2008 was a year full of surprises. And by that, I am of course referring to the huge number of unplanned pregnancies that graced those twelve calendar pages. But when we weren't busy accidentally creating human life, we were busy foiling past generations' expectations of us. From film, to books, to video games, to decorative diner placemats, every manner of media had to have their say about what the people of 2008 would be doing with their time. Well, they were all wrong, and here are the wrongest of the bunch: 8 stories set in the "futuristic" year of 2008 that completely dropped the proverbial ball. Advertisement 2008 was a year full of surprises. And by that, I am of course referring to the huge number of unplanned pregnancies that graced those twelve calendar pages. But when we weren't busy accidentally creating human life, we were busy foiling past generations' expectations of us. From film, to books, to video games, to decorative diner placemats, every manner of media had to have their say about what the people of 2008 would be doing with their time. Well, they were all wrong, and here are the wrongest of the bunch: 8 stories set in the "futuristic" year of 2008 that completely dropped the proverbial ball.

8 President Six-Pack The Source: The 1955 Isaac Asimov short story Franchise. The 1955 Isaac Asimov short story Franchise. The Prediction: In the futuristic year of 2008, a supercomputer named Multivac will lead our proud electronic democracy by selecting the most demographically representative U.S. citizen, asking them some questions, and using the information to select the next President. In the futuristic year of 2008, a supercomputer named Multivac will lead our proud electronic democracy by selecting the most demographically representative U.S. citizen, asking them some questions, and using the information to select the next President. Accuracy: Not so hot. 2008 saw the election of an intelligent, well-spoken black man. For Obama to accurately represent the average of all American citizens, heÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂd have to gain about fifty pounds, take a few knocks to the head, and get Mexican citizenship. Add to that the fact that we stopped naming computers ÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ(fill in the blank)-vacÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ about the time the Beatles were roaming the earth, and youÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂve proven once again that Asimov was little more than a doddering, irrelevant old codger. Besides, the idea of a voting machine asking you some vague questions and then telling you whoÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs President is so 2004. IÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂm just waiting for Diebold to stop beating around the bush and declare itself Supreme Overlord in 2012. Not so hot.2008 saw the election of an intelligent, well-spoken black man. For Obama to accurately represent the average of all American citizens, heÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂd have to gain about fifty pounds, take a few knocks to the head, and get Mexican citizenship. Add to that the fact that we stopped naming computers ÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ(fill in the blank)-vacÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ about the time the Beatles were roaming the earth, and youÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂve proven once again that Asimov was little more than a doddering, irrelevant old codger. Besides, the idea of a voting machine asking you some vague questions and then telling you whoÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs President is so 2004. IÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂm just waiting for Diebold to stop beating around the bush and declare itself Supreme Overlord in 2012.

7 TheyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂve Taken Our Freeedooom! The Source: The post-apocalyptic box office bomb Continue Reading Below Advertisement The post-apocalyptic box office bombDoomsday. The Prediction: In the futuristic year of 2008, the plot of Escape From New York will have sex with the plot of Outbreak and Scotland will get quarantined from the rest of the world due to a plague (or at least, thatÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs what weÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂll say). Then theyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂll almost immediately resort to the plot of Mad Max. In the futuristic year of 2008, the plot of Escape From New York will have sex with the plot of Outbreak and Scotland will get quarantined from the rest of the world due to a plague (or at least, thatÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs what weÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂll say). Then theyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂll almost immediately resort to the plot of Mad Max. Accuracy: About as accurate as John BobbittÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs urine stream after a couple of stiff drinks (too soon?). As evidenced by the tartan and cabers that litter our nationÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs beaches and clog our storm drains, the filthy Scots still roam free. My guess is weÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂll have to wait till Connery knocks off before we can put the fences up. IÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂm not saying we canÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂt take him, IÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂm just saying, do we want to risk it? Meanwhile, the only deadly viral outbreaks that gained prominence this year were Bird Flu and that bee disease. And even if they both swept the globe, whatÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs the real loss? Teaching our children about sex will become slightly more difficult (although you could easily use a donut and hot dog), and we wonÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂt get stung or shat on anymore. Although if all the bees were wiped out, it could lend some credence to the next predictionÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¦ About as accurate as John BobbittÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs urine stream after a couple of stiff drinks (too soon?). As evidenced by the tartan and cabers that litter our nationÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs beaches and clog our storm drains, the filthy Scots still roam free. My guess is weÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂll have to wait till Connery knocks off before we can put the fences up. IÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂm not saying we canÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂt take him, IÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂm just saying, do we want to risk it? Meanwhile, the only deadly viral outbreaks that gained prominence this year were Bird Flu and that bee disease. And even if they both swept the globe, whatÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs the real loss? Teaching our children about sex will become slightly more difficult (although you could easily use a donut and hot dog), and we wonÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂt get stung or shat on anymore. Although if all the bees were wiped out, it could lend some credence to the next predictionÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¦