text:
The Kings Gate community church represents people with different backgrounds, all ages and over 50 different nationalities. The 84,000sq ft. venue was established in 2006, at the cost of £7m, and now boasts a congregation of 1600. A growing multi-faith community in Peterborough has allowed this modern church to flourish at the margins. The design of the Kings Gate centre is similar in style to a modern business headquarters, with little hint of the spiritual activities within.
Beside the Kings Gate is an area of abandoned development area where wild flowers have covered over initial excavations and building remnants to create a series of small man-made hills and pools. The area is scattered with building materials and abandoned garden landscaping, which all in the process of being dissolved back down through rot into the surrounding habitat. The particularities of the place have created a beautifully boggy microclimate over seen by a gathering of bobbing thistles.
Nearby is a large distribution centre, which looks out over fields at the edge of this side of the city.
The nearby field is guarded by an array of scarecrows built as much from modern materials such as plastic bags as they are of straw. If you choose to explore the outskirts further into these areas, you may feel a kind of electric spark that brings thoughts and possibly images back into your mind. These latent energies feel as if they are rising up from beneath your feet and bring back to life snippets from the past if only for a brief few moments. Staring across a freshly ploughed field, I often think it is possible to look down through the earth, through a kind of topographic window, to the transformational subsets below. The field reflects on time making visible transience in its churned over folds and spaces. Depending on the time of year you can watch the farmer plough his field moving back and forth in mesmeric waves. The trance like effect can make you imagine all of the past landscapes that may have existed before. Sometimes the act of solitary walking and the isolation of the areas can be overwhelming. I think about all the people who lived and will live on this land. Of the buildings that have crumbled and that have yet to be built, of the thousands of events both past, present and yet to come. The apparitions crumble like the earth under my feet, but their residue remains a lucid marker on my own dream map made up of the thousands of different times and places I have visited.
A newish development sits at the junction between Peterborough Road and the Parkway. Named Garden Park, it is an out of town attraction of stores and other leisure facilities that opened in 2010. As well as the shops, there are areas to sit and relax, children's play areas and you can also have your car washed while you shop. Parks are always managed and artificial, but here the notion of a park combined with shopping is slightly surreal. The construction of so many out-of-town shopping developments like Garden Park, suggests the extent to which the outer edges have become increasingly favored for commercial developments. Retail developments usually come with a package of community benefits meant to assuage local residents from blocking purely commercial building projects in the consultation process. Garden Park is set to be expanded further and will offer another supermarket alongside a skills centre and cycle hub. Garden Park is listed on Trip Advisor as an 'attraction' and number 20 on the list of things to do in Peterborough. It highlights the extent that shopping centers have become our primary social spaces and destinations for family outings.
At odds with the image of Garden Park, a large refuse site glowers over it, circled by crows and scavenging seagulls. The refuse site is a fascinating synthesis of natural and constructed landscape materials and is infested with black tubing and valves to release the hidden gas beneath. The refuse was placed here, as it was originally the site of large excavated pits formed by the Dogsthorpe brickworks.
Other industries now abound in the scrubland and small woods between Garden Park, and the refuse site. Abandoned clothes and belongings and meters of tubing and wire casing are shed across the grounds. They have been burnt, torn and harvested by those industrious and desperate enough to know how. These sad and lonely sites, where in the past only animals and adventurous children might have explored, are only minutes from oblivious shoppers and workers.
The odd London brick can still be found scattered across the area reaffirming a line from Robert Macfarlane's book The Old Ways '…the old persisted alongside and despite the new surviving as echoes and shadows detectable by an acute mind and eye'.
It makes sense that it is easier to tap into an interstitial sense of space and time in locations, which are in themselves in-between one thing and another. In some sense it is as if my presence is an electrical spark, which when entering certain spaces can bring the latent energies of a past place back into consciousness if perhaps only for a brief few moments.


text:
Unit Conversion Tool ver. 5.1
Powerful, quick, and accurate unit converter. AccelWare Unit Conversion Tool is a powerful, intuitive, and easy-to-use utility for quick and accurate conversion between almost every possible unit of measure, from one system to another. The latest version includes more than 2200 units in 78 categories. The categories include: length, area, speed, mass, numbers, volume, time, density, force, pressure, energy, power, flow, temperature, angle, light, fractions, data transfer, and many more.
Download Full :

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Worried about the quality of food available at the grocery store? If so, you're definitely not alone.
Buying fruits and vegetables grown locally is one way to avoid the lower-quality, mass-produced foods found in many larger grocery chains.
The 'buy local, eat local' phenomenon is here to stay – with good reason. Eating local is great for your health (and the local economy). Following are a few good reasons why you may want to become a "loca-vore" yourself.
First of all, what exactly is a "loca-vore?"
You've probably already heard of herbivores (plant-eating animals), carnivores (meat-eating animals), and omnivores (animals who eat both plants and meat). The term "loca-vore" refers to those who consume locally grown food and use locally produced products. Loca-vores limit their food purchases to those items grown or produced within a limited radius of their homes. Items that have been shipped long distances by truck (over a period of days) do not qualify as local.
Here are a Few Key Benefits to Becoming a Loca-Vore:
- Health– There are several health benefits to becoming a loca-vore. One benefit is that food grown near you is believed to help your body fight off allergens better.For example, locally produced honey can help you during allergy season because the same pollen that your body is battling against is used by the bees in your area to make honey. Therefore, when you eat the honey, you are helping your body develop antibodies that will help fight off the allergens.
- Economy – Not only will your body thank you for eating local, but so will many small business owners in your area. By voting with your dollars, you can show these local businesses that you fully support what they do because when you buy local, your dollars stay put and help support the backbone of your local community.
- Freshness– There's nothing quite like the taste of fresh fruits and vegetables straight from the garden. Produce is meant to ripen a certain way, usually on the plant or in the ground. When fruits and vegetables are prematurely picked in order to survive cross-country shipping, we are trying to beat Mother Nature at her own game.The result? Food that doesn't taste the way nature intended.
- Nutrition – Much of a fruit or vegetable's nutrients develop during the ripening stage – while it is still attached to the plant. By removing your food from the ground or off the vine before it is ripe, you miss out on a lot of those valuable vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy.
There really is nothing more delicious, nutritious, healthy, and economy-boosting than becoming a loca-vore in your own hometown. So when you hear the words "Buy Local. Eat Local" – know its not just a passing fad… it's a healthy and fulfilling way of life.


text:
Pages 389-399
A Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds: Volume 2. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1894.
This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.
Pages 389-399
A Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds: Volume 2. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1894.
This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.
|B. 3301. Demise by the prior and convent of [St. Denis] by Southampton, to Thomas Bours, burgess of Southampton, and Isabel [his wife], of [a tenement] in St. Laurence's parish, Southampton, paying 40s. yearly. St. Leonard the abbot's day, 40 [Edward III.] Portion of document gone. Seal, broken.
|B. 3302. Sale by Nicholas la Wayte and Cicely his wife, to John Horn, burgess of Southampton, of 6d. yearly rent, which they received for the messuage which they sold to him in Great English street, St. Laurence's parish, Southampton. Witnesses:—Walter le Flameng and Thourstan Heerun, bailiffs of Southampton, and others (named).
|B. 3303. Release by Albin son of Fordwin, to the monks of Battle, of land in St. Olave's parish, Southwark, which he warrants to them on security of his land and capital dwelling-house in St. Margaret's parish towards London Bridge. Witnesses:—Henry de Pir', and others (named).
|B. 3304. Grant by Bartholomew de la Bulehuse, to William de Arundel, of two houses (stagias) adjacent, with curtilage, in English street, Southampton, in Holy Cross parish, paying 8s. yearly. Witnesses:— Matthew Geyse, alderman of Southampton, Henry le Fleming, steward, Nicholas de Barbeflut', John Blund and William Thikeman, bailiffs, John Fortin and Nicholas de Beket, wardens (scabinis), and others (named), Serjeants of the town.
|B. 3305. Release by Bartholomew le Long of Southampton, son and heir of the late Roger le Long, to the prior and convent of St. Denis, of his right in a tenement with curtilage in All Saints' parish, within the east gate of Southampton. Witnesses:—John le Flemeng, alderman, John Baluayr and Richard Bagg, bailiffs, of Southampton, and others (named). Seal of town of Southampton.
|B. 3306. Grant by Nicholas, Roger, John and Simon, sons and heirs of Roger de Shyrlye, to the same, of 8s. yearly rent from a house in St. Laurence's parish, Southampton, in the high street, in frank almoin. Witnesses:—Henry le Flameng, Nicholas de Bareflut, and others (named). Two seals and fragment of seal.
|B. 3307. Obligation of Robert Virgun to pay to the same, for the soul of Mabel Doget, 12d. yearly from his tenement in English street, Southampton, in Holy Cross parish. Witnesses:—Robert le Mercyr, alderman, John de Puteo and Adam le Hordyr, bailiffs, and others (named). Injured. Seal.
|B. 3308. Conveyance by Rueland, the prior, and the convent of St Denis by Southampton, to Thomas le Portur of Southampton, of a shop in the same by the gate of the friars minors, paying half a mark yearly. Witnesses:—Benet son of Azo, mayor, and others (named).
|B. 3309. Grant by Roger son of Roger Tonellarius, and Alice his wife, to the church of St. Denis, in frank almoin, of 20d. rent from their messuage in English street, St. Laurence's parish [Southampton]. Witnesses:—John de Bolehosa, Roger Bonhait, and others (named). [Henry III.]
|B. 3310. Release by Peter le Moudner, son and heir of Isabel Bochel of Southampton, deceased, to the prior and convent of St. Denis by Southampton, of all his right in a tenement in the west part of English street, in Holy Cross parish, Southampton, paying to him 5s. yearly for life. Witnesses:—Peter de Lyons, alderman of Southampton, John de Puteo and Adam le Horder, bailiffs, and others (named).
|B. 3311. Grant by Henry, the prior, and the convent of St. Denis by Southampton, to Adam le Hordyr, burgess of Southampton, of a hill called 'Levenedon' in the suburb of the town, at 'la Strond.' Witnesses:— Robert le Mercier, alderman of Southampton, Thomas le Blund and John de Schirle, bailiffs, and others (named). Portion of seal of arms.
|B. 3312. Sale by Nicholas, the prior, and the convent of the same, to Petronilla, late the wife of William Stordi of Southampton, deceased, of a messuage in English street in St. Laurence's parish, Southampton. Witnesses:—Ralph le Petit and Thomas de Andevor, bailiffs of Southampton, and others (named).
|B. 3313. Release by Thomas de Kingeswolle, with consent of Margery his wife, to Alice Hereman, late the wife of Elyas le Caretir, of a house with a curtilage in English street, St. Laurence's parish, Southampton. Witnesses:—Henry le Fleming, bailiff of Southampton, and others (named). Injured.
|B. 3314. Release by Thomas de Bynedon, burgess of Southampton, to the convent of St. Denis, of all his right in a tenement in English street, [Southampton], in Holy Cross parish. Saturday before the Purification, 13 Edward III. Much injured.
|B. 3315. Confirmation by the abbot and convent of St. Martin's, Seez (de Sagio), of the demise by William Oliver, their proctor general in England, to William Costard of Gates, and Juliana his wife, of land with houses in the field called 'Northfeld' by the road from Gates to Slyndon, and land called 'Stothamstighele' in the same field, for their lives, paying to the abbey 25s. 10d. yearly. Thursday the morrow of Midsummer-day, A.D. 1304. Fragment of seal.
|B. 3316. Release by Peter de Buell' and Mary his wife, to Sir Hugh, the abbot, and the convent of Ramsey, of all their right in land, &c., within the limits of Suthlyngedon park. Witnesses:—Sir Richard son of Ralph, knight, then coroner, and others (named). [A.D. 1254–1267.] Two seals, injured.
|B. 3317. Grant by John Shyrewode of Southflete, to John Ketyll of the same, of land and two 'dayweres' in Southflete, in a field called 'Elselond.' 24 December, 1 Edward IV. Seal.
|B. 3318. Grant by John Elyn of Suthorp, and Agnes his wife, to Geoffrey Clerk, son of Alexander Clerk, of the same, of all their lands and tenements in Suthorp. Sunday before St. James the Apostle, 1 Henry IV. Seal.
|B. 3319. Release in frank almoin by Robert son of Matilda Scot, of Suthorp, to the nuns of St. Michael without Stanford, of all his right in a toft, and land abutting on Blakesik, in Suthorp. Witnesses:—Thomas son of Robert, Hugh and Geoffrey Fauvel, and others (named).
|B. 3320. Grant by John Kende of Suthorp, to the same, of land in Suthorp, upon Dalhawe, in frank almoin. Witnesses:—Sir Thomas son of Robert of Suthorp, Sir Hugh Fauvel, and others (named). Portion of seal.
|B. 3321. Demise by Alan de Hibernia of Southwark, to H., abbot of Battle, of his chief houses in Southwark (except his rents without the gate thereof) for three years from Michaelmas, 16 Edward I., paying 3½ marks yearly. London, feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, 16 Edward I. Injured.
|B. 3322. Demise by William Chambre of the county of Lancaster, gentleman, to William Haxey, mercer, and others (named), of the premises which he released to them in B. 3295. 10 March, 34 Henry VI.
|[I. of Wight.]
|B. 3323. Release by Reginald Champyon of Southsandham (Sandown), to the prior and convent of Brommore, of all his right in a croft with two granges built thereon in Southsandham, in Brerdyng (Brading) parish. Witnesses:—John Kyng, vicar of Godeshull church, and others (named). Wednesday the feast of St. Laurence the Martyr, 30 Edward III. Seal.
|B. 3324. Release by John Colyns and John Parker, citizen and court hand writer of London, to William Haxey, mercer, John Polhill, haberdasher, and John Dey, cutler, citizens of London, of all their right in the tenement called 'le Rose,' with cottage and garden annexed, at 'lez Stewesside' in St. Margaret's parish, Southwark. 28 August, 35 Henry VI Seal, broken.
|B. 3325. Release by Walter Moyle, a justice of the Common Bench, and Philip Lewyston, to the same, and to the above-mentioned Colyns and Parker, of all their right in the above tenement. 24 July, 34 Henry VI.
|B. 3326. Grant by Geoffrey Verherde, to the monks of Battle, in frank almoin, of land in [Grimescroft ?] at Southwark in St. Olave's parish, stretching to the Thames from the high road to St. Saviour's, as he held it for a day and a night; paying 5s. yearly to Edith, daughter of Alexander son of Ailbricht. Witnesses:—Stephen Eswi, Richard de Clare, and others (named).
|B. 3327. Demise by William Haxey, mercer, John Polhill, haberdasher, and John Dey, cutler, citizens of London, to Robert Colyns, citizen and cofferer of London, William Melford and John Halle, gentlemen, Richard Davy of the king's household, John Colyns, and John Parker, citizen and court hand writer of London, of a tenement called 'le Rose' with other premises in St. Margaret's parish, Southwark. 10 September, 36 Henry VI. Seal and fragment of seal.
|B. 3328. Letter of attorney by Haxey and Polhill, authorising John Dey to deliver to Robert Colyns and the others above named, peaceable possession of the tenement called 'le Rose,' with other premises. 10 September, 36 Henry VI.
|[Warw. ?]
|B. 3329. Grant by Sampson de Bremesgrave, rector of Hereuerton, to the monks of Bordesley, in frank almoin, of Sidenhale grange (which he held of them for release of 200 marks formerly due to him) for support of two monks who are to be presented by the prior of Wig' (Wigmore ?) for the time being; also grant of 13s. 6d. yearly rent which he used to receive from Richard de Portar' of Feckam, and William de la Rowenhulle. Witnesses:—Sirs J. Walrant, Henry Huband, Walter de Stanes, and others (named). Fragment of seal.
|B. 3330. Grant by John son of Oliver de Vallibus, to John le Maltis tere of Wenhavestun, of land and wood in Sybetun, by the boundary of Jokesford, &c., part of the land abutting southward on the bank running toward Jokesford, and part of the wood on Rahawe; grant also of Walter Burchard, the grantor's bondman, with all his land and issue, &c. Witnesses:—Sirs Philip de Boclond, Hubert de Bavent and Thomas de Craven', knights, and others (named).
B. 3331. Certificate of Hamo son of Nicholas de Sibetune, that he has
done homage to the abbot and convent of Sibetune, for a tenement in Sibetune, with the consent of the lady Nicholaa de Meysi, late the wife of
Eoger de Leystune, of whom he formerly held it. Witnesses:—John de
Linstede, William de Alencun, and others (named).
Endorsed:— Carta Hamon' de Sybet' de homag' suo abbati de Sybet' facto. Carta est optima.
|B. 3332. Confirmation by John son of Oliver de Vallibus, to the monks of Sybetune, in frank almoin, of the grant that Nicholaa de Meisi, late the wife of Roger de Leistune, widow, made to them of the homage of Hamo son of Nicholas de Sybetune, with all his tenement which he held of her in Sybetune. Witnesses:—Sirs Hubert de Bavent and Thomas de Craven, knights, and others (named).
|B. 3333. Release by the same, to John le Maltistere of Wenhavestune, and to the monks of Sybetune, of 1 lb. of cumin of yearly rent which the said John paid to him for the land, &c., granted to him in B. 3330. Witnesses as above.
|B. 3334. Grant by Robert Beverage and Isabel Laykan his wife, daughter of the late Hugh Laykan, to Sir Thomas de Chauncy, lord of Skirpinbek, of all their land in the field of 'le Bochem' in Skirpinbek. Witnesses:—Sir Roger Grimet', knight, Sir El[ias], rector of Skirpinbek, and others (named). Portion of seal.
|B. 3335. Agreement between Sir William, the abbot, and the convent of Bordesley, and Matthew, rector of the church of Alvithechirch; the convent shall have two gates upon the ditch between the wood of Surthewod and 'La Leye,' with free ingress and egress to and from the said wood, and by them Matthew's servants can lead in and out of the wood forty pigs from Michaelmas to Christmas; before Michaelmas the abbot's servants shall not beat down acorns in the wood, and neither party shall gather them between the said feasts. Matthew releases to the abbot all common of pasture in the convent's lands, and if his beasts are found therein they shall be driven out, but without injury, &c. Witnesses:—Sir Henry Huband, knight, and others (named) Ypesley, Thursday the morrow of the Purification, A.D. 1249.
|[Lanc. ?]
|B. 3336. Grant by Nicholas de Halgheford, to Robert ate Brech of Haverchenesham, of a curtilage abutting westward on the common of Haverchenesham called 'le Bradene,' and of land adjoining the said curtilage in the field called 'Sutheworth.' Sunday before St. Margaret the Virgin, A.D. 1299, 27 Edward I.
|B. 3337. Conveyance by Peter de Wolveye, to John Ernald, of land in Sowe for twelve years, on condition of his cropping it as specified herein. Michaelmas, 19 Edward [I.]
|B. 3338. Release by Robert, son and heir of Ralph the smith (fabri) of Sowe, to Robert Jabet, of all his right in a messuage and land in Sowe. Friday the feast of St. Swithin, 33 Edward I. Seal.
|B. 3339. Demise by Geoffrey de Craft, for the life of Avice his mother, to Robert Jabet, of a meadow in Sowe which the said Avice held as dower after the death of Robert Bagod her late husband, in a place called 'Wrotholm.' Kirkeby, Tuesday before St. John the Baptist, 33 Edward [I.]
|B. 3340. Demise by William de Pynnelee, to Robert Jabet and Alice his wife, and to Katherine his own sister, for their lives, of all his messuage and land in Sowe and in Wykene, paying 16s. yearly. Thursday after St. Peter ad Vincula, 34 Edward I. Seal.
|B. 3341. Duplicate of B. 3326.
|B. 3342. Grant by Richard Baret of Sutthorp, son of Ralph Baret, to the nuns of St. Michael's without Stanford, of land in Sutthorp, abutting southwards on Sutton wood. Witnesses:—Sir Hugh Fauvel, knight, John Kende, and others (named). Portion of seal.
|B. 3343. Grant in frank almoin by Maurice and Sara his sister, heirs of Nicholas the clerk (clerici) and Mariota his wife, of Southampton, to the canons of St. Denis by Southampton, of ½d. yearly rent issuing from land in the same. Witnesses:—Robert Bonheyt, Nicholas de Barbeflut', and others (named).
|B. 3344. Release by John le Graunt, son and heir of Hugh le Graunt, late burgess of Southampton, to the same, of all his right in a tenement in Southampton which they had by bequest from Sir William de Arundel, late parson of Mickelham church. Witnesses:—Thomas de Bynedon, mayor of the said town, Robert de la Barre and Walter de Brackeley, bailiffs, and others (named). Seal and portion of town seal.
|B. 3345. Declaration by N. the prior, and the convent of St. Denis by Southampton, that Sir Thomas Peverel, knight, has given to them 5s. yearly rent, issuing from a tenement in English street, St. Laurence's parish, Southampton, to celebrate the anniversary of Andrew Peverel his father. Witnesses:—Sir William de Wintreshulle and John de Botteligh, knights, and others (named).
|B. 3346. Grant by William son of Reginald de la Wike, to William son of William de la Leye, of a moiety of an assart with a messuage under Sowe wood. Witnesses:—Vitalis de Folkyshul, Geoffrey de Wilenhale and others (named). Portion of seal.
|B. 3347. Release by Thomas son of Hugh de Loges in Sowe, to Robert Jabet, of all his right in land in Sowe lying upon the tillage called 'le Wowe,' with a 'swat' of meadow called 'le Smale Swayes' in the common meadow. Witnesses;—Simon Erneys, Robert Bagod, and others (named). Seal.
|B. 3348. Grant by Robert son of Roger Balle, to Robert Jabet, of land in Sowe, part at Sticheforde, part upon Suyniforlong, part upon 'le Wowe,' and part upon 'le Ferniforlong.' Witnesses:—Peter Hervi, Hugh de Stivichale, and others (named). Seal.
|B. 3349. Grant by Simon son of Joylin of Sowe, to Alice daughter of Robert de Pinel', of land in Sowe, paying 2s. yearly. Witnesses:—Viel de Folkishull, Robert de Paris, and others (named). Seal.
|B. 3350. Grant by Ranulph Spalding of Sowe, to William de Coxhale, tailor, of land in Sowe, part lying upon Smitinghul, stretching upon Longefriday, part at Rodmerewell, upon Draybrocforlong, at Woldhale, upon Wowelond, stretching to Smiteweye, upon Sichesfordeforlong, at Meregrene upon Sweynesforlong, at Folefen, at Elrenegrene stretching into Gretemure, upon Ferniforlong, at Bernardes cros stretching into Smiteweye upon Hasshull, and upon Musebroc stretching into Draybrochulles. Witnesses:—Simon Joylin, Peter Hervy and others (named). Seal.
|B. 3351. Grant by William de Middelton, to Ralph, earl of Westmoreland, for 40l., of all his estate in lands and tenements in the lordship of Skirtenbeck, which he had by gift of the abbey of St. Agatha by Richmond which are now of the value of seventeen marks 2s. 2d. yearly for fourteen years from Martinmas next; paying yearly 46s. 8d. to the church of St. Peter's, York, and 3s. to the vicars of the said church. 16 January, 3 Henry IV. French. Seal.
|B. 3352. Grant by William de Corton, to Sir Simon, the abbot, and the convent of Ramsey, of land and two parts of a messuage in Slepe, held of the king in chief; and the reversion of lands and the third part of a messuage which Matilda, late the wife of Alan le Hauekere, and Alice, late the wife of Simon le Hauekere, respectively hold in dower, and of a messuage that Nicholas le Hauekere, of St. Ives, holds for life in the same place; they providing a chaplain to celebrate daily for his soul in St. Benet's church, Ramsey. Witnesses:—Sirs William le Moigne and John de Swyneford, and others (named). London, Saturday the feast of St. Catherine the Virgin, 12 Edward II. Illuminated initial letter. Seal.
|B. 3353. Demise by Henry son of Robert Gerard of Sloutre, rector of the church of Over Sloutre (Upper Slaughter), to the abbot and convent of Bruerne, of all his right in the land and messuage in Over Sloutre which Walter, parson of Newinton, formerly gave to them. Witnesses:—Sir Jordan, rector of Widindon, William the clerk of Sloutre, Robert le Champiun, and others (named). Seal, broken.
|B. 3354. Release by Sir Nicholas, the prior, and the convent of Ordburi (Erdbury), to Geoffrey son of Robert de Sireford, of the suit which he was wont to do every three weeks at their court for the tenement which he holds in Sireford, he paying 4s. yearly rent instead of 3s. for the same, and doing suit twice a year at their court, &c. Witnesses:—Master John de Billisleya, Viel de Folkeshulle, Richard Morin the clerk of Winchecumbe, and others (named). Seal, broken.
|B. 3355. Release by Margaret, relict of William son of Roger de Horworth, to . . . . . of Raby, of all her right in lands and tenements in Great Smythton (Great Smeaton), which she had of the gift of the said William. Much faded. Seal.
|B. 3356. Grant by Robert Salveyn of Thorp by Langeton, to Peter le Taylour of Slauston, and Alice his wife, of land in Slauston upon Peysehul. Sunday before St. Augustine, 20 Edward III. Portion of seal.
|B. 3357. Grant by Thomas Underwode, vicar of Weston, and Richard son of Simon de Cravenhowe, to John Attehalle of Stretton, and Henry de Sterre of Braundeston, of all the lands and tenements which they had of the gift of Alice, relict of Ralph Andreu, in Slauston. Feast of the Invention of Holy Cross, 28 Edward III. Two seals.
B. 3358. Release by James, lord of Berkeley, knight, William Berkeley,
knight, James, Maurice, and Thomas Berkeley, esquires, to John, earl of
Shrewsbury, and Margaret his wife, of all their right in nine messuages and
certain lands in Slymbrugge, and in a pasture called 'le Warthe' and a meadow
called 'le Nevelese' lying between the Severn and Slymbrugge lordship,
and stretching from Hynton lordship to the bridge called 'le Warthe
Brugge' by Frampton on Severn. 20 October, 30 Henry VI. Two
Endorsed: 'Irrotulatur coram Domino Rege apud Westm' termino Sancti Hill' anno r.r. Henrici sexti post conquestum tricesimo, Ro. xlj°.'
|B. 3359. Grant by Roger Schepey of Arley, chaplain, to Richard son of Agnes la Smythes of Arleye, of land with buildings in Sloleye, abutting on the high road from Coventry to Lych[field]. Sunday the feast of Holy Innocents, 22 Edward III.
|B. 3360. Demise by Henry Rolleston, John Bradshawe, William Dethik, clerk, William Saucheverell, Henry Stathum, and Henry Reddeford, chaplain, to William Zouche and Joan his wife, daughter and heiress of Henry Stathum, late lord of Morley, for their lives, of all the messuages and lands, &c., in Smalley which they had of the grant of the said Joan, with remainder to her right heirs; also letter of attorney authorising Milo Blackwall and Thomas Mongombre to deliver seisin of the said premises. 18 May, 2 Henry VII. Two seals.
|[N'hamp. ?]
|B. 3361. Sale by Richard Pek of Stanford, with the consent of Alice his wife, to Master Alexander son of Richard son of Seluf de Stanford, of his croft under Smithill with a toft without the gate of Scoftegate reaching to Smethell, for 37 marks. Witnesses:—Walter de Tikote, Terric de Colonia, and others (named).
|B. 3362. Confirmation by John de Burleia, son of William, to the monks of Bordesley, in frank almoin, with his own body, of land which his father gave to them, next the way from Snitenefeld and in Greneslede, and of land that Nicholas his grandfather gave to them. Witnesses:—William Cumin, William de Bissopesdune, Alan de Blez, and others (named).
|B. 3363. Demise by John Brygtwardyn, the prior, and the convent of Chirbury, to Jevan ap Rees, of a pasture at Snede in the lordship of Halcetyr, called 'Golewgoed,' for forty-one years, paying 16d. yearly. 28 March, 23 Edward IV. Seal.
|B. 3364. Grant by Mary de Nevill', lady of Middelham, to Gilbert son of Roger de Helton, of two messuages, three tofts and two tenements in Snape, with housbote and heybote in Snapewood, for his life. Witnesses:—Sirs Thomas de Rychem', and Richard de Berningham, knights, and others (named). Friday the feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, A.D. 1313. Seal.
|B. 3365. Grant by Geoffrey Trussel, to the monks of St. Nicholas of Kirkebi, in frank almoin, of Sarneford church, Robert being prior of Kirkebi. Witnesses:—Geoffrey, prior of Spalding, Siward the priest of Kirkebi, Adam the priest of Widibroc, Roger de Mulbrai, and others (named). Twelfth century.
|B. 3366. Confirmation by Robert de Chaundos, son of Roger de Chaundos, lord of Snodhull, of the grant made by his father, herein recited to the monks of Dore, in frank almoin, of the grove between the boundaries of Snodhull and the fee of Clifford, one part reaching to Wudebir' the other with Shedricheshale to Heyheleye, all the assarts between Heyheleye and Alwineleye, and so all the grove to the spring of Aldid and to Lameleye, and so to the road from Lameleye to Heyheleye, and thence to the land of Sir William de Solariis on the north; and of common of pasture on his land beyond the water of Dore to Wilmeston. Witnesses:— Sirs John Lestrange (Extraneo), John de Tregoz, Andrew de Bascrevil, Richard de Bachinden and William Rufus, canon of Hereford, and others (named). [c. A.D. 1276.] Seal.
|B. 3367. Grant by Roger Branche, to Peter his son, of half his land of Snyffemore with a messuage, land in Dunkehulle, part by Harnam wood, and an acre in Ake meadow by the road called 'la Walle,' paying 5s. 3d. yearly; with remainder to the survivor. Witnesses:—Maurice de Lege, Hugh Punchard, and others (named).
|B. 3368. Sale by Matilda, daughter of Serle le Tapinir, to William Ayllet of Southampton, of land in Estret in All Saints' parish, Southampton, next the houses (stagiis) which Joan Ysembard holds of the prior of St. Denis. Witnesses:—Benet Azonis, mayor of Southampton, Walter le Flameng, bailiff, and others (named). 19 October, A.D. 1243. Seal.
|[Warw. ?]
|B. 3369. Grant by William de Badbi, to the monks of Bordesley, in frank almoin, of land part by the boundary of Sudhang', part against Farduna, and part 'inter garas.' Witnesses:—Nicholas de Kirkebi, Gilbert de Vado, and others (named).
|B. 3370. Grant by Richard Gardyner of Bishops Hatfield, to William Fraynshe of St. Albans, and Agnes his wife, of a messuage with a curtilage in Sopwellane, St. Albans, abutting on the stream of water running from Halywelle to Sopwelle mill. Witnesses:—John de Wynslowe, bailiff of St. Albans, and others (named). Thursday the Purification, 26 Edward III.
|B. 3371. Grant by Ralph Wodeford, William Asshby, esquires, and William Vyllers, chaplain, to George, earl of Shrewsbury,' Edward, lord of Hastynges, Master Richard Hastynges, Robert Staunton, and others named, of messuages, land, a horse-mill and croft in Somerby, and land, two crofts, and a toft in Little Dalby, with letter of attorney authorising Edward Beer and John Whithed to deliver seisin of the said premises. 6 August, 2 Henry VII. Three seals.
|B. 3372. Obligation of John de Forda, son of William de Forda, to pay to the abbot and monks of Dore, two marks yearly for the support which they have granted to Walter son of Hugh de Homenesse, in their house; if he fail to pay he will resign his land of Sarnefeud and Gramanton into the hands of the king or his son Edward, and will pay to the abbot 12d. for each day he fails; on his death provision must be made for payment of the two marks before any of his goods are disposed of; if he or his heirs fail in such payment the abbey shall not be responsible to Walter for anything, but he shall forthwith restore to Walter the land of Homeness' and Gramanton. Michaelmas day, A.D. 1263. Fragment of seal.
|B. 3373. Demise by Augustus son of Alan de Tropi, with consent of Amabel his wife, to Felicia, the prioress, and the convent of Catesby, of the portion of a toft and croft belonging to his wife as dower in Solegrafe (Sulgrave), to hold during Amabel's life, paying 12d. yearly. Witnesses:—Ralph de Hinton, and others named. Seal.
|B. 3374. Grant by Robert Roand of Langley, to the church of St. Mary of Bordesley, in frank almoin, of land by the road from Sudhang' to Warwick, by the boundaries of Sudhang' and Langley. Witnesses:—Gilbert son of Gilbert de Vado, Nicholas son of William de Burleia, and others (named). Twelfth century. Fragment of seal.
|B. 3375. Conveyance by Robert Notyare, to John Chikerel and Cristina his wife, for their lives, of all his lands, &c., in Soppele. 12 June, 1 Henry IV.
|B. 3376. Release by John Greswold, son and heir of John Greswold of Rowynton, and Richard Greswold his son, to Robert Greswold of Solyhull, of all their right in the messuages and lands, &c., in Olton in Solyhull parish which formerly belonged to the said releasor, John Greswold, by the demise of Thomas Beynam of Henley. 23 November, 12 Edward IV. Two seals.
|B. 3377. Sale by Nicholas la Wete, and Cicely his wife, to John Horn, for 10 marks and a tunic to Cicely, of a shop in Southampton in Great English street, St. Laurence's parish. Witnesses:—W . . . . le Flameng and Matthew Gese, bailiffs, and others (named). 20 November, A.D. 1249. Portion of seal.
|B. 3378. Grant by John Gresewold, son and heir of John Gresewold of Rowinton, to Richard Gresewold his brother, vicar of Toneworth, Thomas Beynam of Henley, and William Blount of the same, of all the messuages and lands, &c., in Olton in Solihull parish which he inherited on his father's death. 22 May, 37 Henry VI.
|[I. of Wight.]
B. 3379. Grant by Elyas de Phalasia, to the monks of Quarr, in
frank almoin, of his land in the tillage called 'Sortlond' and 'Combwol,'
with part of the tillage called 'Alfricheslond' stretching eastward to
land called 'Semereslond,' by land of the tenants of Foxore.
Witnesses:—John de Bottelye, William de Pageham, and others (named).
Endorsed: 'Carta Elie de Phalesia de terra de Rupenore.'
|B. 3380. Letter of attorney by Thomas Beynam of Henley, authorising John Hawe, son of Thomas de Gerardes, and William Hawe, barber, to deliver seisin to Robert Greswold of Solyhull, of the lands, &c., in Olton referred to in B. 3378. 20 November, 12 Edward IV. Fragments of seal.
|B. 3381. Grant by John Greswold of Solyhull, the elder, esquire, to Robert Greswold of Solyhull, of a croft in the same. Feast of St. Catherine the Virgin, 20 Edward IV. Seal.
|B. 3382. Release by Cicely, late the wife of Nicholas la Wayte of Southampton, widow, to John Horn, burgess of Southampton, of all her right in a messuage in English street, St. Laurence's parish. Witnesses:—Henry le Flameng and William Dykman, bailiffs of Southampton, and others (named). June, 55 Henry III.
|B. 3383. Grant by Nicholas, rector of St. Michael's, Southampton, to William de Arundel, his nephew, of land with houses (stagiis), curtilages, and a garden in English street, Holy Cross parish [Southampton], reaching to the town ditch. Witnesses:—Benet Azonis, mayor of Hampton, Walter the Fleming (Flandr') and William Fortin, bailiffs, and others (named). 14 May, A.D. 1248.
|B. 3384. Grant in frank almoin by Nicholas de Cumba, chamberlain, to the canons of Brommore, of land with a messuage in Rokeburn, paying 3s. yearly. Witnesses:—Sirs John de Kernett' and Robert de Ponchardon, knights, and others (named). Seal, broken.
|B. 3385. Demise by Richard, the prior, and the convent of St. Denis by Southampton, to John de Puteo, burgess of Southampton, and Hawise his wife, of a tenement with three shops in Southampton, in the street called 'Englisschestrete,' St. Laurence's parish, for their lives, paying 23s. 4d. yearly; with remainders to John, Nicholas, and Robert, their sons, in succession. Witnesses:—John de Schyrlie, alderman of Southampton, Nigel de la Wilderne and Thomas Stout, bailiffs, and others (named) xvij Kal. Junii, [16 May], A.D. 1300, 28 Edward I.
|B. 3386. Grant by Cicely la Wayte, late the wife of Nicholas le Wayte, to Richard Tebaud, burgess of Southampton., of 2s. yearly quit rent in Southampton, issuing from a house in English street, St. Laurence's parish. Witnesses:—Robert Bonheit and Thomas le Blund, bailiffs of Southampton, and others (named). Translation of St. Edmund, archbishop of Canterbury A.D. 1272. Two seals, one of the bailiff's of the town.
|B. 3387. Grant by Thomas de Bynedone, burgess of Southampton, to the canons of St. Denis by Southampton, in frank almoin, of 6s. yearly quit rent from his tenement in Holy Cross parish, Southampton, from which they were wont to receive 11d. rent. Witnesses:—Henry de Lym, alderman, John Roude and Nicholas Sampson, bailiffs, of Southampton, and others (named). St. Peter ad Vincula, 15 Edward II. Seal of arms broken, and fragments of the provosts' seal.
|B. 3388. Confirmation by R. the prior, and the convent of St. Denis by Southampton, of the grant made by Walter le Barbur to Robert Page, of a shop in Southampton by the gate of the Friars Minors. Witnesses:—Matthew Gese, Thomas le Mercier, Peter Dikeman and Michael Pudele, bailiffs of Hampton, and others (named).
|B. 3389. Grant by Matilda, daughter of the late William Bassingron, the elder, of Southampton, and Petronilla called 'la Halveknight,' his wife, to Walter de Brackelye, burgess of Southampton, of a void piece of land in St. John's parish, Southampton, north of a house called 'the long chamber,' of a tenement called 'la Westhalle,' and stretching from 'la Bolestrete' on the west to the little chamber called 'la Garderobe' on the east; and a small piece of land adjoining. St. Peter in Cathedra, 10 Edward II. Seal.
|B. 3390. Demise by Florya the bakeress (pistrix), of Southampton, late the wife of Robert the tailor (parmentarii), to the canons of St. Denis by Southampton, in frank almoin, of a messuage in Estrete, Southampton, within the east gate. 8 Edward I., A.D. 1279. Seal.
|B. 3391. Grant by Thomas le Hordir, son and co-heir of William le Hordir, sometime burgess of Southampton, to Guy le Hordir his brother, of a messuage with a curtilage in English street, Holy Cross parish, Southampton. Witnesses:—Thomas de Binedone, alderman of Southampton, and others (named). Friday before Holy Trinity, 13 Edward II. Portion of town seal.
|B. 3392. Demise by the prior and convent of St. Denis by Southampton, to Roger [de Stonham], Petronilla his wife and Alice their daughter, for their lives, of a tenement with a curtilage in All Saints' parish within the east gate, Southampton, paying to them 4s. yearly and 12d. to the rector of All Saints. Witnesses:—Bartholomew Ace and Richard de Barbefluet, bailiffs of Southampton, and others (named). Tuesday . . . . . ., 9 Edward II. Injured.
|B. 3393. Grant by Robert le Norays, son of Richard le Norays, of the Isle of Wight, to Thomas de Bynedone, burgess of Southampton, of houses in English street, Southampton, in Holy Cross parish. Witnesses:—Richard de Sutton and John de Vaus, bailiffs of Southampton, and others (named). Monday after Palm Sunday, 10 Edward II. Two seals, one of the town.
|B. 3394. Indenture whereby Robert Natheles of Southampton, and Isabel his wife, agree to pay yearly, for life, to the prior and convent of St. Denis by Southampton, 18d. for their tenement in All Saints' parish in the street called 'Loberies Stret'; and Richard called 'le Sometir,' burgess of Southampton, agrees to pay to the same 18d. yearly for land which he acquired in fee by grant of Robert and Isabel, &c. Wednesday after St. Augustine, 3 Edward III.
|B. 3395. Grant by William, the prior, and the convent of St. Denis by Southampton, to Michael Mone, burgess of Southampton, of the tenement released to him by John Underdone, son of the late Roger Underdone, in the suburb of Southampton under Levedon, at 'la Stronde.' Morrow of St. Leger, 7 Edward III.
|B. 3396. Grant by Thomas Sampson, to Walter Dreu, both burgesses of Southampton, of his quay at Westhuth without the town gate by 'Pilegrimes putte,' in the way towards the castle, in St. Michael's parish. Witnesses:—Roger Normand, alderman, Robert de la Barre and Nicholas de Mountdenard, bailiffs, of Southampton, and others (named). 1 August, 5 Edward III. Portion of seal of arms.
|B. 3397. Partition between Thomas le Halveknyght and Emma la Halveknyght, co-heirs of Thomas le Halveknyght, their late father, and Matilda de Borgoyne, relict of the latter, of a tenement in French Street, Southampton. Witnesses:—John de Roude, alderman, Henry Frost and Laurence de Mees, bailiffs, of Southampton, and others (named). Friday before St. Nicholas, 1 Edward III. Seal, broken.
|B. 3398. Grant by Isabel, late the wife of John de Ichulle, widow, to William Bassyngroum of Southampton, of her moiety of a tenement in the east part of English street, St. Laurence's parish, Southampton. Winchester, Thursday after the Exaltation of Holy Cross, 31 Edward I. Seal and town seal.
|B. 3399. Letter of attorney by Matilda, late the wife of John Dryberd, burgess of Southampton, authorising Sir Adam de Sonnynges, parson of St. Laurence's, Southampton, to place Sir John Donston, parson of All Saints, and Roger de Petresfeld in full seisin of her tenement in English street, St. Laurence's parish. Wednesday before the Annunciation, 12 Edward III. Seal.
|B. 3400. Grant by Richard de Sothewell called 'le Whelar' of Southampton, and Cicely his wife, to William le Schetere of the same, and Joan his wife, of a void piece of land without the north gate of Southampton in the street called 'Fulflode,' in the parish of All Saints. Witnesses:—Thomas de Bynedone, alderman, Robert de la Barre and Walter de Brackele, bailiffs, of Southampton, and others (named). Thursday after the Purification, 11 Edward III. Portion of seal.


text:
Is the FDA Denying You Access to Your Genome?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to Ann Wojcicki on Nov. 22 that will prevent her company from marketing its sole product for the foreseeable future. No, the company doesn't manufacture pharmaceuticals, nor will you find an associated ticker. It is, however, leading the charge to make your personal genetic information -- the most important information you own -- more accessible to you. The company is 23andMe and the scrutinized product is the Saliva Collection Kit and Personal Genome Service, or PGS.
23andMe hasn't been fully cooperative with the FDA over the years, but consumers have certainly lost -- at least for the moment -- an important tool for accessing their personal genetic information. How the situation unfolds could have profound effects on the personal genome kit market, which has been largely unregulated to date. Did you just lose the right to access your personal genetic information for good?
What's the fuss about?
First, we need to explain 23andMe's business. The company offers a genetic analysis kit for $99. Once it's mailed to your home, you spend a few minutes filling a tube with DNA-rich saliva before carefully repackaging the assembly and mailing the kit back to the company for analysis. After the laboratory completes its analysis of your DNA sample, you can login to your personal 23andMe account to see hundreds of interesting genetic correlations in health and ancestry between your sample and known-genetic correlations from known scientific literature.
Results are based on SNP genotyping, which isn't as comprehensive as full genome sequencing. Nonetheless, the information is what makes you, well, you. So it only seems fair that you should have access to it. However, unless you're a trained geneticist that can successfully and swiftly derive meaning from a pile of genetic information in a specially designed database, then all of those funny letter combinations that make up your genes are pretty worthless. That's where companies such as 23andMe come into play.
The company takes your genetic information and compares it against the vast amount of scientific data available. It isn't really doing anything novel except interpreting genetic data from a software program and reporting it back to you in a neat and organized package. That's still pretty valuable and interesting. And I ought to know, as I paid for the test this summer.
Your ancestry (what parts of the world your genome came from) and traits (eye color, lactose metabolism, and the like) can be easily deduced from years of established scientific research. It seems obvious that genes encode for eye and hair color, but they also play a role in determining your susceptibility to diseases and how you metabolize drugs. 23andMe reports these results in the following categories:
My health risks are reported as estimated percentages when scientific studies of sufficient size have been conducted. Otherwise, my risk is classified as elevated, decreased, or typical.
For instance, I have a 24.9% risk of developing prostate cancer in my lifetime, compared with just 17.8% for the average male, according to the company's analysis of 12 reported genetic markers for the disease. Navigating to the page for prostate cancer provides further facts and statistics on the disease. "The heritability of the cancer is estimated to be 42%-57%," reads the opening of one section, explaining that environment also plays an important role. That's an important thing to consider when digesting your results, as is the fact that 23andMe's test is not designed to diagnose disease.
The company does advertise that results could be used as a "first step in prevention," which could spur consumers to talk to their doctors about investigating their health risks in more detail. That could actually be a good thing for the nation's health. For instance, my elevated genetic risk for prostate cancer means I should take screening seriously when I get older, although I shouldn't be too concerned about it until I speak with a trained medical professional. The FDA doesn't see it in the same light, however. From the letter:
FDA is concerned about the public health consequences of inaccurate results from the PGS device; the main purpose of compliance with FDA's regulatory requirements is to ensure that the tests work.
The truth is, the FDA hasn't proved the company's tests and analyses accurate. You don't have to be too creative to see how arming millions of people with genetic risk factors from unregulated personal genetic tests could cause problems. For instance, my results show that I have increased sensitivity to warfarin, a blood thinner that is prescribed to more than 2 million people in the United States each year. It doesn't really affect me, but if someone who needed to take warfarin for medical reasons had similar results and decided not to take it based on those results, the stakes get raised considerably.
It may seem that the FDA is picking on a small company just for fun, but consumer safety is nothing to joke about. The agency also has the law on its side. According to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which was amended in 1976 to regulate medical devices, the PGS is classified as a medical device because it "is intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease." Genetic testing wasn't available back then, but neither were laser surgical tools or pacemakers with microchips, which are mandated by the same law.
From that perspective, 23andMe needs to clear its product through Premarket Notification, or the 510(k), process. Such products aren't technically approved by the FDA, but they meet sufficient safety and manufacturing guidelines to be marketed. Unfortunately, the company hasn't done itself any favors in its fumbled attempts to bring the PGS into compliance with the FDA over the years. Two 510(k)s submitted by 23andMe in 2012 are now considered withdrawn in the eyes of the agency. From the letter:
As part of our interactions with you, including more than 14 face-to-face and teleconference meetings, hundreds of email exchanges, and dozens of written communications, we provided you with specific feedback on study protocols and clinical and analytical validation requirements, discussed potential classifications and regulatory pathways (including reasonable submission timelines), provided statistical advice, and discussed potential risk mitigation strategies.
Knowing that part of the relationship makes it awfully difficult to side with the company on the issue or have much faith in management. How the situation is handled now will affect not only 23andMe, but consumers and other companies seeking to empower individuals with their genetic information.
Why does this matter?
23andMe isn't the only company offering cheap genetic tests to the masses. The American Gut Project offers a $99 test that will identify the makeup of your microbiome -- the collection of helpful microorganisms that reside in your intestines -- which has become increasingly important in understanding various diseases. Meanwhile, the crowdfunded start-up uBiome offers a range of tests for sequencing the microbiome starting at $89. Similar to the test offered by the larger 23andMe, both tests are intended for research and educational purposes only. If recent events are any guide, then they may also come under the scrutiny of the FDA.
Are individuals about to lose the right to access their personal genetic information? Regardless of outcome the answer is "no," but the problem is price.
You really can't find a similar product on the market for a similar price. You can pony up quite a bit of money for much more thorough and accurate results, but traditional diagnostic tests are only used for specific medical reasons. They require substantially more money to develop and meet compliance, which means they often come with lofty price tags -- even if they assess only a handful of your 24,000 genes. However, for diagnostic tests to be successful they generally must be paid for through health insurance, which makes their costs largely invisible to consumers.
Myriad Genetics came under intense scrutiny for the costs of its BRCA test -- for determining genetic risk factors for breast cancer -- which cost nearly $3,000 for analyzing just two genes. Genomic Healthoffers genomic diagnostic tests for breast, colon, and prostate cancer. These and other genetic tests are incredibly useful for determining the likelihood of recurrence and guiding physicians to the best treatment options. Of course, that's what they're intended to do. Thus, they are not a suitable alternative for accessing wider swaths of genetic information.
The PGS 23andMe offers is not intended to diagnose diseases, and the FDA has not proved it accurate. It doesn't offer anywhere near the precision of a diagnostic test for any indication, but then again, that isn't its purpose. So what if the issue at hand had more to do with how the FDA believes the PGS should be classified in the first place?
What can be done to fix this?
While the FDA has been attempting to bring 23andMe's PGS into compliance for years, the decision to put its regulatory foot down now comes at an interesting time in the trajectory of DNA sequencing costs. The primary objective of the Human Genome Project, which sought to sequence the entire human genome, was to spur advances in our understanding of genomics and advance DNA sequencing. We aren't there yet, but we're well on our way. Consider that the cost to sequence DNA (the blue line) has fallen from $1 per unit of DNA in 1995 to an estimated $0.0000001 per unit of DNA today, according to noted venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson:
The advancement has resulted in ultra-cheap technology; technology such as personal genome kits that cost $99. They'll only continue to get cheaper and more accurate, which means they'll become more widespread and more accessible to the general public, which means it's important for the FDA to clamp down on mail-order analysis tests now rather than later.
Then again, it isn't too unreasonable to support 23andMe in its assertion that personal genome kits shouldn't be classified as diagnostic tests. Consider the scenario where the company meets all guidelines the FDA sets and is once again allowed to market its product. Will that behind-the-scenes marketing approval really stop a handful of consumers from abusing the information presented to them? Most certainly not.
Can a compromise be reached between the FDA and 23andMe assuming the company can water down its marketing campaign and clarify that its incomplete tests should not be used as diagnostic tests? Surely, few could have foreseen a future where DNA kits were being mailed around the country by everyday people when the law was amended in 1976.
While I would cheer the decision to make a new, less restrictive classification for current personal genome kits, that doesn't seem likely to occur. The company's test -- and others like it -- is still likely to be classified as a class 2 medical device under the law, which breaks down into three categories. Simple things such as bedpans and dental floss are considered class 1 medical devices, diagnostic tests and hearing aids are class 2, while complex devices that are permanently implanted are class 3. Logically, each class must meet a set of escalating conditions for marketing approval.
That shouldn't be cost-prohibitive for 23andMe, so there's no excuse to not be in compliance. The same may not hold for smaller companies such as uBiome (unless it can crowdfund itself out of that problem, too), which may dampen the progress of kits in the short term. That will change over time as sequencing costs continue to decline. Simply put, the only solution at hand is for any company offering personal genome kits to bring their product into compliance as a medical device.
What does it mean for your personal genetic information?
The issue comes down to two things: intent of the tests and how to classify them. The federal government, top academic institutions, and the health-care industry have invested heavily in technologies allowing for easier genome sequencing in the past decade. The inevitable result of that research will be the breaking down of cost-prohibitive barriers to an individual accessing his or her genetic information. We are still some time away from fully understanding the human genome with great detail and accuracy or cheaply sequencing it in full, but companies such as 23andMe show that day is fast approaching.
It seems silly to classify personal genome kits and the data mining software utilized as a true diagnostic test, so there may be room to make a new medical device category or exemption. Whatever route is taken, know that the FDA is simply taking a proactive approach in dealing with the consequences of this technological advancement. It is by no means the end of 23andMe or your ability to cheaply access your genetic information. In fact, you can look forward to even cheaper tests in the future that will tell you even more about yourself in more accurate detail. How's that for taking the long-term approach?
Where to invest in biotech?
The best way to play the biotech space is to find companies that shun the status quo and instead discover revolutionary, groundbreaking technologies. In The Motley Fool's brand-new free report "2 Game-Changing Biotechs Revolutionizing the Way We Treat Cancer," find out about a new technology that Big Pharma is endorsing through partnerships, and the two companies that are set to profit from this emerging drug class. Click here to get your copy today.
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article stated that Genomic Health offers genetic tests rather than genomic tests. The Fool regrets the error.
The article Is the FDA Denying You Access to Your Genome? originally appeared on Fool.com.Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


text:
Medhead - Buy Your Dream Holiday Home
Advertise your property for as little as £20 per month
Slough is a thriving business and commuter district on the fringes of London - just off the M4, 10 miles from Heathrow airport, in the Thames Valley area known as the 'Silicon Valley of Europe'.
The city recently benefited from an £450m infrastructure regeneration project and a further £1 billion has been invested in the rejuvenation of the town.
Brickfield Court is located half a mile from Slough train station – Crossrail station will be even closer and from 2019 will connect Slough directly to Central London stations in just 30 minutes, while travel time to Heathrow is expected to be just 6 minutes by 2021.
Raising the bar for luxury living in a major regeneration zone, Brickfield Court offers a selection of stylish 1–2 bedroom apartments - all expertly built and styled to the highest specifications by interior designer Kelly Hoppen MBE. Residents benefit from 24-hour concierge service, an excellent private resident's gym (treadmill, x-train, bikes, rower, weights, mats), secure allocated parking and bike storage.
With Slough property values estimated to rise by up to 48% by 2021, the investment offers significant capital growth potential, particularly for those investors who leverage capital by using a buy to let mortgage. Ready to occupy, buy-to-let investors can also enjoy an immediate income yield, conservatively forecast to start at between 4.40% and 4.93%.
Prices start at £235,000 with parking available at £15,000 per space.
Please arrange for a currency company to contact me about saving money on international transfers when I purchase
I'm interested to find out more about mortgage finance options in this country - please arrange for contact about this
I will need to use a lawyer to represent me when I buy - please put me in touch with a specialist in this country


text:
Fandom: CW RPS
Pairing: Jared/Jensen
Rating: G
Warnings: PINING. Also, an ending that may rot your teeth
Word count: 5150
A/N: It is my birthday! And, in true reverse birthday style, here is a fic for everyone! Yet another installation in my continual attempt to turn Jensen into all sorts of non-human things. I actually wrote a piece of original fiction using this basic premise a few years ago, but was never quite happy with how it turned out. I did like the idea, though, so here's my attempt at doing it better justice.
Title is from a poem by Shel Silverstein.
Also available on AO3.
Summary: All of Jared's books have the same dedication: For the one who makes wishes come true.
Jared keeps his best friend a secret.
Not the 'friend' part - they've been friends for far too long for Jared to lie about it even if he wanted to (which he doesn't) - and, while the 'best' part is far from what Jared would consider common knowledge, he's never made any effort to hide that either.
It's almost right to say that he keeps Jensen's entire existence a secret, except for the fact that Jared thinks that even the government would have a tough time with that. Jensen is very much an American citizen, with a house and a job and a social security number. Not an easy thing to hide. And Jared doesn't like to think of a world where Jensen needs to pretend not to exist, like he's some dirty little secret in Jared's life.
No, the secret that Jared keeps is much more important - and considerably less believable - than any of that.
Because Jensen's secret, the one that Jared will take with him to the grave, is that Jensen's not exactly human. And more than a little magic.
"Hey," Jensen says, picking up on the first ring. His smile comes clearly through the phone line and Jared wishes he was seeing it in person. "Wasn't sure if you were going to call tonight."
"Like I'd ruin your night like that." Jared toes off his boots and fumbles out of his coat. "Got a little tied up, is all."
"Work?" The sound of clattering pots echoes behind Jensen's voice and Jared imagines him barefoot in his kitchen, chocolate batter smeared on his cheek and cake moulds lined up on the countertop. It's a view he's been privy to more than once in the past.
"Nah," Jared answers, then, "One sec," as Harley and Sadie career round the corner and plow into him in a mass of wagging tails and eager paws.
He hears Jensen sigh. "You know, you don't have to call the second you get in the door. I can wait for the doggie bonding rituals to end."
"You live vicariously through my doggie bonding rituals," Jared says, putting the phone on speaker so he can use both hands to shower affection on his babies. "Don't even try to front."
"Of course, Jared," says Jensen, dry as dust. "Because I clearly don't get enough doggie love by volunteering at the animal shelter three times a week."
"Only three?" Jared gives Harley and Sadie a final pat and stands, snagging his phone off the ledge as he bee-lines for the couch. The dogs pad along behind and flop down half on the couch and half on Jared's lap. Makes him wish he had a bigger lap. Or a second person to split the burden with. "Last I heard it was five. What are you doing with all that extra time?"
Water starts running in the background behind Jensen's voice. "Maybe I just wanted some me time."
Jared snorts. "Like you even know what that means. What new volunteer thing did you pick up? Children's hospital? Senior's Centre?"
"Food bank," Jensen admits, ignoring Jared when he laughs. "They need extra help for Easter, jerk."
"Such a good Samaritan," Jared teases and he can almost see the face Jensen's making at him. "Are the other volunteers complaining yet that you're making them look bad?"
"Not really," Jensen says and Jared believes him. He's pretty sure it's actually impossible to dislike Jensen. Even if you're not as disgustingly biased as Jared is.
Jared grins. "All the little old ladies want to bake you cookies, don't they?"
"Oh, shut up. You're just jealous that no one wants to bake you cookies."
There's a creak of hinges on the other end of the line as Jensen pulls the oven door open. Jared waits while Jensen slides what sounds like three or four baking pans inside.
"What are you making?" he asks.
"Chiffon cake," Jensen answers and then, because he's a mean bastard, "With chocolate and strawberries."
Jared's envious sigh is not even slightly exaggerated. "Lucky bastard. I wish I could live on nothing but sugar."
"So you've said. At length. Have a good day?" Jensen asks then, the same way he does every night, like Jared's on the couch in Jensen's living room instead of seven states away, running up his long-distance charges.
Jared mostly doesn't think about how much he likes the idea of coming home to Jensen every night.
"Eh," he says, oofing as Harley gets off him and wanders into the kitchen. "Spent half the day arguing with my publisher about my next deadline, went grocery shopping, didn't do the laundry. Oh, and me and Genevieve went for lunch."
There's a moment of silence on the other end of the line. "Do you even realize how happy you'd make that girl if you asked her out?" Jensen asks.
Jared's stomach twists. "You're so full of shit," he says, relieved when it comes out flip instead of accusatory. "I don't care what kind of magical wish fairy you are; there's no way you can tell how Genevieve's feeling from so far away."
"Jared," Jensen says, amused and mildly exasperated. "I've met rocks that could probably figure it out. She's not subtle. And while I'm sometimes surprised that you qualify as a higher life form, I'm pretty sure even you've noticed."
"Shut up," Jared mutters, mostly because it's true. He has noticed, he's just been ignoring it in the hope that it'll go away. "I don't… I mean, she's a great girl, but she's not..." He makes a face and tries another tact. "I'm not really looking right now."
He hears Jensen sigh. "It's not good for you to be alone like this, Jared."
"Like you can talk," Jared shoots back and is completely unsurprised when Jensen's response is another sigh and a tired 'that's different'.
Normally, this would be the part in the conversation where Jared makes a joke to lighten the mood (only because you're so ugly or that's what you get from being born out of a flower). But he's had a long day and it hurts to hear Jensen tell him to go for Genevieve when Jared's already-
"Not so good at taking your own advice?" is what comes out of his mouth instead, voice ahead of brain as usual. Jensen doesn't answer and the words keep rolling out in a reckless kind of challenge. "Or are wish fairies too busy making other people's dreams come true to make themselves happy?"
The pause at the other of the line is so long that Jared starts to fear that Jensen's hung up on him.
"It's complicated," Jensen says finally. He sounds worn and not like himself at all. Jared wonders if it's because he can tell that Jared's not happy or if Jensen's actually experiencing his own emotions for once.
Either way, Jared can't stand hearing Jensen sound like that so he pastes a smile into his voice and says, "You're a fairy, Jensen. I'm pretty sure everything about you is complicated. So, my agent's been on my ass all week about this interview," he says then, because he is a master of the subtle conversation shift. "You'd think I'd never done one before."
"I still can't believe anyone would want to interview your sorry ass," Jensen says, taking the out that Jared's offering. "Must be a slow news week."
"I'll have you know I'm a hot commodity right now," Jared says, and Jensen scoffs in his ear and just like that things are okay again.
Only not really.
Before he met Jensen, Jared had never realized how much work it was being a wish fairy. Well, okay, he'd never known that wish fairies existed in the first place, but if he had, he wouldn't have thought that they had so much to do.
Jensen's a civil servant by day and a one-man volunteer organization by pretty much everything else. Jared knows for a fact that, at any given time, Jensen is guaranteed to be employed by at least two not-for-profits and pro bono-ing for another five or so. Apparently fairies don't need sleep quite the same way humans do, so Jensen's got plenty of time to fill. And he fills it by making dreams come true. Literally.
Sometimes they're big wishes, like winning the lottery or falling in love, but most of the time it's little things that make the world a quietly brighter place.
Jensen nudges parents so they get their kids the right presents for Christmas and ensures that people get phone calls from friends when they're having a bad day. He helps students get enough scholarship funding to go to school and makes sure there's an empty bench at the park for the retired couple that loves to watch the birds.
Jensen's the one who gave Jared the break he needed to get his first novel published, though he swears that everything since then has been all Jared. Jared doesn't know how much he believes that, but he knows it doesn't much matter since the most important thing Jensen's ever done for him wasn't helping him become an author.
It was Jensen being Jensen: wish fairy, smart ass and the best friend Jared's ever had. And Jared loves him for that more than he can ever say.
Especially to Jensen.
"So Jared," Beth, the talk show hostess, says about halfway through the interview, in a tone of voice that Jared is very familiar with. Jared braces himself. He knows where this is going. "The whole world is dying to know-"
"I rather doubt that," Jared quips.
She ignores him. "-who is this mystery person you dedicate all your books to?"
"You know, Beth," Jared says with an easy smile. "I remember when the most important part of my books was the stories."
"Oh, come on now." Beth leans forward, amiably aggressive and looking for a scoop. "Don't you want to lay all the rumours to rest?"
Jared shrugs. "Oh, I don't know. Some of them are pretty entertaining. Apparently they're a secret code for decrypting FBI messages."
"I personally like the theory that you still believe in Santa Claus," Beth says, grinning.
That one's one of the better guesses, actually - Santa and Jensen have a surprising amount in common - but Jared isn't surprised that she doesn't believe it. It's not exactly normal for a man his age to believe in fairy stories, after all.
The thought makes him smile. "I've always liked that one," he agrees.
"There are so many guesses," Beth says. "Surely someone must have got it right by now."
"Maybe," Jared says noncommittally. "I haven't seen them all, so you never know."
"Always so mysterious!" Beth chides him, in a tone that's somewhere between aggressive and flirty. Jared has to wonder if she honestly believes she'll be able to get anything out of him. "Can't you give us a hint?"
Jared decides he's had enough of this for one interview. "Those dedications have a special meaning for me," he tells her, light but firm. "It's nothing particularly exciting, really."
Beth pouts a little. Jared is profoundly unmoved.
"Does this mean you haven't got a secret lover stashed somewhere?" she says, and it's mostly a tease.
Long practice makes Jared's laugh come out cheerful. "Definitely not," he says. "It's just me."
All of Jared's books have the same dedication: For the one who makes wishes come true. It irritates people to no end.
His family asks without asking and Jared doesn't answer them.
His fans speculate wildly and Jared doesn't correct them.
His publisher wants to market it and Jared doesn't let him.
Jensen finds it rather puzzling and Jared doesn't tell him why he says it.
Jared's heart thinks it might break and Jared doesn't pretend that it's wrong.
Because if there's one thing he's learned as a writer, it's that risks are a lot harder to take when you know you can't fix them with a click of the undo button. And this isn't a mistake he's ever going to risk making.
"So," Jared says, wiggling his toes as he stretches out on the bed. They've been on the phone for the better part of an hour and he feels drowsy and quietly content. He's isn't vain enough to think that he's the only human on Earth with a wish fairy on speed dial but he's pretty sure that he's the only one with Jensen on his. And that's much more important. "Grant anyone's wish of being a world famous movie star today?"
"Not everybody wants to be a movie star, Jared," Jensen says. Jared listens to the clink of dishes as Jensen loads up his dishwasher.
He scoffs. "Of course they do. Just like everybody wants to be an astronaut. It's a necessary part of growing up."
"Must have missed the memo on that." Jensen is silent for a moment. "I helped a man catch a plane so he could see his mother one last time before she died."
Jared closes his eyes and tries to imagine how that man must have felt, sitting on that plane and hoping to God and everything that he'd make it in time. "That sounds like a good wish."
"Yeah," says Jensen, and he sounds worn out in a warm, pleased sort of way. "And then I made a bunch of high school girls nearly die of delight when they saw some big TV star at the shopping mall."
Jared laughs. "Never a dull moment with you, huh?" He snuggles lower into the sheets and hates the way he feels his eyelids growing heavy.
He doubly hates the way Jensen picks up on it immediately. "Sounds like someone needs his beauty sleep."
"Do not," Jared says. He does a fantastically bad job at disguising a yawn. "I'm already gorgeous."
Amazingly, Jensen doesn't sound convinced. "Uh huh. Go to sleep, Jared. I'll talk to you next week."
Jared doesn't say that's not soon enough. He's still got some good sense left. "You're going to pine without me, aren't you?"
"I figure keeping your sorry ass company counts as charity work. Part of my weekly happy people quota."
"Clearly I need new friends if you're my best option."
Jensen chuckles at him. "Clearly. G'night Jay."
"I miss you," Jared blurts before Jensen can hang up.
"Yeah," Jensen says after a moment and Jared can't read him at all. "I know."
The line clicks in his ear and Jared is left thinking that he doesn't want to know what that means.
Jensen has tried on more than one occasion to explain to Jared the way wish fairies experience emotion.
"I know when people are happy," Jensen tells him, in a quiet moment after Jared finally comes down from the high of getting the proofs for his first soon-to-be published novel. "It feels like… sunshine, I guess. Or the way the cold makes your cheeks get flushed in the winter. Something that tingles the whole way through and makes you feel breathless and alive."
"Wishes feel like something you see out of the corner of your eye," Jensen says, after he and Jared get ridiculously drunk on fermented peach juice one far too late night. "You know they're there but it's not always easy to tell what shape they're in. It can take time to figure it out."
"It isn't always a specific wish," Jensen explains, after a Saturday spent at the animal shelter's Adopt a Pet drive. "It can be as small as giving someone a smile. Something to brighten the day. It's so easy to make people happy."
Jared's pretty sure he's never really going to understand, but he doesn't mind so much. Not when he can see how making people happy makes Jensen smile.
Despite everything, Jared's still surprised when Jensen shows up on his doorstep two days later, rucksack over his shoulder and an off-kilter smile pasted on his face.
"Hey," Jensen says. "You going to invite me in?"
Jared picks his jaw up off the floor and pulls the door wider. "Yeah, of course. Come on."
"Sorry for just showing up," Jensen says as he enters, sounding anything but. "Probably should have called first."
"That's- no, don't apologize, Christ. You know you're always..." Jared finds himself laughing and it's a disbelieving, vaguely hysterical kind of sound. "Jesus, Jensen, what are you doing here?"
Jensen shrugs. "I figured we needed to talk." He drops his duffel on the floor just in time to greet Harley and Sadie as they descend on him like a big furry, happy whirlwind.
"What?" Jared manages.
Jensen doesn't answer for a moment, busy making sure the dogs know they're loved. Jared is practically vibrating by the time Jensen finally stands and faces him.
"We need to talk," Jensen repeats, and there's no arguing with that tone of voice. "Because I may not be able to feel you wishing over the damn phone but I can sure as hell tell when you're not happy."
"I'm-" Jared starts, but the lie sticks in his throat. It's not that he's unhappy, exactly, but yeah. He doesn't think he's been properly happy in a long time.
Jensen nods, looking grimly unsurprised. "That's what I thought."
Jared sighs. "You might as well sit down," he says, waving a hand at the den. "I think I need a drink for this conversation."
"There's no need to look like I'm going to cancel Christmas," Jensen calls after him, his characteristic easy fondness leaking around the worry in his tone. Jared has to steel himself against the rush of warmth inside him at the sound. The last thing he needs is a sudden upsurge of happy inside him to let Jensen connect the dots between Jared's feelings and their proximity to each other. This isn't a wish he wants Jensen knowing about.
He doesn't exactly have high hopes for pulling it off.
"You want anything?" he asks, as he rummages in the fridge for a beer.
"Jared," Jensen says, obviously not amused by Jared's delaying tactic, so Jared grabs a bowl of strawberries off the top shelf and nudges the fridge closed with his hip.
"Here," he says as he enters the den. "You must be hungry after the flight."
Jensen accepts the bowl with a faint air of surprise. "I didn't think you liked strawberries."
Jared shrugs with all the nonchalance he can muster. "They're growing on me. And I share them with the family across the street sometimes."
Jensen's expression goes searching in a way that Jared recognizes immediately. It's the face that means he's trying to figure someone out, trying to give a name to the shape of the wish hanging on someone's shoulder.
"You bought these strawberries for me," Jensen says slowly. It's not a question so Jared doesn't bother answering. "Even though I didn't tell you I was coming. Do you always have food for me in your fridge?"
"I eat some of it myself, you know," Jared says, instead of giving voice to a denial that neither of them will believe. "It's not all about you."
Any hope that Jensen will take the joke at face value is ruined when Jensen's face goes grave. "Yes, it is," he says, with an air of finality that makes Jared wince. "This whole thing is about me."
Jared says nothing, focuses his attention on picking at the label on his beer bottle.
Jensen's sigh is heavy with things Jared doesn't want to put a name to. "Jared..."
"It's not a big deal," Jared says, and the words come out too harsh, too loud. He wishes instantly that he could take them back, but he knows that that's yet another wish that's never going to come true. His shoulders hunch.
There's silence between them for a long, awkward moment before Jensen breaks it.
"I'm sorry," Jensen says, honest, guilty and sad, and Jared should absolutely, absolutely have expected that. It makes him feel like a fool that it still surprises him.
It makes him feel angry too, which doesn't surprise him at all.
"Stop it," Jared says, and glares at Jensen. "Don't you dare apologize to me, Jensen Ackles. Not for who you are. And sure as hell not for what you mean to me."
Jensen's expression wavers, though the tone of his voice is the same when he says, "I'm allowed to apologize for wishes I can't grant, aren't I?"
It hurts to hear him say it, it hurts a lot, even though Jared thought he'd given it up as a pipe dream years ago. Hope's persistent that way, he guesses.
"No," he manages, because his stupid heart isn't the issue right now. "You aren't. Because it's not your fault."
"I knew there was something," Jensen says, almost to himself. "I knew you weren't happy and I wanted..." He trails off, looks at Jared with a look in eyes that makes Jared want to cry for him, instead of for himself. "I wanted to make it better. For you. That's why I came. Whatever it was, I wanted to grant that wish." Jensen huffs out a little sound that isn't a laugh and looks down at the bowl of strawberries on his lap. "But I can't."
Jensen looks as close to miserable as Jared's ever seen him and Jared wants nothing more than to wrap him up in a hug until all the hurt goes away.
"Jensen," he says, angling cautiously closer on the couch. "I never-"
"I know," Jensen cuts in. "You never ask when it's important."
Jared huffs. "And I'm not asking now, either. Nothing has to change, you know."
"You wish I could love you the way you love me," Jensen says bluntly and Jared can't quite hide a flinch. "I'm not human. I don't have feelings the same way you do. But you wish I did. That isn't something I can ignore."
"Why not?" Jared demands. "I'm not an idiot, Jensen, I know you're not wired the same way I am."
"Then why do you still..." Jensen cuts himself off abruptly, but Jared's already got the drift.
"Because that's how humans work." Jared's smile feels more like a grimace. "Wishes aren't supposed to be logical."
"I know," Jensen says and Jared can't help but think that he sounds like he knows that from experience.
"Jensen?" Jared asks, before he can think better of it. "Do you ever have wishes of your own?"
Jensen answering smile is so sad. "I wish I could make you happy."
"Oh, Jensen," Jared sighs. Daring greatly, he reaches out and takes Jensen's hand. "You do make me happy. You always have."
"Bullshit," Jensen says, though he doesn't try to pull his hand free. "I can feel you, Jared. I know this isn't what you want."
"I'll thank you to let me make that decision myself," Jared says tartly.
Jensen stares down at their joined hands. "You don't get to choose the way your heart works, Jared."
Jared's silent for a moment. "Do you remember when you told me how you know what people wish for?" he asks finally.
"Of course," Jensen says. He finds a tentative grin somewhere and Jared would fall in love with him all over again if he could. "You'd just got home from the hospital after you broke your arm and you were high as a fucking kite. The doctors wanted you to stay another few nights but you insisted on going home."
"Because you were half killing yourself trying to grant every wish within three floors. In a fucking hospital," Jared shoots back. It was how the topic had come up, actually. "I asked you how you always knew exactly what people wanted-"
"And I told you that I didn't," Jensen finishes. "Because people can't be defined that easily. Sometimes the best I can do is open their options and give them a chance to grant their own wishes."
Jared nods. "Okay then. I love you," he says, and the words are just as hard to say as he'd always feared they would be.
Jensen's eyes widen. "Jared-" he starts, but Jared steamrollers right over the attempt.
"No. You listen to me, Jensen Ackles, because I mean this. It's not the wishes, or my career or even your stupidly pretty face. It's you. It's always been you, ever since I was a stupid kid with my head in the clouds and you saw a wish in me worth granting. It's your smile and how much you care and the way that the smell of baking always, always reminds me of you. So please," he says, to an absolutely stunned-looking Jensen. "Don't feel sad because of me. Because you're what makes me happy. And I couldn't bear it if I was responsible for making you sad."
Jared's chest is heaving a little by the time he finishes; he hopes he doesn't look as wild-eyed as he feels. Jensen stares at him wordlessly for long enough that Jared finds himself in the strange position of wanting to be anywhere except where Jensen is for the first time in nearly two decades.
"Right, uh," Jensen says, and seems to get stuck. His mouth twists wryly. "Wow, this really wasn't the conversation I was expecting to be having today."
Jared laughs and, by some miracle, keeps it light. "Don't worry so much. I told you: it's fine."
"Jared." Jensen's expression is sober, and Jared feels dread clamp tightly around his heart. "Stop lying to me. It's not fine."
"It's fine enough," Jared says, because he will be as stubborn about this as he needs to be to make Jensen stop worrying.
Jensen shakes his head. "I can't ask you to, to settle for this."
"You're not asking; I'm making my own decision. Nothing to do with you."
Instead of looking reassured, Jensen only gets more agitated. "That's not fair," he says, and the words sound small, lost.
Jared sighs and puts a comforting hand on Jensen's shoulder. "Not even wish fairies can fix everything. And that's okay. If you're not going to eat those strawberries, do you maybe want to go out?" he asks, with all the jovial nonchalance he can manage. He releases Jensen's shoulder and starts to rise. "There's a great little dessert place that opened up downtown, and I don't get nearly enough excuses to eat cake for dinner."
This time, Jensen doesn't surrender to the clumsy topic shift.
"I can't love you only," he says instead, and Jared sits down again in a hurry. "That's not how it works for my kind. Everyone has wishes."
"I know," Jared answers, because he does. He's known Jensen for half his life, after all.
"I can't even promise that I'll always love you first." Jensen takes a deep breath and looks at Jared with the weight of promise in his eyes. "But I want to try. And, for a wish fairy, that's a pretty big deal."
Jared sucks in a sharp breath. "Jensen, are you-?"
"So tell me how I can make you happy," Jensen says, with a calm determination that makes Jared want to cry. "Because as much of me as there is to give, I want you to have."
"Oh Jesus Christ, come here." Jared hauls Jensen into a bone-crushing hug, fingers gripping hard in the back of Jensen's shirt. "Please stay," he hears himself say, almost a whisper.
Jensen smiles against his temple. "Okay."
And Jared doesn't dare ask if Jensen realizes that he means 'forever' but the way that Jensen doesn't seem all that inclined to let go of him either makes him think that Jensen may have understood nonetheless.
They cuddle in companionable silence for a while, and the feeling of Jensen's strong, solid body in his arms gradually goes from comforting to, well. "So, um, wish fairies," Jared says, and it's awkward but he figures that this is a question that he should get in the open as soon as possible. "How do you, I mean, do you have, y'know..."
Jensen looks amused. "Are you asking me where fairies come from?"
"Shut up," Jared says, giving him a shove. "It's a valid question, Mr. 'I'm Not Human'."
Jensen grins at him. "Oh, I'll bet it is. Fairies and humans actually have the same ancestors, you know."
"I did not know," Jared says, and files that information away to be discussed later. He waits a moment and then, when Jensen doesn't do anything more productive than smirk at him, he ventures a careful, "So?"
"Are you asking whether I'm capable of having sex with a human or if I want to sleep with you personally?"
Jared fidgets. "Both."
"Well, in that case, the answer's yes. To both questions," he adds, before Jared can turf him right off the couch for being an ass.
"Oh," Jared says, because he needs a moment to confirm that he isn't hallucinating. And then, "Good. That's- good. Me too, I..."
Jensen leans in and kisses him, which has the double benefit of being kissing and stopping the flow of idiocy rolling out of Jared's mouth. Jensen always was the sensible one. Jared groans into the kiss and lets himself sink into Jensen, licking into the slick warmth of Jensen's mouth and letting his hands roam over the firm muscles in Jensen's chest.
"Woah!" Jensen says when Jared's hands dip below the waist. "Hold it there, cowboy. I am not that cheap of a date. You're at least gonna have to buy me dinner first."
"Don't you mean dessert?" Jared asks, grinning broadly.
Jensen shrugs. "Same difference," he says, a little shyly, and Jared can't feel wishes like Jensen can, but the quiet smile on Jensen's face is hard to misinterpret.
So Jared gives him another quick kiss, purely because he can. "It'd be my pleasure."
"Yeah," Jensen says, and there's something awestruck in the way he says it. "I know."
A year later, after Jensen's moved in with Jared and Jared's found a whole army of local volunteer organizations for Jensen to choose from, Jared's next book comes out. He gives the first copy to Jensen and isn't surprised when Jensen's reaction to the new dedication is to roll his eyes, call him a sap and then kiss him until they're both breathless and desperately stumbling towards the bedroom.
Jared figures it's going to make his fans go crazy, changing it after all this time, but he needs to change it. He's been in love with his wish fairy since he was sixteen but this is the first time he's known that those feelings go both ways. More or less. Plus, he really is kind of a sap. And he can't think of anything else he'd rather be.
To the one who is all my wishes come true. It makes me happy to make you happy.


text:
|Willie Mitchell
|March 23, 1928
Ashland, Mississippi, U.S.
|Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
|January 5, 2010 (aged 81)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
|Soul, R&B, rock and roll, pop, funk
|Singer, bandleader, record producer, arranger
|Singing, trumpet
|Hi Records
Willie Mitchell (March 23, 1928 – January 5, 2010) was an American soul, R&B, rock and roll, pop and funk music producer and arranger who ran Royal Recording in Memphis, Tennessee. He was best known for his Hi Records label of the 1970s, which released albums by a large stable of popular Memphis soul artists, including Mitchell himself, Al Green, Syl Johnson and Ann Peebles.
Born and raised in Ashland, Mississippi, Mitchell moved to Memphis when he was in high school. He attended Rust College.[1]
At the age of eight, he began to play the trumpet. While in high school, he was a featured player in popular local big bands. He later formed his own combo, which from time to time included musicians such as trumpeter Booker Little, saxophonists Charles Lloyd, and George Coleman, and pianist Phineas Newborn, Jr.[1]
Mitchell landed a job with the Home of the Blues record label as a producer, then left to join Hi Records as both a recording artist and a producer.[1]
Known at the recording studio as "Papa Willie", Mitchell earned his nickname by taking over the reins of Hi Records in 1970 and guiding it through its most successful period. Mitchell's productions have been much noted for featuring a hard-hitting kick drum sound (usually played by pioneering Memphis drummer Al Jackson, Jr. of Booker T. and the MG's).
A trumpeter and bandleader in his own right, Mitchell released a number of popular singles for Hi Records as an artist in the 1960s, including "Soul Serenade."
Through the Eighties Willie ran his own independent label out of Memphis, Waylo Records. Acts on the label included Billy Always and Lynn White.[2]
He and Al Green revived their successful recording partnership in 2003 when Green recorded I Can't Stop, his first collaboration with Mitchell since 1985's He is the Light. Their 2005 follow-up project was Everything's OK.
Mitchell died in Memphis on January 5, 2010 from a cardiac arrest.[3]


text:
Paypal has just sent out it's Notice of Policy Updates for 2017. Among the standard raising of rates, one new clause in the agreement caught my eye – the "non-discouragement" clause which makes talking bad about, or discouraging customers from using Paypal or promoting another payment method over Paypal, a violation of the Paypal agreement which could lead to your account being closed and/or your funds being "held".
Paypal Non-Discouragement Clause
In representations to your customers or in public communications, you agree not to mischaracterize PayPal as a payment method. At all of your points of sale (in whatever form), you agree not to try to dissuade or inhibit your customers from using PayPal; and, if you enable your customers to pay you with PayPal, you agree to treat PayPal's payment mark at least at par with other payment methods offered.
The first part of the non discouragement clause is a little confusing to me: "you agree not to mischaracterize PayPal as a payment method". This means that by calling Paypal a "payment method" you are wrong (mischaracterizing it) and violating PayPal's rules. What I don't understand is, if Paypal is not a payment method, WTF is it? I'm sure there is some wording buried in the service agreement/terms of service/legal mumbo jumbo that names Paypal as something other than a payment method, but to me, if people use Paypal as a method of paying for stuff, it is a payment method.
The second part of the non discouragement clause is the kicker and where Paypal can ban you for talking bad about, or not treating it the same as your other payment methods – or even trying to push people to using another payment method instead: you agree not to try to dissuade or inhibit your customers from using PayPal; "…and, if you enable your customers to pay you with PayPal, you agree to treat PayPal's payment mark at least at par with other payment methods offered."
This means that if you, for example offer both Paypal and Square, but you prefer people to use Square because they don't gouge you as hard as Paypal, you can't say anything about it, you can't ask customers to use Square instead, you can't offer an incentive to use Square instead of Paypal – you can't do anything. You can simply display a Paypal button/logo and a Square button/log next to each other. You can't even make the Square logo bigger than Paypal's button. The PayPal button must be "at par" with other payment methods. Who decides if the way you placed Paypl's payment mark is "on par" with your other payment method? Well, Paypal does of course.. But don't worry, you can trust Paypal.. Right?
Unfortunately, because currently there really is no other payment method as large, easy to use, and as widely accepted as Paypal they have a virtual monopoly on the online payments market and can pretty much make up any rules they want, and still ban whoever they want.


text:
Aren't these two just adorable?!? I love them! My neighbor gave them to me after I helped her set-up her raised garden bed veggie garden. I placed them right near our driveway for all to see. If you also find them a hoot, they are sold by many, just search for 'pooping gnomes' 🙂
Behind them: Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow' (Beard-tongue) which bloom in June. A yellow penstemon? I had to have them! Their dominant color ranges normally are white to pink to reds. I've not seen these in anyone's garden I've visited. My wholesale nursery only sold them one year and discontinued them due to lack of interest and unreliability. I've had these for 6 years now and although they haven't spread much (sometimes a good thing) they plug along where they are at. They are located in a 10″ raised bed of composted, good draining soil – Southern sunny exposure – No irrigation.
Poop makes flowers happy!
Share your gnome photos below!
© The Naturarian


text:
Obviously Jack Kirby is the greatest comic book artist of all time, but most will agree he's also one of the medium's greatest writers. He wrote the way he drew: Big and loud and primal, but with a surprising amount of intricacy and nuance waiting to be discovered amid the crackling explosions. We've put together a list of the ten essential stories that you should read if you want to get more familiar with the King.
Continue reading…
Read More... | http://cbme.me/RtC9C
Posted on Mar 31, 2017 - 989 days 5 hours ago from Comics Alliance


text: WordCamp San Francisco was a total hoot! I met up with a bunch of old friends, made a few new ones, had some good food, drank a few brews, hung out with a whole lot of cool people and all the while, I was surrounded by WordPress goodness. Thank you to all the organizers, volunteers and participants! A few bits of interesting statistics and news from WordCamp San Francisco "State of the Word": WordPress.org downloads were nearly twice as many as last year There are twice as many WordPress.org blogs on the web this as compared to last year Akismet caught just as many spam comments this year as last (count grew very little) There is a Blackberry version of the WordPress management app coming soon, iPhone version will see an upgrade There will be a GPL paid themes page on the WordPress Extend to encourage the business model At some point in the future, […][Continue Reading...]