Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/December 3

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This is the talk page for making suggestions or discussing improvements to Wikipedia:Selected anniversaries/December 3.

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 3 article, see Talk:December 3 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 3, 2025
Wikipedia:Today's featured article/December 3, 2025 create – talk – watch
Picture of the day for December 3, 2025
The featured picture for this day has not yet been chosen. In general, pictures of the day are scheduled in order of promotion to featured status. See Wikipedia:Picture of the day/Guidelines for full guidelines. create

← Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/December 2 * Wikipedia talk:Selected anniversaries/December 4 →

I suggest setting Bhopal disaster to be listed in the top five. Rhariram 15:57, 3 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I came to suggest the same thing as above; Bhopal is of a tragedy of international significance and the anniversary should be acknowledged. (Sorry, I don't know how to post my username/time/etc.) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.86.1.176 (talk) 18:29, 3 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I recommend reordering the wording of the 1967 anniversary to read:

1967 – Cardiac surgeon Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant on Louis Washkansky at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa.

—Christian Campbell 10:48, 3 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I agree that it is a better way of wording it and have implemented it as you suggested. James086^{Talk | Email} 11:35, 3 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

"International Day of Disabled Persons" outdated

{{editprotected}} "International Day of Disabled Persons" (note the redirect) was renamed to "International Day of Persons with Disabilities" in 2007 (see [1]); update the wikilink+title accordingly. --Cybercobra (talk) 06:47, 3 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Protected edit done. Thanks. JamesBWatson (talk) 11:01, 3 December 2010 (UTC)[reply]

2012 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Mars Polar Lander (maintenance)
Omitted: Himalia (moon); Laurel and Hardy; Operation Chengiz Khan; Bob Marley; 2009 Hotel Shamo bombing
Included: Census in Germany (first appearance); Eureka Rebellion (first appearance); Camelot (musical) (first appearance); Bhopal disaster (6th appearance, last in 2010); Ottawa Treaty (first appearance)

—howcheng {chat} 12:07, 2 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

2013 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Operation Chengiz Khan (maintenance); Bob Marley (maintenance)
New articles (unused): Aegean Sea oil spill
Omitted: Eureka Rebellion (ineligible—maintenance); Camelot (musical); Bhopal disaster (ineligible—maintenance); Ottawa Treaty
Included: Battle of Hohenlinden (4th appearance, last in 2010); Neon lighting (2nd appearance, last in 2010); Flag of Singapore (2nd appearance, last in 2010); Christiaan Barnard (5th appearance, last in 2010; rescued from Ineligible); Mars Polar Lander (6th appearance, last in 2009; rescued from Ineligible)

—howcheng {chat} 06:04, 2 December 2013 (UTC)[reply]

2014 notes

Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Operation Chengiz Khan; Bob Marley
Omitted: Neon lighting; Flag of Singapore; Christiaan Barnard; Mars Polar Lander
Included: Census in Germany (2nd appearance, last in 2012); Himalia (moon) (5th appearance, last in 2011); Bhopal disaster (6th appearance, last in 2012; rescued from Ineligible;30th anniversary); Aegean Sea oil spill (first appearance)
Repeats: Battle of Hohenlinden (2nd consecutive appearance, 5 total)

—howcheng {chat} 12:28, 2 December 2014 (UTC)[reply]

2015 notes

Rescued from Ineligible (unused): Eureka Rebellion
Moved to Ineligible: Operation Chengiz Khan (maintenance)
Omitted: Himalia (moon); Bhopal disaster; Aegean Sea oil spill
Included: Laurel and Hardy (2nd appearance, last in 2011); Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran (first appearance); 2009 Hotel Shamo bombing (2nd appearance, last in 2011)
Repeats: Battle of Hohenlinden (3rd consecutive appearance, 6 total); Census in Germany (2nd consecutive appearance, 3 total)

—howcheng {chat} 07:53, 1 December 2015 (UTC)[reply]

2016 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Neon lighting (maintenance)
Omitted: Census in Germany; Laurel and Hardy; Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran; 2009 Hotel Shamo bombing
Included: Eureka Rebellion (2nd appearance, last in 2012); Himalia (moon) (6th appearance, last in 2014); Flag of Singapore (3rd appearance, last in 2013); Bob Marley (2nd appearance, last in 2011; 40th anniversary)
Repeats: Battle of Hohenlinden (4th consecutive appearance, 7 total)

—howcheng {chat} 17:03, 2 December 2016 (UTC)[reply]

2017 notes

Moved to Ineligible: The Who concert disaster (maintenance)
New articles (unused): Times Beach, Missouri; PlayStation (console)
Omitted: United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities; Census in Germany; Flag of Singapore; Bob Marley
Included: Himalia (moon) (7th appearance, last in 2015); Laurel and Hardy (3rd appearance, last in 2015; 90th anniversary); Christiaan Barnard (6th appearance, last in 2013; 50th anniversary); Aegean Sea tanker oil spill (2nd appearance, last in 2014; 25th anniversary); Daniel Seghers (first appearance); Octavia Hill (first appearance); Mary Baker Eddy (first appearance)
Repeats: Battle of Hohenlinden (5th consecutive appearance, 8 total)

—howcheng {chat} 08:27, 3 December 2017 (UTC)[reply]

2018 notes

New articles (unused): Singer Presents...Elvis (on DYK)
Omitted: Himalia (moon); Laurel and Hardy; Christiaan Barnard; Aegean Sea tanker oil spill; Daniel Seghers; Octavia Hill; Mary Baker Eddy
Included: Freda Du Faur (first appearance); Bob Marley (3rd appearance, last in 2016); Bhopal disaster (8th appearance, last in 2014); PlayStation (console) (first appearance); Sheng Shicai (first appearance); Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (first appearance); Julianne Moore (first appearance)
Repeats: Battle of Hohenlinden (6th consecutive appearance, 9 total)

—howcheng {chat} 17:31, 3 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]

2019 notes

Omitted: Battle of Hohenlinden; Bob Marley; Bhopal disaster; PlayStation (console); Sheng Shicai; Julianne Moore
Included: Himalia (moon) (8th appearance, last in 2017); Flag of Singapore (4th appearance, last in 2016; 60th anniversary); December 1979 Iranian constitutional referendum (first appearance; 40th anniversary); 2009 Hotel Shamo bombing; (3rd appearance, last in 2015; 10th anniversary) Gilbert Stuart (first appearance); Afanasy Fet (3rd appearance, last in 2018; normally appears on December 5, his birthday)
Repeats: Freda Du Faur (2nd consecutive appearance, 2 total); Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (2nd consecutive appearance, 2 total; 80th anniversary)

—howcheng {chat} 16:57, 4 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

2020 notes

Moved to Ineligible: Camelot (musical) (maintenance); Bhopal disaster (maintenance)
Omitted: Freda Du Faur; Flag of Singapore; December 1979 Iranian constitutional referendum; 2009 Hotel Shamo bombing; Gilbert Stuart; Afanasy Fet (deleted since it appears elsewhere); Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll
Included: Battle of Hohenlinden (10th appearance, last in 2018); Putting Pants on Philip/Laurel and Hardy (PPoP: first appearance; L&H: 4th, last in 2017); Christiaan Barnard (7th appearance, last in 2017); Times Beach, Missouri (first appearance); Octavia Hill (2nd appearance, last in 2017); Sheng Shicai (2nd appearance, last in 2018; 125th birthday); Julianne Moore (2nd appearance, last in 2018; 60th birthday)
Repeats: Himalia (moon) (2nd consecutive appearance, 9 total)

—howcheng {chat} 18:39, 5 December 2020 (UTC)[reply]

2021 notes

Looks good, but I wanted to add | Carlos Finlay |b|1833 for whom the date of Cuban Doctors' Day is chosen. It would be good to rescue Bhopal disaster, though it looks like the missing page numbers are mostly for online sources rather than print: where precisely are the gaps that can be filled? Sparafucil (talk) 07:06, 3 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Sparafucil: Finlay has 7 CN tags, and the first source (used 4 times) is dead, so it's not good enough to include. As for Bhopal, the biggest issue seems to be the Eckerman (2005) source, which is a long book and is cited over 50 times, and there are a few other books that are cited without page references. —howcheng {chat} 04:24, 4 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]

2021 notes

Omitted: Himalia (moon); Putting Pants on Philip/Laurel and Hardy; Christiaan Barnard; Times Beach, Missouri; Octavia Hill; Sheng Shicai; Julianne Moore
Included: Freda Du Faur (3rd appearance; last in 2019); Elvis (1968 TV program) (first appearance); Bob Marley (4th appearance; last in 2018); PlayStation (console) (2nd appearance; last in 2018); Birinus (first appearance); Louisa Susannah Cheves McCord (first appearance); Paul J. Crutzen (first appearance)
Repeats: Battle of Hohenlinden (2nd consecutive appearance, 11 total)

—howcheng {chat} 04:17, 4 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]