Black Friday is a black mark on an otherwise festive holiday season

reality time. watching the news tonight reminded me how much i despise what christmas has become in the western world (specifically america!)...the crowds, the spectacle, the spending...it's enough to make me naseous...how in the world did christmas turn into "black friday"???

maybe the above video by "the advent conspiracy" will stir a couple of people from their spending stupor!

/end annual rant

Decker Township (Knox Co) Connections

The excerpt above is from The History of Knox and Daviess counties, Indiana (The Goodspeed Publishing Co, 1886). I found it while researching my ancestry in Knox and Gibson counties. I am descended from the early pioneers of southern Knox and northern Gibson. Three of the families mentioned, above--Decker, Anthis and Jacobus--all have links to my family tree. However, I don't have much information on these families other than what has been captured in this 1886 publication.

The old land plat maps in the IUPUI Digital Collection show adjoining farms along the White River in Decker Township that belonged to my family--the Morrisons--and to the Decker and Anthis families.

Ond of my connections to the Anthis family traces all the way back to Jacob Anthis who settled in Knox County from Tennessee, possibly before the turn of the 19th century. His great-grandaughter, Clarissa A. Field, married my second great-uncle Fletcher A. Morrison in 1880. Clarissa was a member of the Field family, who were also Gibson County pioneers. There is an extensive website of the Field family at www.luciefield.net.

If you know a Decker, Anthis or Jacobus from Indiana, won't you put them in touch with me?

Dwight Freeney: "Deal with it."

"The most intimidating player" in the words of New England Patriot's QB Tom Brady is our very own Dwight Freeney. Now whether you agree with that assessment or not, you have to admit the Colts' DE is lightning fast, quick to the QB and an impressive, ballhawking pass rusher. He has sacked the quarterback in seven consecutive games dating back to last season, bringing his career total to 77.5, according the IndyStar.

In today's "Colts Weekend" section of the IndyStar, Phil Richards states emphatically, "Mayhem is [Freeney's] mission. Deal with it." Well said, Mr. Richards. And deal with it the Patriots, Chargers and Broncos must or the Colts are going to blaze their way to another Superbowl championship. I, for one, think Freeney needs another ring on his meaty paw.

While Freeney has been a constant on an oft-maligned defense, I have to say that I'm very impressed with the improvements the Colts have made on that side of the ball. Thanks to a new scheme, new attitude and better coaching, the Colts have improved from one of the worst defenses in the NFL to one of the toughest. The team is currently 2nd in scoring defense, allowing opponents only 12.8 points per game. They've improved their run defense, sitting near the middle of the pack instead of dead last, and their pass defense ranks 6th.

None of that can be attributed to Safety Bob Sanders, seeing as how he only returned to play last Sunday. Nothing against Sanders, I just believe the change in coaching philosophy has helped more than anything else. Kudos to Larry Coyer and his defensive coaching staff!

Freeney is #5 among the sackmasters of the NFL this season, 3 sacks behind league leader Elvis Dumervil of Denver, and he's ready for more. Freeney says, "I eat, sleep, drink getting after the quarterback. I dream about them and have flashbacks in the middle of eating breakfast." Here's to hoping he gets after Alex Smith of the 49ers this Sunday.

Make me a Top 50 blog!

My Holocaust blog Never Again! has been nominated for the Top 50 Indiana Blogs.

I urge you to go now and vote for my blog before the competition is over! Hurry! All you have to do is either click the image above, or go to http://top50indianablogs.com/?p=409 and click on "Vote" in the little white box. Thanks for supporting me!

Echoes From Auschwitz

Before the door to the cramped, foul-smelling cattle car was opened, Eva remembers her father saying his morning prayers. She also recalls her anger. “As I watched my father and the other people in our car praying to God, a strange feeling of anger swept over me. It was an anger that I had experienced…when we had been called ‘Dirty Jews’…[and] that day when the Hungarian gendarmes were taking us away to the ghetto and no one spoke up or tried to help us, not even my friend Luci.” The feeling of anger was soon replaced by anxiety and despair as Eva and her twin sister were separated from their family, never to see them again. Read more...

Eva & Miriam Mozes in Rumania

Eva Kor IDs herself in famous liberation picture

Related blog posts:
My Return to the Holocaust
Meet My New Hero!

Colts Assessment - Week 4

After dismantling Seattle 34-17 in Week 4, the Colts are leading the NFL in a couple of offensive categories. And while the defense is middle of the pack (#13 overall), they are holding their own. I have to say that I am happy with the improvement on defense under new coordinator Larry Coyer (formerly of Denver). I only expect them to improve as they learn his system and after they welcome Bob Sanders to the active roster. Here's where Indy ranks 4th or better as of now:

Rank	Category
#1	Passing Yards/Game (330.2)*
#1	Total Offense, including Yards/Game (414.2) Yards/Play (7.1)
#3	Offensive Touchdowns (13) and Points/Game (26.5)
#3	Team Sacks (12)**
#3	Scoring Defense, TDs Allowed (6)
#4	Scoring Defense, PPG Allowed (15.5)

* Peyton leads with 1336 yds & Reggie Wayne is second in receiving with 399 yds
** Freeney & Mathis tied for 3rd with five (5) each.
(Source: NFL.com)

GO COLTS!!!

Did anyone else notice that the NFL had gone pink, yesterday? (And no, I don't mean Pink, the artist who sang the intro to NBC's Sunday Night Football last season.)

My one-month-old already up and running

My Holocaust blog turns one month old today!

Some of the most popular blog posts, so far:

	Title	Views
1.	Jews Murdered Between 1 Sept 1939 and 8 May 1945	42
2.	American Students Gripped by Holocaust Horror	29
3.	The Auschwitz Album	26
4.	“World War II Erupts!” Looking back 70 years	25
5.	Holocaust Encroaches Kovno, Lithuania	21
6.	Hitler’s War Against International Jewry	19
7.	Destination Lodz, the Lizmannstadt Ghetto	17

Please stop by and leave a comment or two, so that I know you've visited. To date, we have nearly 1,300 visits. Not a bad start.