Wikipedia:Did you know/Monthly wrap/December 2021

DYK's December wrap, 2021

The number of people whose permission I need before I can do whatever the hell I want... Let me tell you something—there's really a lot to be said for fascism.

– Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), on The West Wing's "Bad Moon Rising" (2001)

Welcome back, everyone! :D I'm sorry this is so late, I've been super busy and trying to catch up on stuff. It's been a hell of a year, and I say that even though I wasn't even around here for the half of it. Because of that (and to the disappointment of my husband), i'll be leaning a little heavier on summarizing this month rather than the entire year. No reason to skimp on December for having the rotten luck of being the last month, after all. Also, next month's will be shorter, I promise. Let's hop to it!

As always, an ovation for our most-viewed hooks of the month: (Did you know...)

... that on an average night, between 130 and 200 people can be found Outstanding in the Field (example pictured) for about five hours? by ezlev—19,620 views in 12 hours
... that on special occasions, the city of Gloucester supplies a pie made from lampreys (lamprey pictured) to the British monarch? by Dumelow—39,220 views in 12 hours
... that it's pronounced "gif", not "gif"? by yours truly :) 17,473 views in 12 hours (without an image, too—not too shabby if i do say so myself)
... that it is impossible to draw non-crossing lines from three houses to three utilities (pictured) in a plane? by David Eppstein—17,408 views in 12 hours
... that United States Marines have repainted the Mombasa tusks (pictured) several times? by eviolite—17,356 views in 12 hours

To let you in on a secret, I actually really like the two-a-day sets :) sometimes it feels too quiet around here. Nonetheless, we switched over to one-a-day on the 21st, just before Christmas. Speaking of which, the Christmas sets! I'm sorry to report that they were not... the best performers, but I wouldn't have it any other way. We had fantastic sets for Christmas and Christmas eve, and thank you so much to everyone who contributed! There was a little bit of disagreement over how to best format the Christmas sets; some thought the sets should all be run in one day, while others wanted to run one set on Christmas Eve and another on Christmas Day to utilize the December 24 hooks. In the end, when we switched to one-a-days on the 21st, we swapped queues to opt for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day sets (a swap and switch, by the way, for which I nearly got shishkabobed—right here at WT:DYK). We are also still waiting on the incredibly important moving of the SOHA from the bottom to the top, since Wugapodes is quite busy lately transcending the mere mortals to join the High ArbCom (congrats, by the way :D). Lastly, there was quite a bit of sprawl when Kingsif swept of all of the prep sets and queues for mistakes, leading to lots and lots of discussions and hook swaps. Thanks to everyone who discussed and found solutions, and thanks to Kingsif for the vigilance!

And finally, for our ever-wonderful quality quirkies that did not receive that sweet sweet validation of making WP:DYKSTATS—there were so many this month, unfortunately: (Did you know...)

... that trade negotiator Michael Smith's negotiating style was summarized by a sign at his office door that read "This is not Burger King"? by Ktin
... that Indonesian politician Iskandar Ramis had to be hospitalized after attempting to make juice? by Jeromi Mikhael
... that the album series Jingle Cats spawned Jingle Dogs, Jingle Babies, and a Japanese video game in which "the object is to breed and care for cats, which begin to sing when they're done copulating"? by SL93
... that after Kellogg's announced plans to replace striking workers in 2021, members of r/antiwork organized to submit fake applications to the company's hiring system? also by ezlev
... that Cibo paints Italian food over neo-fascist graffiti? by ezlev
... that the Global Methodist Church is part of a proposed divorce over marriage? by Pbritti
... that William Goebel was sworn in as Governor of Kentucky a day after being shot? by Kavyansh.Singh
... that George Asprey was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth – according to the Daily Mirror, it was a silver shovel? by Moonraker

Year-end wrap

Just when you think, you're in control,

Just when you think, you got a hold,

Just when you get on a roll,

Oh here it goes, here it goes, here it goes again...

– OK Go, "Here It Goes Again" (2006)

Like I said before, I really only got here in August. I read through most of the archives, and was going to try and highlight the most important thing that happened every month—but the announcement of Yoninah's death in March weighed too heavily on anything else to be found. Instead, I'd like to use this space to share something with y'all as I intersperse our most-viewed DYK images and hooks for the year. I promise, this extremely uncharacteristic display of emotion will be as brief as possible and most definitely non-recurring.

Growing up, it was kinda hard to find common ground with others interest-wise. I was, and am, pretty personable (if i do say so myself), but I'm still kind of an oddball. My parents might have cared what my grade in geometry was, but probably not what I found interesting from the class (for the record: t'was logic and proofs. That shtuss ruled.) So, I did lots of cool projects and spreadsheets and documents, but all of it just sat in folders. And even when the results were interesting to others, they didn't care about the process, or all the things I learned along the way, making me feel trapped in that respect. I still got by socially just fine, and today I'm so lucky to have my friends and husband and family; I love them all to the stars and back. Let's be real, though—none of the other going-into-eighth graders that year toted the mueller report and a graphing calculator to summer camp.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I volunteered to build one (1) prep set here nearly five months ago, just as a what-if. But I'm sitting here, after a length of time that feels like both the blink of an eye and an eternity, and I feel such gratitude. It's crazy to me that I get to be a part of this place that celebrates knowledge and discovery—not for the sake of grades, or a paycheck, or fame, but just because we're all committed to making a more knowledgeable space for everyone. It feels like, after quite some time, that I get to be among peers who value the work I do—in barnstars and buttons and praise, sure, but more importantly in genuine discussion and interest and collaboration towards a common goal. That is irreplaceably valuable to me.

So, I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who made my experience on the site both enjoyable and impactful. I wish you all a bright 2022, full of storytelling and curiosity :) Cheers!

Most-viewed hooks of 2021 (Did you know...)^[a]

... that after being hijacked, United Airlines Flight 175 almost had two mid-air collisions with other aircraft before crashing into the South Tower of the World Trade Center (pictured)?
... that Chadwick Boseman (pictured) was the seventh actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination?
... that mercy dogs (example illustrated) were trained during World War I to comfort mortally wounded soldiers as they died in no man's land?
... that the 1935 New York anti-lynching exhibitions included Death (modeled after the lynching of George Hughes), Necklace (by Aaron Goodelman), This Is Her First Lynching, and The Law Is Too Slow (pictured), and were intended to support anti-lynching legislation, while earlier similar proposed legislation was supported by the NAACP using the lynching of Henry Lowry?
... that Belle Delphine's online popularity surged after she mimicked the orgasm faces (example pictured) featured in some Japanese manga?
... that Kristoffer Domeij (pictured) set a record when he died after 14 tours of duty in more than 10 years as a Special Operations Ranger?
... that hit-to-kill weapons (example pictured) require no warhead as their high velocity gives them many times the energy per kilogram of TNT?
... that Megan Phelps-Roper (pictured) announced her departure from the Westboro Baptist Church when the church planned to protest at the funerals of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting?

Notes

^ My favourite hook of the year is, without question: ... that the manufacturers of Hedgehog Flavour Crisps were taken to court under the Trade Descriptions Act as they did not contain actual hedgehog?

theleekycauldron (talk • contribs) (they/she) 13:21, 7 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

[1] My favourite hook of the year is, without question: ... that the manufacturers of Hedgehog Flavour Crisps were taken to court under the Trade Descriptions Act as they did not contain actual hedgehog?

[a]