var database = firebase.database();



   database.ref().on("value", function(snapshot) {

      console.log("Logging snapshot.val " + snapshot.val());

      console.log("Logging hits " + snapshot.val().hits);

      var hitCounter = snapshot.val().hits;

      console.log("hitCounter is " + hitCounter)
    }, function(errorObject) {

      console.log("The read failed: " + errorObject.code);
    });

//so I can get it to display the value in the database, but not to increase.  WTF
  function showStuff() {
    $("#content").fadeIn("slow");

      hitCounter++;
      console.log("hitCounter in showstuff() function is = " + hitCounter);
      //this console log above doesn't even fire.  WTF!?
      //Ask on stack overflow some other time

      database.ref().set({
        hits: hitCounter
      });


}