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Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Tiered Queues

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As my suggestions were too complex to effectively communicate, I have created an example of my own. Since there is an inordinate focus on 5 slots, I don't expect this to be implemented soon or in whole, but I do sincerely hope it contains ideas that are useful for increasing community participation and improving efficiency and organization of requests for non reserved dates.

For this example, today is August 1st and the TFA has been selected up to August 4th; and the Director has just locked in August 4th and deleted it from the Director's queue. Golden rice is used merely as a filler for a secondary/losing request. My comments will be italics.

TFA director queue

edit

Please do not edit requests in this queue as they have been pre-selected by the community. To participate please go to the Active Queue, to make a request please add it to the Future Requests.

Instead of having 7 date slots, it now has 6 as the Director just removed August 4th. Signaling the next TFA assistant that comes here to move the top request from the Active Queue into this queue.

August 5
T-26 (2 - 1 points) recommended over Golden rice (1 points). - Signature of closing TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.


 
The T-26 was a light tank used by the Soviet Union from the 1930s until World War II. It was based on the British Vickers 6-Ton tank and widely considered one of the most successful designs of the 1930s. The T-26 made-up the majority of the Red Army's armour force until late 1941, and saw a long history in the armed forces of various different nations around the world. For almost a decade the T-26 proved to be one of the best tanks in production, with a total of around 12,000 units produced. Success and failure in the Spanish Civil War, where it served as the most widely used tank, ultimately played a major role in influencing the Soviet doctrine of tank warfare in the late 1930s. The T-26 participated in German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 as one of the most numerous tanks in service, contributing to the defense of the Soviet Union. Although the T-26's reputation was marred by its abysmal performance during World War II, it was nevertheless the most important tank of the Spanish Civil War and played major roles during the Winter War and the Battle of Khalkhin Gol in 1939. Between its introduction in 1932 and its retirement in 1941, the T-26 saw a great deal of modernization efforts. (more…)

I'm nominating the T-26 on the 17 of July, which marks the anniversary of the beginning of the Spanish Civil War - the T-26 was the tank most supplied to either side of the war, and if there is one tank that symbolizes the war it's the T-26. I believe it receives 2 points - 1 for being promoted a year ago and 1 for being a relevant date. This is the second article on a tank to attempt to be on the main page - the T-34 has been on the main page. I'd like to try! JonCatalán (talk) 12:21, 28 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

  • Comment, I don't oppose the request, but I suggest that the date connection is invalid, and this request has only one point (hence, can be replaced by any request with higher points). SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:15, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
    • I'm not disputing the loss of the point, but for future reference what makes it invalid? Is it based on too loose of a string? JonCatalán (talk) 00:13, 2 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
      • Well, you haven't completely lost the point, it's just in dispute. I think the connection is fine, but others don't. Basically, then, your article is better off than other one-pointers, but not as good as a solid two-pointer, if that makes sense. So far this nomination is doing pretty well. Wrad (talk) 00:23, 2 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

August 6
The Quatermass Experiment (3 points) recommended over Golden rice (1 points). - Signature of closing TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.


The Quatermass Experiment is a British science-fiction serial, broadcast by BBC Television in the summer of 1953, and re-staged by BBC Four in 2005. Set in the near future against the background of a British space programme, it tells the story of the first manned flight into space, overseen by Professor Bernard Quatermass of the British Experimental Rocket Group. When the spaceship that carried the first successful crew returns to Earth, two of the three astronauts are missing, and the third is behaving strangely. It becomes clear that an alien presence entered the ship during its flight, and Quatermass and his associates must prevent the alien from destroying the world. Originally comprising six half-hour episodes was first transmitted weekly on Saturday night from July 18 1953 to August 22 1953. It was the first science-fiction production to be written especially for an adult television audience. The Quatermass Experiment inspired much of the television science fiction that followed it, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it influenced successful series such as Doctor Who and Sapphire and Steel. It also influenced Hollywood blockbusters such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien. (more...)

Points: Age: +2 Promoted May 13, 2005 more than two years ago Date: +1 relevant to article first aired July 18 (Halgin (talk) 23:38, 1 July 2008 (UTC))[reply]

Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

August 7
Minneapolis (3 points) recommended over Golden rice (1 points). - Signature of closing TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.


 
Minneapolis (pronounced /ˌmɪniˈæpʌlɪs/) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Hennepin County. The city lies on both banks of the Mississippi River, just north of the river's confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Saint Paul, the state's capital. Known as the Twin Cities, these two cities form the core of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States, with about 3.2 million residents. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 369,051 people in 2006. Minneapolis and Minnesota celebrate their sesquicentennials in 2008. The city's celebration coincides with the 150th anniversary of its first town council meeting thought to have been held July 20, 1858. The city is abundantly rich in water with twenty lakes and wetlands, the Mississippi riverfront, creeks and waterfalls, many connected by parkways in the Chain of Lakes and the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. Minneapolis was once the world's flour milling capital and a hub for timber, and today is the primary business center between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington. (more…)

Greetings. Minneapolis is celebrating its 150th anniversary (sesquicentennial) that day. I count 6 points (0 each for age, vital and core, 4 for semicentennial and 1 each for date and notability). Thank you. —SusanLesch (talk) 19:53, 23 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you, Halgin. Your correction is appreciated. So one amount of points comes from each of age, timing, importance and diversity--my mistake was to consider each line item separately. I count five until this weekend when it reaches a year since promotion, then six points. —SusanLesch (talk) 20:36, 25 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Halgin, just to follow up, yes now that 28 June past, yes, six points here. —SusanLesch (talk) 03:50, 30 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Hello, SandyGeorgia. Sorry, I don't quite follow. May I ask what you are asking by, "Any more important dates?"? The obvious answer would be yes, in 50 years. But I'm not sure if that is the question you have. Re: two articles, yes, they are both FAs. One article about a state's history, one about a city. If we are counting FAs with the string "Minne" in them, there's even another one, Minnesota which appeared on the main page last year. —SusanLesch (talk) 03:50, 30 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]
I wouldn't say it's the same reason, these are distinct from each other. History of Minnesota was on the 150th anniversary of statehood, while Minneapolis would be on the 150th anniversary of it becoming a city. Same year, yes... but different events. WxGopher (talk) 21:35, 30 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]
My question is whether we should run two Minnesota anniversaries within two months, in terms of mainpage diversity. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 18:17, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
I don't have a problem with it, mainly because I wonder how many people even know Minneapolis is in Minnesota :) . But maybe others have different ideas. Wrad (talk) 19:03, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Hi again, Sandy. I'd like to see you offer some positive energy in favor of Minneapolis. It's a city (not a U.S. state). I looked this up. In April you pointed out the state was on the main page last year, and here point out the state's history was on the main page this year. Could you possibly look at Minneapolis, the city? (I nominated Minneapolis so long ago, way before April, it was before the TFA current system and my nomination was blanked.) Thanks for clarifying. I don't see how there is any better date until the bicentennial in 2058. Loosely, "Minne" is the Dakota or Lakota Sioux language word for "water" that the two words just happen to share. Maybe that is the source of confusion here. —SusanLesch (talk) 19:30, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Ouch. I'm quite certain Sandy, and everyone else, is aware of the difference between Minneapolis and Minnesota. Here's the problem: not every featured article that makes it on the main page has a date connection, and not every date connection is a semicentennial. Of course, a better date wouldn't occur until 2058, but who said it needs to be on a semicentennial or a centennial? Or even an anniversary at all? I think the appearance of both the state of Minnesota and then a major city in Minnesota a couple months apart from each other, basically for the same reason (150th anniversary) is a valid concern. And it doesn't help that Minnesota and Minneapolis are similarly named, either. I'm not sure I'd vote against its appearance for that, but I don't think you're being fair to Sandy. The idea, or appearance, of a flurry of sesquicentennial nominations for Minnesota-related places is just not desirable (anyone going to bring St. Paul up to featured status?). No need to pretend as if there is no relationship between the city and the state, and no need to suggest we are expected to support your nomination. -- tariqabjotu 20:01, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Hello, Tariqabjotu (who I've never met before on Wikipedia). I don't find your wording, "ouch" or "pretend" to be helpful, sorry. You've marked the end of this discussion for me. —SusanLesch (talk) 20:09, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

August 8
The Simpsons Movie (1 points) is recommended over Golden rice (1 points) because of votes. - Signature of closing TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.


The Simpsons Movie, date it was released. Buc (talk) 19:01, 2 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

In a case where there is a tie for Points, then Supporting votes (community consensus) can decide it, if that is tied, then the Director can choose either one. Or as always neither and swap them out with another with a brief explanation in the hat as to why. This can be instructive to the TFA request process and help them make better recommendations in the future, and/or serve to tweak the point system.

August 9
Date reserved for André Kertész. - TFA Director
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
August 10
T-26 (2 - 1 points) recommended over Golden rice (1 points). - Signature of closing TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.


 
Emily Dickinson was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After being schooled at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before retiring to her family's house, the Homestead. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, Dickinson was a prolific private poet, choosing to publish fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems. The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often utilize slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. It was not until after her death in 1886 that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, both of whom heavily edited the content. A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Despite unfavorable reviews and skepticism of her literary prowess during the late 19th and early 20th century, critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet. (more…)

E.D. receives one point for being a notable topic; most American twelve year olds are forced to read "Because I could not stop for death" or "I heard a fly buzz when I died" in school and recent edits prove that when school is out, blessed children still remember her fondly. No date relevancy, obviously, and August 1 was a random pick, but the last poet to appear on the mainpage was William Shakespeare on October 10, 2007. We're due for some poetry.

Oh, and in case this is bombarded with comments amounting to "slots should be reserved for requests with relevant dates!", there were two open slots for nearly twenty-four hours. If there's a five or six pointer in the wings, though, don't be afraid to replace this suggestion. María (habla conmigo) 15:20, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support I think a topic such as Emily Dickinson deserves to be on the main page. JonCatalán (talk) 15:47, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support. Awesome piece of vandalism there. I'm probably really wrong for laughing until I cried at some urchin's edit that changed Harper Lee's name to "Señor Ballsack". --Moni3 (talk) 15:51, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support E.D. hasn't been on the main page yet? I'm shocked! Shocked, I say! :) Such an important American literary figure deserves her time in the spotlight. Awadewit (talk) 17:00, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support Uber important, and a prime example of how the date connection is completely irrelevant when the article is good and important enough as this one.Caissa's DeathAngel (talk) 19:32, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support - per above, a fine article for an important person. Gran2 22:10, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Comment - Since there is no date relevancy to August 1, why not use a date closer to when the last today's featured article is currently scheduled? The next available date is July 16. Halgin (talk) 23:51, 1 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

That seemed like too short notice to obtain consensus. In the end it doesn't really matter, I just wanted to take advantage of the freak occurrence of actually having a spot open for an extended period of time. María (habla conmigo) 02:28, 2 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
I added an indication, then, that the date could change (that gives Raul more flexibility, and also allows for juggling of requests on this page); please remove if you disagree. SandyGeorgia (Talk) 02:32, 2 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Nope, that's fine, Sandy. I contemplated adding something similar, but again I didn't want to be burned at the stake for not having a definitive date picked, omg heresy! :) María (habla conmigo) 02:34, 2 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support Great article, on an interesting and notable (and non pop-culture) topic. Adacore (talk) 02:47, 2 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Support. Pardon me for ignoring the criteria for a moment and voting from the heart: lovely, lovely Emily, please grace our mainpage for a day. Marskell (talk) 20:21, 2 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

Active queue

edit

Please help build consensus on which article should go on the front page for the day in question. This is done by Support and/or advocating more points. Reasons to Oppose include overexposure of the Topic, if it is subject to Featured Article review... etc etc. Any request with zero points or a majority of oppose votes can be replaced with another request.

Points are tallied per article according to the following criteria:

Same as currently implemented except perhaps:

Consensus

The first TFA assistant to come across this would cut August 11 out of the Active queue, save, edit the TFA director queue and save it to the bottom, putting the entire discussion inside the hat-hab; making it accessible to the Director if he really feels he needs to see it, but keeping the Request page semi-under control.

The TFA assistant would then move (if applicable) the Future request/Reserved Date into the Active queue for the date after the bottom active request, or simply insert an empty template. Keeping requests in chronological order helps ensure each day gets the same amount of review.

With 2 requests per date slot, there is more competition; as higher/equal point articles are actively sought. This would hopefully improve the quality of TFA articles being recommended to the TFA Director.

August 11

edit
Moe Berg (3 points) recommended over Golden rice (1 point). - TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

Morris "Moe" Berg (March 2, 1902, New York, New York – May 29, 1972, Belleville, New Jersey) was an American professional baseball player who later served as a spy for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. He spent 15 seasons in Major League Baseball and was better known for being "the brainiest guy in baseball" than for anything he accomplished in the game. A graduate of Princeton University and Columbia Law School, Berg spoke several languages and regularly read 10 newspapers a day. His reputation was fueled by his successful appearances as a contestant on the radio quiz show Information, Please!. As an agent of the United States government, Berg traveled to Yugoslavia to gather intelligence on resistance groups the government was considering supporting. His is the only baseball card on display at the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency. (more...)

Moe Berg made his Major League Baseball debut on June 27, 1923 (85 years ago) (1 point). It was promoted April 30, 2005 (2 more points). I estimate 3 points (Halgin (talk) 00:37, 8 June 2008 (UTC))[reply]

Several (about 30) Spoken Wikipedia project have been the featured artilces on the Main Page. See WP:SPAR. It is unclear by the list if all of them were Spoken articles before being on the main page. However, both Oil shale and the Confederate government of Kentucky were put the Main page after becoming spoken articles in the last couple of weeks. So I don't see why this should negatively affect support for this article. (Halgin (talk) 02:01, 10 June 2008 (UTC))[reply]
LOL. I recorded those. Per the SW guidelines, I try to record articles that are on the docket to be the FA of the day. In this case, none on the docket interested me, so I recorded one that is wanting to be on the docket. It could be a help, but if I'm not very good at what I do, it might be a hinderance! ;o) PopularOutcast talk2me! 05:09, 10 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

August 12

edit
Date reserved for Ironclad warship. - TFA Director
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

August 13

edit
Moe Berg (3 points) recommended over Golden rice (1 point). - TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
 

Winfield Scott Hancock (February 14 1824 – February 9 1886) was a career U.S. Army officer and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service in the Mexican-American War and as a Union general in the American Civil War. Known to his Army colleagues as "Hancock the Superb," he was noted in particular for his personal leadership at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. One military historian wrote, "No other Union general at Gettysburg dominated men by the sheer force of their presence more completely than Hancock." His military service continued after the Civil War, as Hancock participated in the military Reconstruction of the South and the Army's presence at the Western frontier. After the Civil War, Hancock's reputation as a soldier, dedication to conservative constitutional principles, and noted integrity made him a quadrennial Presidential possibility. This nationwide popularity led the Democrats to nominate him for President in 1880. Although he ran a strong campaign, Hancock was defeated by Republican James Garfield by the closest popular vote margin in American history. (more...)

I request July 2 or 3 because Hancock became famous for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg on those dates. This, plus his notablility gives him 2 points, I think. Coemgenus 14:05, 4 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It may be only 1 point, I don't know. What do twelve-year-olds get taught these days? Coemgenus 21:57, 7 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Maybe it's because I'm Canadian. –thedemonhog talk • edits 22:49, 8 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

August 14

edit
George I of Great Britain (2 + 2 points) recommended over Golden rice (1 point). - TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
 

George I of Great Britain (George Louis; 28 May 1660 – 11 June 1727) was King of Great Britain and Ireland, from 1 August 1714 until his death. He was also the first de facto Prince-Elector of Hanover of the Holy Roman Empire. During George's reign in Britain, the powers of the monarchy diminished and the modern system of Cabinet government led by a Prime Minister underwent development. George died on a trip to his native Hanover, where he was buried. (more...)

I think it gets 3 points. He died on 11 June making the date relevant to the article (1 points). The article was promoted in 2004 well over two year ago (2 points). (Halgin (talk) 13:38, 25 May 2008 (UTC))[reply]

I'd add another for notability as I'd bet British schoolkids are likely to look him up, making four points. Wrad (talk) 01:10, 26 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

August 15

edit
Jurassic Park (film) (2 points) recommended over Golden rice (1 point). - TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
Golden rice is a variety of rice (Oryza sativa) produced through genetic engineering to biosynthesize beta-carotene, a precursor of pro-vitamin A in the edible parts of rice. The scientific details of the rice were first published in Science in 2000. Golden rice was developed as a fortified food to be used in areas where there is a shortage of dietary vitamin A. In 2005 a new variety called Golden Rice 2 was announced which produces up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original variety of golden rice. Neither variety is currently available for human consumption. Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it has met with significant opposition from environmental and anti-globalization activists.

Points: No date tie in, not even a featured article!!! But give it 1 point as any request that has zero points (or 1 point in dispute) can be easily replaced by a 1 point alternative while in the Active Queue.

 

Jurassic Park is a 1993 science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. The film centers on the fictional island of Isla Nublar, where scientists have created an amusement park of cloned dinosaurs. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) invites a group of scientists, played by Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern, to visit the park. Sabotage sets the dinosaurs on the loose, and technicians and visitors attempt to escape the island. Development of the film began before the novel was even published, and Crichton was hired to contribute to a script that cut much of its story. Spielberg hired Stan Winston Studios's puppets and worked with Industrial Light and Magic to develop cutting-edge computer-generated imagery to portray the dinosaurs. Jurassic Park received positive reviews from critics, who praised the special effects, but found the film mediocre in other aspects. During its release, the film grossed more than $914 million, becoming the most successful film yet released, and it is currently the tenth-highest grossing feature film, significantly inspiring a new breed of films that primarily used CGI for special effects. Jurassic Park was the first film in the Jurassic Park franchise, followed by The Lost World: Jurassic Park in 1997 and by Jurassic Park III in 2001, with Jurassic Park IV in development. (more...)

Film was released on June 11, 1993 and the article was promoted over one year ago. In total, 2 points. Limetolime talk to me • look what I did! 13:49, 17 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Incorrect, two points, media is not an underrepresented category (and I don't agree with these obscure date connections to U.S. release dates, but I guess that's another matter). SandyGeorgia (Talk) 20:33, 17 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Now 1 point since June 9 doesn't appear to be relevant. Buc (talk) 12:58, 30 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]
If you read the entire discussion below, you will easily see that it has 2 points. June 9 was the premier date. Wrad (talk) 19:48, 30 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support 15th anniversary, of US release you presumably mean. Johnbod (talk) 15:00, 17 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]
  • Comment: Just a side note, I think the "subject under-represented" point refers to these 28 categories (see under "contents"), not actual wikiprojects (i.e. Science Fiction). Jurassic Park is under the Media category which looks like it has over 50 FAs, although there doesn't seem to be a simpler way to count them, anyone??? Ryan4314 (talk) 19:09, 17 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed, I'll keep that in mind in the future. Limetolime talk to me • look what I did! 23:30, 17 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]
It premiered that night. Judgesurreal777 (talk) 19:21, 30 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

August 16

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Date reserved for Guqin. - TFA Director
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

August 17

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Judy Garland (1 point) recommended over Golden rice (1 point) based on votes. - TFA assistant
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
 
Judy Garland plays Dorothy Gale in 1939's Wizard of Oz

Judy Garland was an American Academy Award-, Tony Award-, Grammy Award-, and Golden Globe-winning actress (film and stage) and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years, Garland attained international stardom as an actress in both musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage. After appearing in vaudeville with her sisters, Garland was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. There she made over two dozen films, including nine with Mickey Rooney, and the film with which she would be most identified, The Wizard of Oz (1939). After 15 years, Garland was released from the studio but gained renewed success through record-breaking concert appearances, including a critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall concert, a well-regarded but short-lived television series and a return to film acting beginning with A Star Is Born (1954). Despite her professional triumphs, Garland battled personal problems throughout her life. Insecure about her appearance, her feelings were compounded by film executives who told her she was unattractive and overweight. Plied with drugs to control her weight and increase her productivity, Garland endured a decades-long struggle with addiction. Garland was plagued by financial instability, often owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes. Married five times, four of her marriages ended in divorce. She attempted suicide on a number of occasions. Garland died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of forty-seven, leaving children Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft and Joey Luft. (more…)

Date she was born and date she died, respectively. Buc (talk) 10:35, 29 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]


Empty slot. Place your request here if it has equal or more points than the request above.


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Future requests

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If there are fewer than 5 requests here, you can add your request in the appropriate date if it is not already reserved. Only 15 days ahead of the last date in the active queue are open for consideration.

Please keep it ordered chronologically with the earliest at the top.

There would be no competition here, comments / points can be pre-assessed; but the main discussion will happen when it is added to the active queue. Opposition votes are more important here than support votes, in order to pre-remove non-viable options before it becomes active.

When the requests get shifted, August 18 below gets placed into the bottom of the active queue, with a empty spot for an alternative TFA of equal or greater point value; just like in August 17th.

Future reserved dates

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August 21
Reserved for Manila Light Rail Transit System. - TFA director
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

August 18

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Formation of F-4 Phantom II fighter aircraft
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American two-seat, twin-engined supersonic long-range all-weather fighter-bomber originally developed for the U.S. Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It remained in production from 1958 to 1981, with a total of 5,195 built, and was used by the U.S. military from 1960 to 1996, serving with the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force. The maiden flight was on 27 May 1958. It was used extensively by all three U.S. services operating in Vietnam, ending the war as the principal air superiority fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, as well as being important in the ground-attack and reconnaissance roles. It was used in the 1991 Gulf War. The Phantom was also operated by the armed forces of 11 other nations. Phantoms remain in front line service with seven countries, and in use as an unmanned target in the U.S. Air Force. (more...)

5 points from the criteria above. May 27 is the 50-year anniversary of the maiden flight. (4 points) Promoted to featured article June 1, 2006 almost 2 years ago. (1 point) for being promoted over a year, but less than two, ago. (Halgin (talk) 16:00, 27 April 2008 (UTC))[reply]

August 19

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Troy McClure is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman, and first appeared in the episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment". McClure was based on B-movie actors Troy Donahue and Doug McClure, as well as Hartman himself. After Phil Hartman's murder in 1998, the character was retired, making his final appearance in the tenth-season episode "Bart the Mother". He is one of the show's most popular recurring characters and, had Hartman not died, might have been the subject of a live-action film. McClure is a washed-up actor, frequently shown presenting infomercials and educational videos. He is vain and self-centered, marrying Selma Bouvier to aid his failing career and quash rumors about his personal life. McClure appears as the central character only in the episode "A Fish Called Selma", but he hosts the episodes "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" and "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase". (more...)

Cartoon characters are highly unrepresented for featured articles. Also this date marks the 10th anniversary Phil Hartman died from a gunshot from his estranged wife. Even though this is a sad day, this is a day of rememberance to a great comedian we loss too early. Spongefan (talk) 01:53, 14 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

August 23 or August 30

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Tracks of all tropical cyclones during the season

The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season was a fairly inactive Atlantic hurricane season compared to the 2005 season. It was also unusual in that no hurricanes made landfall in the United States of America, something which had not happened since 2001. The season officially started on June 1, 2006, and officially ended on November 30, 2006, dates which by convention delimit the period of each year when the majority of tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, if a storm from the previous season persists into the next year, it can be considered part of both seasons, as Tropical Storm Zeta demonstrated. One system, Tropical Storm Zeta from the 2005 season, continued through early January, only the second time on record that had happened. Tropical Storm Alberto was responsible for two indirect deaths when it made landfall in Florida. Hurricane Ernesto caused heavy rainfall in Haiti, and directly killed at least seven in Haiti and the United States. Four more hurricanes formed after Ernesto, including the strongest storms of the season, Hurricanes Helene and Gordon. No tropical cyclones formed during October, for the first time since the 1994 season.

The official start of the Atlantic hurricane season is June 1, and June 10 is the date when the first storm of the season formed. Juliancolton Tropical Cyclone 00:10, 14 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

August 25

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King Lear and the Fool

Ran (乱, "chaos", "war", "revolt") is an Oscar-winning 1985 film written and directed by Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. It is a jidaigeki (Japanese period drama) depicting the fall of Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai), an aging Sengoku-era warlord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons. The story is based on legends of the daimyo Mori Motonari, as well as on the Shakespearean tragedy King Lear.

Ran was Kurosawa's last great epic. With a budget of $12 million, it was the most expensive Japanese film ever produced up to that time.[1] Kurosawa directed three other films before he died, but none on so large a scale. The film was hailed for its powerful images and use of color – costume designer Emi Wada won an Academy Award for Costume Design for her work on Ran. The distinctive Gustav Mahler-inspired film score, written by Toru Takemitsu, plays in isolation with ambient sound muted (most notably during the battle at the Third Castle) (more...)

Film was released June 1, 1985. Article was promoted over two years ago. We can fix the date conflict with 2006 Hurricanes by moving the date for that article, since that article could conceivably be moved to any date within the hurricane season. Anyway, I think the article gets 3 points. (As a side note, I don't remember the last time a foreign-language film hit the main page, so that is another thing to consider.) Wrad (talk) 17:29, 14 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

August 29

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The House of Lords, circa 1810
The Privilege of Peerage is the body of special privileges belonging to members of the British Peerage, and is distinct from Parliamentary privilege, which applies to only those peers serving in the House of Lords and the members of the House of Commons, while Parliament is in session and forty days before and after a Parliamentary session. The Privilege of Peerage extends to all temporal peers and peeresses regardless of their position in relation to the House of Lords. The right to sit in the House is separate to the privilege, and is only held by some peers (see History of Lords Reform). Scottish peers from the Acts of Union 1707 and Irish peers from the Act of Union 1800, therefore, have the Privilege of Peerage. From 1800, Irish peers have had the right to stand for election to the United Kingdom House of Commons but they lose the privilege of peerage for the duration of their service in the lower House. Since 1999, hereditary peers of England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, who are not members of the House of Lords, may stand for election to the House of Commons. Their privilege of peerage is not explicitly lost by service in the lower House. Any peer issuing a disclaimer under the provisions of the Peerage Act 1963 loses all privileges of peerage. The Privilege of Peerage also extends to wives and widows of peers. A peeress by marriage loses the privilege upon marrying a commoner, but a peeress suo jure does not. Individuals who hold courtesy titles, however, do not have such privileges by virtue of those titles. Lords Spiritual (the 26 Archbishops and Bishops who sit in the House of Lords) do not have the Privilege of Peerage as, at least since 1621, they have been Lords of Parliament, and not peers. The privileges have been lost and eroded over time. Only three survived into the 20th century: the right to be tried by other peers of the realm instead of juries of commoners, freedom from arrest in civil (but not criminal) cases, and access to the Sovereign to advise him or her on matters of state. The right to be tried by other peers was abolished in 1948. Legal opinion considers the right of freedom from arrest as obsolete. The remaining privilege was recommended for formal abolition in 1999, and may be retained, arguably, by peers whether members of the House of Lords or not. Peers also have several other rights that do not formally comprise the Privilege of Peerage. For example, they are entitled to use coronets and supporters on their achievements of arms.

The Privilege of Peerage article has been Featured since July 2004, and so has a strong case to be put on the main page. It was also reviewed since and greatly improved with inline citations and much editing. Here's to you, Lord Emsworth! (The FA's original creator). 2 points for being and FA older than two years. Judgesurreal777 (talk) 23:56, 13 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

  • Neutral/Weak Oppose I don't think this article has survived the years well enough to be able to still be proclaimed as Wikipedia's best work. I still see paragraphs that don't have a single reference. And the prose could be given a little brushup. Noble Story (talk) 06:52, 14 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]
  1. ^ Hagopian, Kevin. New York State Writers Institute Film Notes - Ran. URL accessed March 27, 2006.
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