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Praetorium Honoris

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Nope, Not A Fiction Day, Sorry - It's Someone's Birthday

(Source)
That picture above?

Juvat's birthday cake, needs more candles but the fire marshal vetoed that.

But just in case, we've got this beauty on standby, ready to go.



In other news ...

Brutal day at work Monday, it's almost like I had to earn my pay for once. And I did, but with lots of help from my colleagues. No, they're not getting a cut of my wife's paycheck. I answer to a higher power.

Today would have been my Dad's 95th birthday, he's been gone for 13 years, but he's never far from my mind. Happy Birthday Dad! Miss you!

Dad in his soldiering days.
Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics ...

Not sure where this lies in the above, but, somethin' ain't quite right ...

I'm used to seeing roughly a 1,000 hits a day, with the occasional spike as can be seen between the 15th and 19th of May. But starting near the end of last month, views skyrocketed to well over 8,000 a day (and climbing!), not sure where this is coming from, but I have three theories:
  1. Blogger doesn't really know how to count, or gather statistics if you ain't paying for the "good stuff" - statistics wise.
  2. Russian (and probably other, but I suspect Russian) spambots get really active from time to time, then settle down. This is the first time I've seen the stats go through the roof for more than a couple of days. We're at one week and counting ... (Maybe they're fleeing Ukraine?)
  3. The blog has become really, really popular and we are attracting thousands of new readers. No, I don't really buy into this one.
But hey, the high numbers help to boost my already inflated ego. However, when each individual post garners maybe 300 views (tops, lately it's 200, if we're lucky), how does the overall hit count get that high? I mean we do one post a day, usually, sometimes two, but normally one.

Hey, I don't mind, but I feel a little undeserving, know what I mean?

Anyhoo, everybody wish juvat a happy birthday, I might be back tomorrow with another episode of Les Cent Jours. Or maybe not, we'll see how the paying gig goes!

Happy Birthday, Methuselah juvat!

And last, and certainly not least, let's not forget what happened 79 years ago today. One of the members of The Chant even wrote a book about it. Maybe it'll get published someday. (If that certain someone ever gets off his arse!)

A LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) from the U.S. Coast Guard-manned USS Samuel Chase disembarks troops of Company A, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division (the Big Red One) wading onto the Fox Green section of Omaha Beach (Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France) on the morning of June 6, 1944. American soldiers encountered the newly formed German 352nd Division when landing. During the initial landing two-thirds of Company E became casualties.
(Source)

May their memory be a blessing.




44 comments:

  1. A most Happy Birthday juvat!! Am curious to see if D-Day is mentioned in the news today Sarge.

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    Replies
    1. I'm guessing it won't be, maybe certain markets it will but I doubt the Lame Stream Media mentions it.

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    2. Thanks Nylon.
      juvat

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  2. Now I realize that the glow on the horizon northwest from me is Juvat's birthday cake! Whew!
    - Barry

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  3. The Birthday Badger Sends Respectful Birthday Greetings!

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  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1BjXyEI-NY


    Got to see that supertanker in the air as it RTB once. Seen too many of the Cal Fire air assets at work the past 6 years, although mercifully last year was a pretty quiet fire season around here. This from the September 2020 Shady Fire saw embers dropping on our house https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxnrlb8l--4 About 600 to 800 yards.

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    Replies
    1. Love the birthday dirge!

      As to the fire, man, that's danger close!

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    2. Heh, haven't heard that one for a while. Used to be called, in my group, "The Mongol Birthday Song." Helps that a group of pseudo-Mongols (peoples from Mongolia, not the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang) were the ones that sung it.

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    3. Oh, now THAT was funny, Thanks Joe!
      juvat

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  5. Crusty Old TV Tech here. NOW I get that call I heard on the Mutual Aid net for "all available fire companies..."! D-Day, yes, I have it on my work Outlook, it reminded me yesterday, and I reminded my co-workers, most of whom nowadays are young whippersnappers, and don't have that thought uppermost. On your site stats...da, tovaritsch, let's set trap for Moose and Squirrel!

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  6. Happy Birthday Juvat! 🎂🍷

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Anon!
      juvat

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    2. Happy Birthday juvat. Did you notify the Fire Marshall and the DNR before you lit your candles?

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    3. Don,
      Well...Since I didn't light the candles, Mrs. J did (under the guidance of a certain OLD Air Force Sergeant) I can't speak for the proper handling of combustibles However, given the reports of glows to the west and east by some of our readership, I'd say they failed in their duties. Just sayin'.

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    4. ...At least it wasn't beans...

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    5. There is that.
      juvat

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  7. I ran into a guy at a PHS hospital 40 years ago, he was wearing an Army ballcap that said "WW2-Korea-Vietnam". I was in my Coast Guard uniform, when he saw me he said "I don't like the Coast Guard". I stopped and then he added "they always driving the boat that took me to have people shoot at me", then he smiled.
    I can't believe that was 40 years ago...

    Happy birthday Juvat!

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    Replies
    1. I can see his point. Not only do they take you to places where people shoot at you, they drop you off AND LEAVE! (Then come back with another load, the Coasties who drove the assault boats don't get enough credit for what they did.)

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    2. Unbelievable Courage exhibited by all concerned. Thank all of you.

      Thanks Rob,
      juvat

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    3. Kind of forgotten was that Higgens was not a marine engineer. He was a profane alcoholic that was a genius at designing and building small purpose-built boats. He (and his copiers) produced about half the number of Navy vessels (by number, not size) in WW2.

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  8. I was wondering what caused all the smoke that was blowing in on the southerly winds... Happy Birthday Juvat!

    Every time I see a picture that was taken from a landing craft like that I give a silent thanks to those that rode them. I just can't imagine being there knowing that when the ramp drops all hell will break loose. May God bless every one of them.

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  9. "Feliz Cumpleaños" or as my toddler godson and now father logged it into family lore; "Happy To You Day"!

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  10. Hey Birthday Boy! Have a great one, and I hope that includes a good cut of beef (that you probably have to cook), a nice glass of white zin (hahahaha!) and family.

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    Replies
    1. Well, he was pinging me for a bulgogi recipe. (Which I haven't provided yet. 😢)

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    2. Thanks Tuna, Yep Steak is on the menu with a baker and a salad. Think we're going to break into one of my Dad's Pinot Noir's I inherited. Probably a 2000 vintage.
      And yes, Haven't had decent Bulgogi since I left Okinawa (TDY's to Kwangju filled the bill)
      juvat

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  11. Eh, birthdays, just another marker that you've made it so far. Tis a goodly thing.

    As to D-Day, dunno if any of y'all have made it, but the National D-Day Museum is right worth it. They have a goodly representation of all the D-Days, from North Africa to Iwo.

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  12. Happy birthday, Juvat!

    And I'm seeing the same traffic spike, although it looks like it's dying down now.

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    Replies
    1. Whew, it's not just me. My spambots are still flinging themselves at the blog. Over 9.000 today so far.

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    2. Thanks BP,
      juvat

      Delete
  13. Happy Birthday Juvat!

    Sarge, my vote is always for the Russian GRU. Somehow we are a threat. - TB

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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