Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/December 15

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This is the talk page for making suggestions or discussing improvements to Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/December 15.

To report an error when this list is currently on the Main Page, see Main Page errors. Please remember that this list defers to the supporting articles, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
Before making a suggestion, please read the selected anniversaries guidelines. Please remember that this list usually defers to supporting pages when there is disagreement, so it is best to achieve consensus and make any necessary changes there first.
To discuss improvements to the corresponding December 15 article, see Talk:December 15 instead.

Frequently asked questions

Q1: Why is [Insert event here], an event that is "more important and significant" than all the others that are currently listed, not posted?: A1: Relative article quality along with the mix of topics already listed are often deciding factors in what gets posted. Any given day of the year can have a great many important or significant historical events. The problem is that there is generally only room on the Main Page to list about 5 events at a time, so not everything can be posted.

As stated on Wikipedia:FAQ/Main Page, the items and events posted on the Main Page are chosen based more on how well they are written, not based on how much important or significant their subjects are. It is easier for admins to select a well-written, cited, verifiable article over a poor one versus trying to determine objectively how much a subject is important or significant.

Keep in mind that the quality requirements only apply to the selected bolded article, not the other links. Thus, an event may qualify for multiple dates in a year if there is an article written in a summary style and an article providing detailed content; if one of those pages have cleanup issues, the other page can be bolded as an alternate.

Another criterion is to maintain some variety of topics, and not exhibit, just for example, tech-centrism, or the belief that the world stops at the edge of the English-speaking world. Many days have a large pool of potential articles, so they will rotate in and out every year to give each one some Main Page exposure. In addition, an event is not posted if it is also the subject of this year's scheduled featured article or featured picture.

Q2: There are way too many 20th-century events listed. Why aren't there more events from the 19th century and before?

A2: The short, basic reason is the systemic bias of Wikipedia. There are not enough good, well-written articles on 19th-century and earlier events for all 365 days in the year. Currently, a majority of users seem to be generally more interested in writing articles about recent events. If you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

Q3: This page seems to be biased toward events based in [Insert country or region here]. What can be done about it?

A3: This again is attributed to the systemic bias of Wikipedia. Many users are generally more interested in working on good, well-written articles pertaining to their home country. Since this is the English Wikipedia, there will be more English-speaking users, and thus more articles pertaining to English-speaking countries. And if there are more users who are from the United States, there will probably be more well-written articles about events based in the United States. Again, if you would like to further help mitigate the systemic bias in Wikipedia, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias.

Q4: Why is the birthday/death anniversary of [Insert name here] not listed?

A4: There are only four slots available for birth and death anniversaries. As with the events, article quality and diversity in time period, geography, and reason for notability are all contributing factors in whether an article gets selected for inclusion.

Q5: Are the holidays/observances listed in any particular order?

A5: Yes, there is a specified order: International observances first, then alphabetically by where observed.

Q6: Some of the holidays/observances that are listed have dates in parentheses beside them. What do they mean?

A6: There are two reasons that some holidays/observances have dates next to them:

Non-Gregorian-based holidays/observances are marked with the current year as a reminder to others that their dates do in fact vary from year to year.
National Days, Independence Days, and other holidays celebrating the nationhood of a country are generally marked by the year of the significant historic date being observed.

Today's featured article for December 15, 2024

Obverse of the Texas Centennial half dollar

The Texas Centennial half dollar was struck by the U.S. Bureau of the Mint from 1934 to 1938. It features an eagle and the Lone Star of Texas on the obverse (pictured), while the reverse is a complex scene with the winged goddess Victory. Proposed by the American Legion as a fundraiser for the 100th anniversary of Texas independence from Mexico, the coin was approved by Congress in 1933. It was designed by sculptor Pompeo Coppini, and, after initial rejection by the Commission of Fine Arts, the designs were approved and the coins entered production at the Philadelphia Mint in October 1934. The first coins to reach the public were sold by auction in Austin, Texas, on December 15, 1934. Profits from the coins helped finance the Texas Memorial Museum in Austin. Most 1934-dated coins went unsold and were sent back to the Mint. Smaller issues took place each year through 1938. Despite the relative lack of sales, the issue is popular with collectors, with the coins gradually gaining in value. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

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Picture of the day for December 15, 2024

Ornge is a Canadian registered charity that provides air ambulance and associated ground transportation services for the province of Ontario, under the direction of the province's Ministry of Health. The name Ornge (pronounced orange) is based on the orange colour of the organization's aircraft and land ambulances. In 2012, the charity and its associated companies employed more than 400 people, including paramedics, pilots and aviation specialists. Ornge has its own aircraft and land ambulances, with 12 bases across Ontario. It also contracts some operations out to independent service providers. This photograph shows an Ornge AgustaWestland AW139 departing from the Grand River Hospital helipad in Kitchener–Waterloo.

Photograph credit: The Cosmonaut

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← Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/December 14 * Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/December 16 →

shouldn't this page be edited to show it's protected status? Mathmo ^Talk 10:06, 15 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

2011 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Flag of Canada, as it already appears on February 15 (official date of adoption, and Flag Day in Canada)—could be restored if Great Canadian Flag Debate is improved
Rescued from Ineligible: Zamenhof Day
New holiday: Koninkrijksdag
Swapped out: Battle of Baia, United States Bill of Rights, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Bosman ruling
Swapped in: Battle of Nashville (2nd appearance, last in 2009), Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse (2nd appearance, last in 2009), Iran crisis of 1946 (first appearance), Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (2nd appearance, last on September 7, 2004, anniversary of its test flight)
Left in: Assassins (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

--howcheng {chat} 17:41, 15 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

2012 notes

Deleted: Republic of Ezo (moved to January 27)
New articles (unused): Gone With the Wind (film)
Omitted: Assassins; Battle of Nashville; Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse; Iran crisis of 1946; Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (ineligible—maintenance)
Included: Battle of Baia (5th appearance, last in 2010); United States Bill of Rights (9th appearance, last in 2010); Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (2nd appearance, last in 2010); Adolf Eichmann (8th appearance, last in 2009); 2010 Christmas Island boat disaster (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 11:25, 14 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

2013 notes

Moved to Ineligible: 2010 Christmas Island boat disaster (maintenance)
Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
New articles (ineligible): Battle of Arawe (TFA for 2013-12-15)
New articles (unused): Emperor Hailing of Jin
Omitted: United States Bill of Rights; Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway; Adolf Eichmann; 2010 Christmas Island boat disaster (ineligible—maintenance)
Included: Assassins (4th appearance, last in 2011); Gone with the Wind (film) (first appearance); Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2nd appearance, last in 2010; 40th anniversary); Bosman ruling (3rd appearance, last in 2010)
Repeats: Battle of Baia (2nd consecutive appearance, 6 total)

—howcheng {chat} 06:29, 14 December 2013 (UTC)[reply]

2014 notes

Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Battle of Arawe
Omitted: Assassins; Battle of Baia; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Bosman ruling
Included: Pope Sergius I (first appearance); Prince Hailing of Jin (first appearance); Battle of Nashville (3rd appearance, last in 2011; 150th anniversary); Adolf Eichmann (9th appearance, last in 2012)
Repeats: Gone with the Wind (film) (2nd consecutive appearance, 2 total; 75th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 07:09, 14 December 2014 (UTC)[reply]

2015 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Assassins (maintenance)
Omitted: Pope Sergius I; Battle of Nashville; Gone with the Wind (film); Adolf Eichmann
Included: Battle of Baia (7th appearance, last in 2013); Battle of Arawe (first appearance); Bosman ruling (4th appearance, last in 2013; 20th anniversary); Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (3rd appearance, last in 2011; 10th anniversary)
Repeats: Prince Hailing of Jin (2nd consecutive appearance, 2 total)

—howcheng {chat} 08:11, 13 December 2015 (UTC)[reply]

2016 notes

New articles (unused): Sitting Bull
Omitted: Battle of Baia; Battle of Arawe; Bosman ruling; Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
Included: United States Bill of Rights (10th appearance, last in 2012; 225th anniversary); Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (3rd appearance, last in 2012); Iran crisis of 1946 (2nd appearance, last in 2011; 70th anniversary); Adolf Eichmann (10th appearance, last in 2014)
Repeats: Wanyan Liang (3rd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

—howcheng {chat} 23:35, 14 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]

2017 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Battle of Nashville (maintenance); Sitting Bull (maintenance); Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (maintenance); Bosman ruling (maintenance)
Omitted: Wanyan Liang (ineligible—maintenance); United States Bill of Rights; Iran crisis of 1946; Adolf Eichmann
Included: Pope Sergius I (2nd appearance, last in 2014); Battle of Baia (8th appearance, last in 2015; 550th anniversary); Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse (3rd appearance, last in 2011; 75th anniversary); David Teniers the Younger (first appearance); Sarah Trimmer (first appearance); Frankie Dettori (first appearance)
Repeats: Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway (2nd consecutive appearance, 4 total)

—howcheng {chat} 17:06, 15 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

2018 notes

New articles (ineligible): Constantine VIII (maintenance)
Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Battle of Nashville; Sitting Bull
New articles (unused): 1981 Iraqi embassy bombing
Omitted: Battle of Baia; Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway; Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse; David Teniers the Younger; Sarah Trimmer; Frankie Dettori
Included: United States Bill of Rights (2nd appearance, last in 2016); Battle of Arawe (2nd appearance, last in 2015; 75th anniversary); Venera 7 (first appearance); South Sudanese Civil War (first appearance); Arthur Dehon Little (first appearance); Vibert Douglas (first appearance); León Febres Cordero (first appearance; 10th anniversary)
Repeats: Pope Sergius I (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

—howcheng {chat} 02:58, 17 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]

2019 notes

Omitted: Pope Sergius I; United States Bill of Rights; Battle of Arawe; Venera 7; South Sudanese Civil War; Arthur Dehon Little; Vibert Douglas; León Febres Cordero
Included: Constantine VIII (2nd appearance, last in 2019; also appeared on November 11, his death anniversary); Battle of St. Lucia (first appearance); Gone with the Wind (film) (2nd appearance, last in 2014; 80th anniversary); Adolf Eichmann (11th appearance, last in 2016); Izaak Walton (first appearance); J. Paul Getty (first appearance); Surya Bonaly (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 16:57, 16 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

2020 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Frankie Dettori (maintenance)
New articles (unused): John Meurig Thomas; Vallabhbhai Patel
Omitted: Zamenhof Day (unsure if still observed); Constantine VIII; Battle of St. Lucia; Gone with the Wind (film); Adolf Eichmann; Izaak Walton; J. Paul Getty; Surya Bonaly
Included: Battle of Baia (9th appearance, last in 2017); Sitting Bull (first appearance); Battle of Arawe (3rd appearance, last in 2018); Venera 7 (2nd appearance, last in 2018; 50th anniversary); Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor (4th appearance, last in 2015); Sarah Trimmer (2nd appearance, last in 2017); Maurice Wilkins (first appearance); Bob Feller (first appearance; 10th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 04:57, 17 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]

2021 notes

Omitted: Battle of Baia; Sitting Bull; Battle of Arawe; Venera 7; Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor; Sarah Trimmer; Maurice Wilkins; Bob Feller
Included: Pope Sergius I (4th appearance, last in 2018); Constantine VIII (3rd appearance, last in 2019); Iran crisis of 1946 (3rd appearance, last in 2016; 75th anniversary); Adolf Eichmann (12th appearance, last in 2019; 60th anniversary); Iraqi embassy bombing in Beirut (first appearance; 40th anniversary); David Teniers the Younger (2nd appearance, last in 2017); Florence Jepperson Madsen (first appearance); Vallabhbhai Patel (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 08:09, 16 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]