Foist or fist...

The word "foist" has been on my mind lately due to the power line project AEP-SWEPCO is attempting to foist through Northwest Arkansas. I keep looking up at the oaks surrounding my home and attempting to fathom power poles over twice their height and with concrete foundations that go 30-40 feet into our karst terrain. The clear cut right of way, as wide as a 12 lane highway and kept dead of natural forest growth in perpetuity through the application of toxic cocktails of noxious herbicides is enough to make me sick. It offends the sensibilities of one who loves wood.

The word foist, comes from old Dutch meaning fist. it means:

1. a : to introduce or insert surreptitiously or without warrant
   b : to force another to accept especially by stealth or deceit
2. : to pass off as genuine or worthy: foist costly and valueless products on the public  

The origin of the word "foist" is probably from obsolete Dutch vuisten to take into one's hand, from Middle Dutch vuysten, from vuyst fist; akin to Old English fȳst fist
First Known Use: circa 1587

Now the Dutch word for fist is vuist.

You didn't know I could talk about the Wisdom of the Hands and proposed destruction by AEP-SWEPCO so fluidly in the same paragraph?

Today in the wood shop, I continue making parts for small boxes. The plan is that once I have a supply of parts cut, I can assemble boxes as needed to fill orders as they come it... Thereby keeping my time for writing less constrained. I continue to work on the writing of chapters 5 and 6.

There is a difference between the vuist, and the open, creative hand. The fist is of little more use than a hammer that registers pain from its impact on harder things. To use the fist is to threaten force or  to get what you want by misrepresentation, intimidation and fear. In legal parlance, it could be referred to as eminent domain. There are better things by far than to have things foisted upon us. But that seems to be the role of AEP-SWEPCO, and a number of other American corporations.

make, fix and create...