Happy Birthday, Mr. President

What is Friday the 13th to you? Is it a day to celebrate and appreciate one of the greatest slasher horror franchises in movie history? Or, is it a day to stay at home to avoid something falling on your head?

\ I used to be superstitious, but also curious. Why is that? Why Friday the 13th of all the days and all the dates? Well, there was a king (!) who was head over heels, not in love, but in debt. One fine day, he came up with an idea. No lenders. No debt. No problems. The Knights Templar were no more. It happened in France, and it also marked the end of the Popes - Templars romance.

\ So, I began to write my story on Friday, and hopefully, I’ll finish it by dawn on Saturday, June 14th. Just in time to wish a happy birthday to Mr. President.

The Devil Wears Prada - The Dictator Loves Military Parada

June 14th is a very important date in US history. I mean in general, not just military history. Do you know what else happened on this day?

\ How about California’s Bear Flag Revolt in 1846? Taking into account what’s currently happening in LA, this is, this is, it is what it is.

\ On this day in 1985, Hezbollah hijacked TWA Flight 847 from Athens to Rome. These days, in 2025, we have Israel and Iran. We also have a long list of potential “participants” in the WW3 scale conflict.

\ Do you know when the last military parade in the USA took place? It was also June of 1991. The US military used the occasion to celebrate the First Gulf War victory.

\ When was the last time that a U.S. president turned his private birthday into a public spectacle? I know, I know, that’s an interesting choice of words. Let’s see. JFK. Madison Square Garden. Marilyn Monroe. Am I right? Was this the first one to cross your mind?

\ I remember Obama’s 50th birthday. It was a usual barbecue with the unusual guests (read celebrities). And that was that.

\ “For his 52nd birthday, Franklin Roosevelt hosted a toga party in the White House. He dressed as Caesar and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt dressed as the Oracle of Delphi, with guests also donning white robes and Grecian headbands.”

\ That’s the whole list of “wildest” US Presidents’ Bday parties, until Trump’s second term.

\ As an ex-cadet who spent six years in the military, I can tell you firsthand that nobody likes parades. They’re an expensive, exhausting, logistical nightmare. I’m talking only about the “technicalities,” not the personalities attending these events.

\ That’s why I wasn’t surprised or shocked by Trump’s unofficial “no fat soldiers” order during Fort Bragg’s address. Yeah, I know how it sounds, but that’s the reality of these events. I watched quite a few YouTube videos where content creators pointed out that Trump didn’t want to see unhappy faces in uniforms behind him. Again, it’s controversial, but it’s also understandable.

\ Now, we all know that this parade is going to be more about Trump than the birthday of the US military. What a lucky coincidence to hit two birds with one ego. There’s that hilarious Craigslist ad. I thought it was made by The Babylon Bee. It turned out to be fake.

\ Trust me, as long as no kids are running toward Trump to wish him a happy birthday while dressed “appropriately” for the event, America will be just fine. How do I know that for sure? Well, my childhood under one of the last communist dictators in this part of Europe was careless and bizarre at the same time. Oh boy, those were the days of spectacles. Here’s a short documentary. That’s “only” the birthday party at the regular football stadium. Just imagine the scale of the military parade.

\ People are complaining about 6,000 soldiers, “49 aircraft, 128 vehicles, 25 horses, two mules and one dog.” Those are rookie numbers compared to Russia and North Korea.

“The room is on fire as she's fixing her hair.”

Or, fiddling while Rome burns.

\ Do you know what the Mandela effect is? I’m asking this because I have some serious concerns about how we’re going to remember this particular period in history. Is it going to be a tale of a savior or a dictator?

\ I “celebrated” my 18th birthday in a military prison. The guards gave me some candies and sang me “Happy Birthday to you.” I was touched. That was more than 40 years ago. I remember it as a love story rather than a series of disobediences. I wanted to spend more time with my (then) girlfriend. The army thought I got more than enough. You see, it’s easy to paint your memories in your favorite biased colors.

\ America is on ICE. The world is on fire. Trump is throwing a birthday party as if there’s no tomorrow.

\ “How has Donald Trump celebrated his birthday in the past?” Somebody has already asked this question and came up with a list of the most memorable parties.

\ If Trump and Elon were still BFF, then this birthday party would be a space party. Luckily or unfortunately, there aren’t enough rockets for all the guests and gifts.

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