972)
3. Disneyland Dream (1956)
4. Flower Drum Song (1961)
5. Foolish Wives (1922)
6. Free Radicals (1979)
7. George Stevens’ World War II Footage (1943/1946)
8. Hallelujah! (1929)
9. In Cold Blood (1967)
10. Johnny Guitar (1954)
11. No Lies (1973)
12. On the Bowery (1957)
13. One Week (1920)
14. Sergeant York (1941)
15. So’s Your Old Man (1926)
16. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
17. The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
18. The Invisible Man (1933)
19. The Killers (1946)
20. The March (1964)
21. The Pawnbroker (1965)
22. The Perils of Pauline (1914)
23. The Terminator (1984)
24. Water and Power (1989)
25. White Fawn’s Devotion (1910)

12. Cool Pop Music Artists

This information has been made available courtesy of Pop-Culture.us. Generally suitable for all age groups, music trivia questions and answers are a welcome addition to any party game.

Favorite pop artists for the year include AC/DC, Adele, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Jonas Brothers, Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney, Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne, Mariah Carey, Metallica, Pink, Rihanna, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, and T.I.

13. Number One Music Hits for the Year

This music trivia has been made available courtesy of Pop-Culture.us:

1. December 1, 2007 - January 4, 2008: Alicia Keys, No One
2. January 5 - March 14: Flo Rida featuring T-Pain, Low
3. March 15 - April 4: Usher featuring Young Jeezy, Love in This Club
4. April 5 - April 11: Leona Lewis, Bleeding Love
5. April 12 - May 2: Mariah Carey, Touch My Body
6. May 3 - May 23: Lil Wayne featuring Static Major, Lollipop
7. May 24 - June 27: Rihanna, Take a Bow
8. June 28 - July 4: Coldplay, Viva la Vida
9. July 5 - August 22: Katy Perry, I Kissed a Girl
10. August 23 - September 5: Rihanna, Disturbia
11. September 6 - September 26: T.I., Whatever You Like
12. September 27 - October 17: Pink, So What
13. October 18 - October 24: T.I. featuring Rihanna, Live Your Life
14. October 25 - December 12: Britney Spears, Womanizer
15. December 13, 2008 - January 16, 2009: Beyoncé, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)

14. Favorite Christmas Gifts

1. Air Hogs Havoc Heli Laser Battle
2. Call of Duty: World at War
3. Grand Theft Auto IV
4. Kota Triceratops
5. Lego City
6. Lego Mindstorms NXT
7. Littlest Pet Shop
8. Mario Kart Wii
9. Monopoly: Here and Now Edition
10. Ripstik Caster Board

15. Food and Beverage Trivia

Here are some popular foods and beverages from 2008:

1. Bacon
2. Brown butter pasta
3. Caffeinated foods - Examples include sunflower seeds, potato chips, and candies.
4. Creme brûlée - A dessert made from heavy cream, vanilla beans, vanilla sugar, egg yolks, and hot water.
5. Cupcakes
6. Fruit smoothies - How about Martha Stewart’s “hearty fruit and oat smoothie” or her “mango and yogurt smoothie?”
7. Giant hunks of meat that were influenced by the Atkins diet.
8. Goat cheese - According to CookingLight.com, “goat cheese is a simple, creamy ingredient that can make just about anything taste that much better. Made from goat's milk rather than cow's, it's a little bit lower in fat and calories than other traditional cheese, but still provides that slightly tangy flavor to liven up any dish.”
9. Mex-Italian - How about pizza with Oaxaca cheese or tortilla soup and bruschetta?
10. Recession dining - In 2008, consumers cut back on “small luxuries” like eating out because of the housing bubble, credit crisis, and high gas prices. As a result, over 600 Starbucks locations closed and casual-dining chains like Bennigans and Steak & Ale filed for bankruptcy.
11. Sliders or mini burgers - There were pizza sliders, chicken ‘n biscuits sliders, ham and cheese sliders, Brussels sprouts sliders, and Eggo breakfast sliders.
12. Superfruits such as pomegranates, açaí berries, and citrus fruits.
13. Upscale hamburgers
14. Whacky ice cream flavors including green tea, bacon caramel maple, and butter pecan caramel.
15. Whole grain products

16. Famous People Who Died in 2008

This celebrity news has been made available courtesy of IMDB.com.

1. Brad Renfro: Actor (Apt Pupil)
2. Charlton Heston: Actor (Ben-Hur)
3. Eartha Kitt: Actress (The Emperor’s New Groove)
4. Edie Adams: Comedian and actress
5. Estelle Getty: Actress (The Golden Girls)
6. George Carlin: Comedian
7. Heath Ledger: Actor (Brokeback Mountain)
8. Isaac Hayes: Musician
9. Jerry Reed: Soundtrack (Smokey and the Bandit)
10. Jim McKay: Sportscaster who anchored ABC’s Wide World of Sports.
11. Michael Crichton: Writer (Twister)
12. Paul Newman: Actor (The Hustler)
13. Richard Blackwell: Fashion critic best known for his annual list of the “Ten Worst Dressed Women.”
14. Senator Jesse Helms: Outspoken conservative politician from North Carolina
15. Tim Russert: Political journalist and host of NBC’s Meet the Press.

17. America’s Largest Companies

This information has been made available courtesy of Money.CNN.com.

1. Walmart
2. Exxon Mobil
3. Chevron
4. General Motors
5. ConocoPhillips
6. General Electric
7. Ford Motor
8. Citigroup
9. Bank of America
10. AT&T

18. Companies and Brands Launched

This information has been made available courtesy of Ranker.com.

1. 8D World, Inc.: Video-game company
2. Black Swan Games: Video-game company
3. Bukisa: Internet publishing and broadcasting and web search portal
4. Dr. Pepper Snapple Group: Bottled and canned soft drinks and carbonated water
5. MarketOutsider.com: Finance and text mining
6. McFadden-Europium Records: Record label
7. Music Mogul: Online music portal targeting aspiring musicians
8. OutOfTheOfficeMedia: Video game
9. Prodigy Pictures: Motion picture and video production
10. Tastees: Snack food manufacturing

References

• Slang dictionary to help parents understand teenagers - Telegraph
  Parents struggling to keep up with the ever-changing language used by their teenage children are being offered online translation.
• Top 10 US highlights of 2008; America year in review - Telegraph
  2008 was all about Barack Obama. Would he beat Hillary Clinton to the Democratic nomination, and could he beat John McCain in the race for the White House. The answer was an emphatic yes, with the election of American's first black president also gre
• FORTUNE 500 2008: Annual ranking of America's largest corporations from Fortune Magazine
  
• What Happened in 2008 inc. Pop Culture, Prices and Events
  2008 from The People History Site what do you remember
• 2008 | Morris County Library
  Historic prices in Morristown, as printed in the Daily Record, for the year 2008.
• 2008 - What Happened - On This Day
  What happened and who was famous in 2008? Browse significant and historic events, world leaders, famous birthdays and notable deaths from the year 2008.
• 2008 Trivia, History and Fun Facts
  
• Food Timeline: 2008 Food History Timeline of Events
  2008 Food History Timeline - Events in the History of Food & the Culinary Arts: Inventions and Patents, Births and Deaths, Discoveries, Restaurants, Agriculture
• The Forgotten History of the Financial Crisis
  The true story of 2008 forces a question about the future of financial globalization: How will a multipolar world that has moved beyond the transatlantic structures of the last century cope with the next crisis?

© 2018 Gregory DeVictor