text:
Ask Erowid

Ask a Question

Find an answer:

View By Category

Search Ask Erowid
Search Vaults

Enter a keyword in the search field above to look up a question or answer on a specific topic.

Off-Site Psychoactive Question Resources
  Ask Dr Shulgin

Resources at Erowid
  Plants & Drugs
  Freedom & Law
  Mind & Spirit
  Arts & Sciences
  Library / Bookstore
  What's New
  About Erowid
Q: The most common drug in my city's (Toronto) rave scene is called "M". Nobody knows it as anything else, not even the dealers. The caps are usually clear and about half-filled with a somewhat fine white powder. I've searched and searched but "M" as a drug slang name seems to be related to either morphine (as per Erowid's A-Z list) or mescaline (as per PIHKAL). However, the effects of this "M" do not fit mescaline, and most assuredly is not morphine. The description of MBDB and MDAI match that of "M", yet the colour is wrong; MDE also matches, but there's no image to help confirm this possibility.

I have no idea how to do any chemistry tricks to check the composition and I don't want to submit it to some lab for fear that they'll nab me for illicit substance possession.

I suppose this is just curiosity, so if you can't or don't answer it, no hard feelings, but it seems to be an extremely local street name and, I think we can agree, it would be a good idea to get information on what I, and my friends, have been taking.

A: It's hard to say for sure what a drug named "M" might be without analyzing it. "M" could refer to many different psychoactive drugs.

After this response was published, a harm reduction worker in Toronto contacted us to say that "M" should refer to MDMA, which practically means ecstasy, which practically means anything that gets sold as 'ecstasy'/MDMA. An Erowid visitor wrote a comment about this on Jan 31, 2014 that we've included at the bottom of this answer: they said "M" was being used to mean pure MDMA as opposed to "E" (ecstasy) which is known to be a polluted source of MDMA.

While the color of some unknown material might be taken into account to a degree, most pure chemicals are a clear/white solid. Colors like reds, browns, grays, and oranges can easily be caused by minor impurities and fillers or dyes can simply be added to change colors to just about anything.

One might be able to get a mildly better sense of what an unknown compound might be by weighing a known-to-be active dose. While "cut" material would weigh more than a minimally active dose, it couldn't weigh less than a minimally active dose. For example, if the drug had "mescaline-like" effects but the known-to-be active dose that one had weighed was 50 mg, it would be safe to say that the material was not mescaline. Unfortunately, many empathogenic/entactogenic compounds are active within a similar dose range (between 20mg and 200mg), so this approach might not be that useful with the "M" you describe.

The letter "M" has been used for both obvious suspects (morphine and mescaline, as you point out, as well as MDMA and methamphetamine) and less likely candidates (Jonathan Ott has referred to 5-MeO-DMT as "M"). Alas, if the effects run toward the empathogenic/entactogenic--as you suggest--then "M" might as well stand for "maybe": maybe it is MDMA, maybe MBDB, maybe MDA, maybe MDE, maybe MDAI, maybe MDPR, maybe MDPV, maybe methylone (bk-MDMA), mephedrone (4-MMC), 4-methylethcathinone (4-MEC), methedrone (bk-PMMA), maybe even mCPP, or something entirely new-to-the-market.

Colorimetric testing kits, such as those using Mecke, Marquis, and Simon's reagents, are available from various online sources. In some instances they can help indicate what an unknown substance does not contain; however, they have various limitations to how useful they are. The field tests are helpful, but can not positively confirm the identity of a substance under any circumstances, despite the common misunderstanding that the reagent tests are capable of doing so.

On the concern you expressed about getting nabbed for submitting a sample for analysis, there is virtually no risk to individuals who want to submit a compound for testing to The cost for non-copay samples (anything other than pressed ecstasy tablets, such as the capped material you describe) is currently $150 per sample (as of December 1, 2012). Particularly if even the dealers have no idea what they are selling as "M", it may be worthwhile getting Toronto users to pool funds and send in a sample for testing.

Samples can be (should be) submitted anonymously, with a false but not-clearly-fake name, a wrong but real return address (perhaps the address of a shipping store, UPS Store, Kinkos, etc). Try to package it in a standard envelope, with simple padding. If you need to fill out a customs form, write "analytical sample" or "medical sample" or similar text.

We have received numerous samples from Canada and never had one seized in 12 years of operating the EcstasyData testing program.

Trip! Project in Toronto goes on to say that there have been a lot of unusual consistencies and colours of powdered (supposed) MDMA (like pure white). As always users
are strongly encouraged to 'test it before you ingest it.' The Trip! Project in Toronto sells testing kits which help in identifying MDMA as well as other drugs that may be sold in its place, including many newer research chemicals.

Another visitor contacted us to say that Methoxetamine (usually referred to as MXE for short) is occasionally referred to as just "M" in the Chicago area.

Jan 31, 2014: An Erowid visitor wrote:

In regards to someone from Toronto that was asking about "M" in Canada. Dealers are trying to ensure their customers that they are only taking MDMA, and their customers repeatedly ask that their pills contain only MDMA.

As a result "M" is being used as slang for a MDMA-only pill and ecstacy is slang for a pill containing multiple substances, with MDMA too. There's no real guarantee, but dealers would tell you that you want "M" if you want a MDMA-only pill. They would also tell you that if you bought "ecstacy" it almost surely contains other drugs (some users knowingly seek it out for this reason).

From personal experience people who buy "M" usually go through a normal experience, while people buying ecstacy say they felt more "fucked up".

Asked By : Ody
Answered By : jon
Edited By : spoon, earth
Published Date : 2 / 21 / 2013
Last Edited Date : 2 / 3 / 2014
Question ID : 3178

Categories: [ Chemical ID ] [ Drug Testing ]

Ask Erowid v1.7 - Jul, 2005

(content and html © the Vaults of Erowid. Please ask permission before publicly reproducing.)


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Type: response

text:
Press Center

April 26, 2012 | Bratislava

ESET Tops Worldwide Growth List for Consumer Security in Leading Industry Analyst Firm’s Security Software Market Share Report

ESET today announced that for the second straight year, Gartner has ranked the company as the security software vendor with the largest worldwide growth in consumer security. According to Gartner’s “Market Share: Security Software, Worldwide, 2011” report, which was released in late March 2012, ESET grew by 30.10 percent.

April 25, 2012 | Bratislava

ESET Releases BETA Versions of Next Generation Products for Mac: New Line ESET Cyber Security Pro and ESET Cyber Security

ESET, the leader in proactive protection against cyber-threats, announced today the BETA launch of the next generation of ESET products: ESET Cyber Security, and adding a brand new product to its portfolio - ESET Cyber Security Pro. Both deliver ultimate protection against emerging threats for the Mac platform, as well as security vis-á-vis cross-platform attacks targeting Windows or Linux based systems in mixed networks. Each, ESET Cyber Security BETA and ESET Cyber Security Pro BETA offer more than a dozen new or enhanced features. ESET Cyber Security Pro BETA comes with all the features of ESET Cyber Security BETA, plus Personal Firewall and Parental Control.

April 16, 2012 | Montreal, Canada

ESET is opening R&D Center in Canada, Directly at Montreal’s École Polytechnique Campus

ESET, the leader in proactive protection against cyber-threats, is expanding its global network of R&D centers. On April 17, the company will officially open its technological hub in Montreal, Canada with offices directly on the campus of the highly-recognized École Polytechnique Montreal.

March 22, 2012 | Bratislava

ESET Releases ESET Mail Security for IBM Lotus Domino RC

ESET, the leader in proactive protection against cyber-threats, announces the release of ESET Mail Security for IBM Lotus Domino Release Candidate version. Release of the full version is slated during second quarter of 2012.

March 16, 2012

Facebook Timeline Poses Threat To Over 2 million Users In The UAE

Facebook’s new ‘Timeline’ feature replaces the traditional profile page, subequently allowing a growing number of Timeline-related scams and malicious campaigns offering phony applications to allegedly disable the Timeline. The fake pages/ apps urges users to click on ‘Like’ buttons in order to activate a feature that allows them to enable or disable the Timeline whenever they want on their profiles. After the entire process is complete, a message appears saying ‘the Timeline Office will analyze your request

March 2, 2012 | Hanover, Germany

CeBIT 2012: ESET to Showcase New Line of Endpoint Business Solutions ; ESET CEO Richard Marko to Speak at CeBIT Global Conferences

Starting Tuesday, March 6th 2011, ESET will exhibit at CeBIT - world’s largest computer technology trade show and expo in Hanover, Germany (held until March 10th). ESET will preview its line of upcoming business solutions ESET Endpoint Security and ESET Endpoint Antivirus, both currently in BETA testing and available for free download. ESET Mobile Security, ESET Smart Security 5 and other products will be featured at the ESET stand, which is located in Hall 12 (stand C66). This year’s motto of CeBIT expo is especially fitting to ESET: "Managing Trust - Trust and Security in the Digital World."

March 1, 2012 | San Francisco, CA

ESET Wins 2012 SC Magazine Reader Trust Award - ESET Smart Security Achieves Notable Industry Accolade for Best Anti-Malware Management

ESET today announced it has been recognized with SC Magazine’s 2012 Reader Trust Award as the company with the Best Anti-Malware Management solution. The announcement was made on February 28, 2012 at the SC Awards Gala, held in conjunction with the annual RSA Conference in San Francisco.

February 16, 2012 | Bratislava

Righard Zwienenberg Joins ESET as Senior Research Fellow

Righard J. Zwienenberg, household name in the AV industry, is joining ESET as a Senior Research Fellow, a core member of the company’s Technology Division. He will be working along other senior researchers and leading technology experts at ESET Headquarters in Bratislava and in his home country of the Netherlands.

February 6, 2012 | Bratislava

ESET Wins “Best Usability” Award From AV-TEST

ESET Smart Security 5 Secures Top Honors from Independent Testing Lab. ESET announces it has won a “2011 Best Usability” award from the AV-TEST Institute, a leading international and independent service provider in the fields of IT security and antivirus research. ESET Smart Security 5 was awarded “Best Usability” for its low false positives and low impact on system performance.

February 1, 2012 | Bratislava

ESET Releases BETA Versions of ESET Endpoint Security Suite and ESET Endpoint Security, the Next Generation of its Business Solutions

ESET, the leader in proactive protection against cyber-threats, today announced the BETA launch of its new flagship products for business customers: ESET Endpoint Security Suite and ESET Endpoint Security. ESET, the pioneer of proactive protection and the maker of the award-winning NOD32 technology that is celebrating 25th anniversary in 2012, invites IT administrators to join in the public testing of the new BETA version of the new solutions. Both ESET Endpoint Security Suite BETA (with added Personal firewall and Anti-spam) and the lighter version of ESET Endpoint Security BETA come standard with ESET Remote Administrator 5 BETA and are available for free download at

| 1 | 2 | 3 | ... | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | ... | 32 | 33 | 34 |

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2016-44
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for October 2016
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


text:
This Page Is Out of Date

It appears that your browser settings are preventing this page from loading the latest version. You may be seeing old information or you may run into errors because of this. Your system time settings can also cause this issue. Please check that your system time is correct.

Dismiss Tell Me More

Funks Antiquary

Melbourne, FL 32935
(321) 427-6795 | (321) 427-5710
Company Memberships
Contact Company

Funks antiquary is an exquisite gallery of fine art, jewelry, antiquities and collectibles with the finest collection in central florida! We are proud to present works by Picasso, Dali, Warhol, as well as an extensive collection of Florida,s Highwaymen. Funk's also is home to a rare selection of African and Precolumbian antiquities, and a huge array of beautiful vintage costume and high end jewelry. Put our reputation for knowledge, quality, honesty, and professionalism to work for you!

Can't wait to see you at our sale. Setup was 3186.

Have Feedback?

Want to let the company know how they're doing? Feel free to leave feedback!


WARC-Truncated: length

text:
Whoa! You can't favorite your own shop.

Whoa! You can't buy your own item.

Whoa! You can't favorite your own item.

Whoa! You can't add your own item to a list.

Add this item to a treasury!

You don't have any treasuries yet. Enter a title below to create one.

This item has been added.

View your treasury.

Like this item?

Add it to your favorites to revisit it later.
Request a custom order and have something made just for you.
Please note: These Owls are made to order, so allow 3 days before shipment.

Little Brown Baby Owl is a tiny nestling, waiting for her Mother to come home!

Brown Baby has been knit from a wool blend yarn and stuffed with wool, her large eyes are set in and her beak is made of recycled leather, her feet are crochet and sewn on.

She stands 3" tall and is 2" wide.

Made for gentle play 6yrs and up.

view other woolcrazy item's http://www.etsy.com/shop/woolcrazy

Woolcrazy Original Designs

Plush Brown Baby Owl ... knit fuzzy ecofriendly felt wool owl toy (woolcrazy)

  • Handmade item
  • Materials: wool blend yarn, wool, animal eyes, leather, wool stuffing
  • Made to order
  • Ships worldwide from United States
  • Feedback: 1229 reviews
  • Favorited by: 132 people


text:
Whoa! You can't favorite your own shop.

Whoa! You can't buy your own item.

Whoa! You can't favorite your own item.

Whoa! You can't add your own item to a list.

Add this item to a treasury!

You don't have any treasuries yet. Enter a title below to create one.

This item has been added.

View your treasury.

Like this item?

Add it to your favorites to revisit it later.
Here is a Special Spring bouquet of 5 Blossoms For Ali. 1- blue w/ green center 2- HOT pink (lg/med) & 2 - whites (lg/med).

The Dahlia Collection started to emerged one day from the cut-offs & scraps from other PaperAltar projects. This Paper Dahlia encompasses the geometric beauty of the Dahlia variety, and though they take a long time to construct, they last a lot longer than the actual bloom! Sometimes, depending on the paper I'm using, they can be a natural organized chaos & other times look very orderly. Some of the flowers need one or two tiers & others need three depending on the size. The Dahlias can be Ornaments, Flowers on Stems, Garlands, Magnets or Wall Art. I am currently working on Boutonnieres & Fascinators.

The Nature of Paper - Please Read:
Over time, these pieces may fade, yellow, curl & tear. These pieces can be recycled, ceremonially burnt or can be stored & preserved as a family keepsake. As you know paper typically does not like FIRE, WATER or Direct Sunlight - so please be careful where you put them to live.

Rush-Priority shipping maximum is $6.50 - will refund, if it's 1st Class Shipping in the U.S. Residents of N.Y. State will pay 8% sales tax.

Maximum $10 1st Class International Shipping to anywhere else in the Whole Wide World, any shipping saving will be refunded.

Our other shops:
For Vintage Goods: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BingoBox
For Salvage & Surplus: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BingoBits
For my Man's Art: http://www.etsy.com/shop/strangeness

RESERVED for Ali -Paper Flowers

  • Handmade item
  • Materials: paper, bamboo
  • Ships worldwide from United States
  • Feedback: 93 reviews
  • Favorited by: 8 people


text:
Teresa's Teams

Meet people with common interests and collaborate.

AREtsy - Arkansas' Etsy Street Team

Craft Noodle

Promote outside of Etsy via Social Media

Etsians For Disaster Relief

Helping the world a little at a time

Etsy Pickers & Sellers Team

A group of Vintage Pickers and Sellers

Etsys Best Vintage

Etsy's BEST Vintage Shops are found HERE !

Seller Opportunity Tools

Find new opportunities in Etsy's marketplace.

Shop Stats Improvements

Help test and provide feedback on improvements to Shop Stats.

Strawberry Swing Indie Craft Fair

a team for those interested in an indie craft fair in Kansas City

Vintage Etsy Society Street Team

Vestiesteam Team Spirit Award winning team! We would love to be your vintage home team!


text:
Say hello to Evi

Evi is our best selling mobile app that can answer questions about books, music, films, conversions, history, people, places and much more.

To experience the full power of Evi you can download her app for free on iOS, Android and Kindle Fire.

You asked:

kathryn kuhlman cause of death

  • Kathryn Kuhlman died in City of Tulsa on February 20th 1976. She was killed by a surgical procedure. She was 68 years old when she died.


text:
Data updated as on ( 12-Oct-2016 )
Example - Mobile, Calculator, Rice, Clothes etc.
Example - 71131910
Select Import or Export

You can download upto 3000 records. For download more records please

Contact Admin

Sr. No. Date HS Code Country Description Port Of Destination Quantity (INR) Unit Value (INR) Per Unit (INR) Port Of Loading HS-CCR More Details
Sorry no record found.

Export Data And Price Of Solecurtidae |

Eximpulse Services is the place where you can find the recent and updated Trade intelligence report of Solecurtidae Export Data. Whole information is based on updated Export shipment data of Indian Customs. All the compilation is done on the basis of All India ports data and has been done on daily basis. This helps you to get all India Solecurtidae Export data. You can find previous two days Solecurtidae Export data on Eximpulse Services.

Solecurtidae Export data can be useful in different kind of analysis such as: Export price, Quantity, market scenarios, Price trends, Duty optimization and many more.

Some Sample Shipment records for Solecurtidae Export Data of India are mentioned above. Further for Free sample and pricing of detailed reports contact on

Data post 2012 as per Notification No.18/2012 - Customs(N.T.) and does not have names of Indian companies and Foreign Companies.


text:
Cost of living comparison between Wilmington, Delaware, United States and Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

warning WARNING!  This comparison is based on only a few data points. At this point it is only a guess. It is based on 13 prices entered by 9 different people.
These prices were last updated on October 17, 2016. Exchange rate: 1.785 BAM / USD

Do you live in Zenica? We need your help!

What is the price of

Public transport

in Zenica?

monthly ticket

What do you think about this comparison?

International Cost of Living Index

Cost of living in Wilmington, Delaware (United States) is 23% more expensive than in Zenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

For example, you would need at least 3,849KM ($2,157) in Wilmington, Delaware to maintain the same standard of living that you can have with 3,125KM in Zenica.

Recent Prices Added

  • Monthly rent - 85 m2 furnished accommodation in expensive area in Ankara costs 700TL (13 minutes ago)
  • Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district in Kraków costs 20 zł (22 minutes ago)
  • Monthly rent - 900 sqft furnished accommodation in expensive area in Miami, Florida costs $3,050 (24 minutes ago)
  • 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) in Saint Petersburg costs руб 1.00 (31 minutes ago)
  • Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in expensive area in Kuwait City costs Dinar 220 (38 minutes ago)
  • Monthly rent - 85 m2 furnished accommodation in expensive area in Oporto costs €320 (41 minutes ago)


text:
Closest Hotels to Shangani Beach

Shangani Beach in Zanzibar Town

Expedia has a wide range of information about Shangani Beach whether its about nearby hotels, flights or local attractions in Zanzibar Town. Expedia can provide you with our knowledge as well as great deals.

Thinking of planning a city break to Zanzibar Town. Expedia have a great range of hotels and accomodation in Zanzibar Town near Shangani Beach that will help make your stay that little bit more special. But before you go make sure to check out the Expedia travel guide on Shangani Beach first, so you can find out everything you need to know before you go away.

Top Booked Hotels

The most popular hotels near Shangani Beach

See all hotels near Shangani Beach


text:
Get an overview of this hotelHotel in Cody with free breakfast and indoor pool

Situated in Cody, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Tecumseh's Old West Miniature Village and Museum, Cody Cattle Company, and Old Trail Town. Buffalo Bill Center of the West and Buffalo Bill Cody Stampede Arena are also within 2 mi (3 km).

Hotel Features

Along with an indoor pool, this smoke-free hotel has a fitness center and concierge services. Free continental breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Other amenities include laundry facilities and a 24-hour front desk.

Room Amenities

Rooms provide conveniences like refrigerators and coffee makers, plus free WiFi and flat-screen TVs with cable channels. Guests will also find pillowtop beds, ironing boards, and desks.

Renovations & Closures

The property is closed between 01 November and 26 April.

Hotel Amenities

Hotel Amenities

King's Inn features an indoor pool and a fitness center. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning. This Cody hotel also offers concierge services and laundry facilities. Onsite self parking is complimentary.

King's Inn is a smoke-free property.

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Free breakfast
  • Concierge services
  • Fitness facilities
  • Free WiFi
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Free self parking
  • Smoke-free property
  • Indoor pool

Family Friendly Amenities

  • Indoor pool
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Laundry facilities
  • Refrigerator

Available in all rooms: Free WiFi

Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Free self parking

Room Amenities

  • Premium TV channels
  • Air conditioning
  • Refrigerator
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Private bathroom
  • Free toiletries
  • Shower/tub combination
  • Desk
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Cable TV service
  • Flat-panel TV
  • Free WiFi
  • Pillowtop mattress
  • Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)

Where to Eat

Guests are offered a complimentary continental breakfast each morning.

Nearby Things to Do

Recreational amenities at the hotel include an indoor pool and a fitness center.

To make special requests for accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.

  • Accessible bathroom

Hotel Policies

Minimum check-in age is 18

Check-out time is 11 AM

Payment types

  • Pets not allowed

You need to know

Optional extras

The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 10.00 per night
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

Hotel Name

Sorry, we seem to have had an issue loading our review content. Try again?


text:
Novalja Vacation Packages

"Dobrodošli" to Novalja! Novalja is situated in Dalmatia, Croatia, an area famous for its glorious beaches, rolling hills and alpine meadows.

Novalja is located approximately 120 miles (193 kilometers) from Zagreb County, the capital of Croatia, and about 110 miles (177 kilometers) from Split.

Discover Novalja's visitor attractions. Visit Strasko Beach and Zrce Beach.

See for yourself why Dalmatia is so popular by tourists, by exploring the many cultural and scenic attractions surrounding Novalja. Journey 8 miles (13 kilometers) northwest from Novalja to Pag, where you can visit the Pag Town Beach and Zrce Beach.

When vacationing in Novalja, don't forget to enjoy Rab. Approximately 15 miles (24 kilometers) away, this regional city is where you can find Frkanj Beach, Kampor Beach and Pudarica Beach. Rab has a lot to offer those keen to hang around here a little longer. Lopar Beach and Rab Harbor are a couple of other attractions guaranteed to delight.

Follow the threads of the region's rich cultural tapestry within Dalmatia 's excellent art museums, history museums and palaces. Journey into the past during your time in Dalmatia. Discover one of the ruins for which this place is well known.

This destination has a number of great places to enjoy sea kayaking, so be sure you fit that into your itinerary. Rafting is another popular activity here. Those who prefer getting off the main tourist trail are sure to enjoy the region's cycling tours, guided nature walks and winery tours.

As your trip finishes up, you'll be sure to bid Novalja a sad "Zbogom"

Accommodation in Novalja

Securing a comfortable room is a vital first step of any vacation. Short and long stay options in Novalja are sparse, so head over to Expedia's easy-to-use Novalja hotels page for the current hotels deals.

The Pansion Comfort Bok and Luna Island Hotel are options to consider, since these lodgings are listed with Expedia.

Top Hotels

See all Novalja hotels
1.0 out of 5.0
1.5 out of 5.0
2.0 out of 5.0
2.5 out of 5.0
3.0 out of 5.0
3.5 out of 5.0
4.0 out of 5.0
4.5 out of 5.0
5.0 out of 5.0
Most popular package deals found by our travelers
Most popular package deals found by [originCity] travelers

Novalja Vacation Package Deals

See all Novalja packages

Top Deals on Flights

See all Novalja flights

Book your Novalja Vacation Package


text:
Change backcolor when controls are disable

Posted on 2006-03-27
Last Modified: 2010-08-05
Hi, how can i change the background color of a textbox and combox when they are disable?
Question by:arcross
    LVL 14

    Expert Comment

    There might be an easier solution, but you can override the Paint event, and paint it depending on your enabled status.
    LVL 17

    Expert Comment

    You can change the backgrounds by using the .BackColor method.

    TextBox1.BackColor = Color.White
    ComboBox1.BackColor = Color.White
    LVL 69

    Accepted Solution

    see an article I wrote in July 2005 at
    LVL 5

    Expert Comment

    Private Sub txtmyBox_EnabledChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles txtAddress.EnabledChanged
         If txtMyBox.Enabled = False Then
              txtMyBox.BackColor = Color.Blue
         End If
    End Sub

    Color.Blue should be changed to whatever color you want.  The code is almost identical for the combo boxes.  To bring this up automatically, just double click your control.  By defaul the function will look like:

    Private Sub txtmyBox_TextChanged....

    In the upper right will be a drop down box with TextChanged in bold, drop it down and select enabled changed to convert it to the above form...  or just change it manually.  Then, the code contained in it will execute whenever the control switches from enable to disabled or from disabled to enabled.  In the above example, the If statement tells it to only execute if switching from enabled to disabled.  To go from disabled to enabled, just change the true to false.
    LVL 8

    Author Comment

    The backcolor i can change it when the control is disable, (i meant the forecolor,ooops my fault!).

    Emoreau, i found your article before i posted this question to see if someone came with something shorter to implement.
    But i havent found anything else better than yours!.

    Thanks for that article!

    Write Comment

    Please enter a first name

    Please enter a last name

    We will never share this with anyone.

    Featured Post

    What Is Threat Intelligence?

    Threat intelligence is often discussed, but rarely understood. Starting with a precise definition, along with clear business goals, is essential.

    This article explains how to create and use a custom WaterMark textbox class.  The custom WaterMark textbox class allows you to set the WaterMark Background Color and WaterMark text at design time.   IMAGE OF WATERMARKS STEPS Create VB …
    It’s quite interesting for me as I worked with Excel using for some time. Here are some topics which I know want to share with others whom this might help. First of all if you are working with Excel then you need to Download the Following …
    Migrating to Microsoft Office 365 is becoming increasingly popular for organizations both large and small. If you have made the leap to Microsoft’s cloud platform, you know that you will need to create a corporate email signature for your Office 365…
    This video gives you a great overview about bandwidth monitoring with SNMP and WMI with our network monitoring solution PRTG Network Monitor ( If you're looking for how to monitor bandwidth using netflow or packet s…

    794 members asked questions and received personalized solutions in the past 7 days.

    Join the community of 500,000 technology professionals and ask your questions.

    Join & Ask a Question

    Need Help in Real-Time?

    Connect with top rated Experts

    18 Experts available now in Live!

    Get 1:1 Help Now


text:
Considering virtual servers - recommendations wanted

Posted on 2009-04-28
Last Modified: 2013-11-06
I'm considering to virtualize some servers in a new configuration.
I'm going to set up the following windows servers:

1 DC Win 2008
1 DC2 Win 2008
1 File Win 2008
1 Exchange 07 Win 2008
1 SQL 2005 - win 2008
1 App server - win 2003
1 TS server - win 2003

I haven't made the decision yet for virtual or physical. For physical I've seen on HP DL380 servers.

Considering Hyper-V to make this virtual. What recommendations can you give me on what to virtualize and hardware needed.

Thank you.
Question by:jhlds
    LVL 14

    Expert Comment

    We utilize XenServer.  Runs well and since we also utilize XenDesktop and XenApp I wanted to keep everything under one room for support purposes.  We have virtualized file, print, application and XenApp.  I've not yet virtualized a DC (though I have plans to as we do our transition to 2008 AD), Exchange (though I will when I implement our Exchange cluster) or SQL (no plans to virtualize our SQL servers).

    For hardware you'll need to size up when you'll need in regards to RAM, CPU cores and disk space.  That will determine how many physical servers you'll need.  Our standard practice is to ensure we have at least one more physical server than what is necessary to help ensure high availability.  So if you need two physical servers to run all of your VMs invest in a third.

    Also look in to utilizing a SAN for shared storage.  Utilizing a SAN with the appropriate virtualization product level (XenMotion for XenServer) will allow you to move VMs on the fly from one physical server to another.  This also helps ensure high availability.

    LVL 59

    Expert Comment

    by:Darius Ghassem
    Hyper-V is a good product to use with Server 2008. We have installed SQL, DCs, IIS, APP Servers, TS servers, Print Server, file servers, etc the only I haven't yet personally installed in a VM is Exchange. Now I spoke with techs that have and they said it works great in a Hyper-V VM and also in VMware.

    When it comes to hardware amicheal has some good suggestions. Just make sure you are going to utilize the hardware you purchase because the point of virtualization is to lower hardware and TCO costs. To be honest with you I thought I was going to need a lot more hardware then I actually needed for some of the first projects we did with Hyper-V.

    We had a Dell 2950 with two Quad cores, 16 GB RAM, and 3 TB of storage. I thougt that we would be able to run a couple of VMs including a pretty nice size SQL server but instead we installed 4 VMs on the server with SQL and it worked great.
    LVL 10

    Expert Comment

    I agree to what Daruis said and just to add more, you can virtualize an Exchange 2007 very well and it will be fine. more over if it is on Server 2008, you are taking the advantage of enlightened I/O. Server 2008 and Vista are virtualization aware.....

    Pulled from Wiki

    "Virtual Devices can also take advantage of a Windows Server Virtualization feature, named Enlightened I/O, for storage, networking and graphics subsystems, among others. Enlightened I/O is specialized virtualization-aware implementation of high level communication protocols like SCSI to take advantage of VMBus directly, that allows bypassing any device emulation layer. This makes the communication more efficient, but requires the guest OS to support Enlightened I/O. Windows 2008 and Windows Vista and SUSE Linux are currently the only operating systems that support Enlightened I/O, allowing them therefore to run faster as guest operating systems under Hyper-V than other operating systems that need to use slower emulated hardware."
    LVL 6

    Accepted Solution

    All of the above advice is good for general information.  None of it specifically answers your question.  The reason for that is because we would have to have a lot more information about your usage before we could really say.  If you have periodic benchmarks for the last 6-12-18 months, that would have more to do with how much you can fit on one machine than the specific services/rolls that will be running.  If you don't have that information, I would strongly recommend you try to get at least 3-6 months of that info before starting this.  Disk I/O will be one factor you want to look at.  External storage will allow you to have more drive spindles to alleviate disk bottlenecks if your benchmarking shows that to be a concern.  Outside of that, the processor and memory should be fairly straight-forward once you have actual numbers.  Hope this helps.

    Write Comment

    Please enter a first name

    Please enter a last name

    We will never share this with anyone.

    Featured Post

    Highfive Gives IT Their Time Back

    Highfive is so simple that setting up every meeting room takes just minutes and every employee will be able to start or join a call from any room with ease. Never be called into a meeting just to get it started again. This is how video conferencing should work!

    Nowadays, Virtual Machines are used equally by small and large scale organizations. However the issue is that VMDK files are also prone to corruption. So, in this article we are looking at how to recover VMDK files from hard disk of host operating s…
    Moving your enterprise fax infrastructure from in-house fax machines and servers to the cloud makes sense — from both an efficiency and productivity standpoint. But does migrating to a cloud fax solution mean you will no longer be able to send or re…
    To add imagery to an HTML email signature, you have two options available to you. You can either add a logo/image by embedding it directly into the signature or hosting it externally and linking to it. The vast majority of email clients display l…
    This video gives you a great overview about bandwidth monitoring with SNMP and WMI with our network monitoring solution PRTG Network Monitor ( If you're looking for how to monitor bandwidth using netflow or packet s…

    794 members asked questions and received personalized solutions in the past 7 days.

    Join the community of 500,000 technology professionals and ask your questions.

    Join & Ask a Question

    Need Help in Real-Time?

    Connect with top rated Experts

    16 Experts available now in Live!

    Get 1:1 Help Now


text:
Find a trip

Where would you like to go?
What type of trip do you like?
When would you like to go?
More search options
652 Matching trips
Site Search

Other trips you might like

Have you considered?

Customer Feedback

Read reviews

Discover our latest brochures available online now, with hundreds of adventures to choose from.

Be the first to hear about great new tours, competitions, special offers and unique departures.

Gift Vouchers

The perfect gift idea for any occasion. Send gift vouchers and create fantastic memories with vast trips and experiences to choose from.

Cycling the Baltic States CBS

Trip Duration 9 Days

The information below is intended to assist you as you consider your travel options with Explore. In addition to the detailed itinerary each trip has been supported with some useful information to provide you with an overview of your accommodation & meals, all things money, passports, visas, vaccinations, insurance, clothing, personal equipment and much more to help you with your travel preparations.

Cycling the Baltic States

Trip notes

Each departure date has it's own dedicated trip note, detailing all you need to know about that trip. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.

We have the following different versions of the Cycling the Baltic States trip available at present.

Please select a date:

Accommodation and Meals Expand

Budgeting for your trip Expand

Joining your trip Expand

Important Information Expand

Preparing for your trip Expand

General Information Expand

Why choose Explore Expand

Booking your holiday Expand


text:
Reviews for Percy Jackson and the Last War
Guest chapter 12 . 5/8
update please please please
Guest chapter 12 . 1/26
I guess pertamis becomes pecoe then, it had better fuckin not, Percy's fatal flaw is loyalty, so Zoe had better fuckin be akasha's namesake, or you will be degraded hellishly buddy, good luck
Guest chapter 8 . 1/26
Prophesies rhym buddy, I can't rhyme but I would ask help from someone I can trust, hint hint
Guest chapter 7 . 1/26
Hint, BAST IS WITH CARTER AND SADIE, READ THE FUCKIN BOOKS TO THE END, anyhow, not bad, read from authors like rick Riordan, Cassandra Claire, Derek landy, mark Walden, Michael morpurgo, L.J Smith, Darren shan, ETC, think about your vocab, think of the story line, think of what makes the mortal instruments, skulduggery pleasant, H.I.V.E, the secret circle, night world and so on so life changing, so amazing, and learn from it, and become a greater writer, I'm fifteen and Suzanne Collins would be in deep admiration of my fictional authorism, take it from one who has astonished an English teacher who has been teaching for possibly two decades and not because I was yr 8 at the time, but in general, good lock matie, and aim for around 40 chapters and 2-4 sequels with the same amount of chapters, good luck :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
Guest chapter 6 . 1/26
Its arty not Artie
draco7347 chapter 12 . 11/14/2015
love story so please bring out new chapters
condemnedArmageddons chapter 1 . 3/29/2015
1 w4nt m0r3! l1k3 y0u s41d. pl34s3. c0nt1nu3 1f y0ur st1ll th3r3. . . h3h3h3h3!
Pyro daemona chapter 12 . 3/23/2015
I enjoy this story it is interesting and I have to ask, is rias brought about by the anime highschool dxd? If so you my friend, have good taste in anime.
WhiteEagle1985 chapter 12 . 2/4/2015
Interesting story here so far!
Romulus chapter 12 . 1/24/2015
Please write this stud is great don't end it I love this story
Light-Bringer chapter 12 . 1/23/2015
Write please it's awesome
Mr. NiceGuy8 chapter 12 . 7/29/2014
Update! (:
Elemental Creation chapter 12 . 6/19/2014
Love it!
Elemental Creation chapter 3 . 6/19/2014
0blivi0nAgility chapter 12 . 4/25/2014
Love it :)
62 | Page 1 2 3 4 .. Last Next »


text:
The Inheritance

Sasuke leaned his head heavily against the doorframe when he recognized that scent, his hand gripping the handle. She was pounding the wood too hard, too urgently. He couldn't let her see him like this. Breathing deeply he tried to find that state of calm that used to be so easy around her. Something about her sweet, natural scent was soothing those nerves that seemed to fray just a bit more each day. Something was itching just underneath his skin, like a beetle skittering along his nerves that was urging him to rip open the door and to pull her inside.

Something dark and unpleasant whispered to him to just take her, to pin her beneath his body and show her just how much he hadn't meant those words.

He shuddered and gripped the door frame.

He had sworn, from the first moment that she kissed him with her soft, tempting lips that she would never see the darkness that lurked in him as a result of his stupid, childish mistake. He never wanted to see her emerald eyes widen in fear and become wary at the sight of him. Her fear would claw at his heart and awake the instincts that he had been successful in hiding for the past twelve years. The demon in him would grow feral, enraged that she would dare to refuse him.

The demon in Uchiha Sasuke would hurt her.

There was an edge to Sakura's scent as she continued to pound against his door that was preventing that calm. She was worried, almost frantic, about something. He heard her take a shuddering breath before she cried out his name—damn it—and Sasuke knew that she was crying.

If he didn't know better then he would say she was scared.

He took another shuddering breath—thankful that he was high enough on Konoha's payroll that he could afford a penthouse—and tried to block out that sense of urgency. If he didn't own the entire floor then there was no doubt that Sakura's shouting and banging would have attracted someone's attention by now, and he just couldn't deal with that.

Hell, he couldn't even handle her right now.

Her voice caught, and Sasuke only managed to stop himself from moving.

His muscles were bunched and that soft dark voice was asking him just why, why was he pretending to be so good. He knew he wasn't good. His entire body was taut, and he could almost tell how her skin would taste.

Go away. Just GO.

The metal on the door's handle was starting to break under the force of his grip.

Then there was a sniffle and he heard the sounds of Sakura sliding against the door. He nearly collapsed himself from all of the tension that held him still. Sasuke still refused to remove his hand from the handle. He couldn't afford to, not until he knew that she was gone and that she wasn't coming back. Why was she even here anyway?

There was silence, and he cursed in four different languages. Why the hell wasn't she leaving?

The voice that broke the silence was soft and distinctly male. The undertone of threat in the way that her name was said had a feral growl building in Sasuke's chest.

He didn't move. He didn't even dare to breathe.

I know that voice.

The heavy silence had been broken, and he could quite clearly hear the way that Sakura was breathing rather heavily. There was a clattering sound as she scrambled up and away from the door. Her voice when she spoke was shrill, the fear as evident there as it filtered into her scent.

"Don't touch me!"

Here's another new Naruto fic. Too thick I swore I would never touch this fandom with a 10-foot pole. I hope you enjoy this little tidbit. This takes place in the same world as Konoha Corp. which I will be posting sometime early this summer. I would post it sooner, but my paralegal class leaves me with not a whole lot of free time. Expect bi-weekly updates for this and WANTED in the meantime.


text:
Title: Beyond the Force

Disclaimer: I swear on my Mother's grave that I do not own any of these creations. That honour alone goes to George Lucas and the many authors who have written books based on the Star Wars world.

A/N: In case you are wondering. Episode 1: The Will of the Force; is no longer available. Deleted because it wasn't working out as well as I had planned and as for Trust the Force; That one is still in the works. Just taking awhile to find an inspiration to come to inspire me. Obi-Wan is my favourite character and so I am basing most of my stories around him. Some of the others will also be featured in this story and I am sure this idea has been written out before. I trust that you'll trust my judgement on this one and tell me if there is something about it that is not to your liking. I am using a similar idea to what is being plotted out in 'Trust the Force' for it is a fine idea.

Summery: Many years have passed since the Obi-Wan had killed the mysterious warrior, saving Qui-Gon's life at the price of being replaced by another, the Chosen One. AU.

Beyond the Force

The words had stung him far worse then anything or anyone has ever inflicted upon his body. Carving out a brand new scar, one that will be invisible and could only be seen if anyone looks close enough to see the full effects of what Qui-Gon has just told Master Yoda and Master Windu. Telling them the minute that they had arrived on Naboo of what could have been the biggest mistake Master Jinn has ever made.

What is so important about young Skywalker that has caused Qui-Gon to reject? To reject his own Padawan; the one Qui-Gon never really wanted to have in the first place. Qui-Gon was still suffering from Xanatos' betrayal and perhaps he still is.

Is Qui-Gon so sucked into the sheer idea of Anakin being the one? The one who'll bring balance back to the Force and also to restore peace through out the vast Galaxy, not just for the Republic but for the entire Galaxy.

Obi-Wan had saved Qui-Gon's life and this is how his Master had repaid him. Killing the mysterious Sith was no easy feat. Would it have been better if Obi-Wan had been killed instead, that way he wouldn't be feeling so much pain.

Death would have been so much kinder then Qui-Gon's sudden desire to shove his own apprentice aside so he could train another in his stead.

Sympathetic looks thrown in his wake, after Qui-Gon had stormed out of the Queen of Naboo's throne room, from both Masters Yoda and Mace Windu. Looks couldn't comfort his shattered hopes of Qui-Gon forgetting about Anakin's training and what the ancient prophecy for just that one time, and to have Qui-Gon to remember and to thank Obi-Wan. That thought obviously has never occurred to Master Jinn.

And from that day their Master/Padawan bond has been severed the moment Obi-Wan's braid was cut.

Were the years spent together not worth treasuring?

So long ago in a galaxy far, far away from where Obi-Wan Kenobi is now standing in his own apartment, within the Jedi Temple. Waiting patiently for another mission to take so he doesn't get the pleasure of bumping into Qui-Gon's ghost with in these walls of peace and justice.

Anakin, in Obi-Wan's mind, is considered to be the innocent one in this game, which has been played so many times in Obi-Wan's mind to the point of graving for something that is not there anymore.

Why must he, Obi-Wan, always dwell on the past instead of focusing on the present or even the future. When there is nothing worth remembering.

Always in motion is the future and the darkside of the Force surrounds the future, that much Obi-Wan has seen or even felt in his visions.

Dark are the days that will mark the future for a long time but there is still hope of that said future, which is still approaching. There is still something worth fighting for in this vast Galaxy, not just for the Republic or even for the Jedi Order for that matter.

Running a weary hand through his hair, to push the thick ginger locks away from his eyes so he could continue on observing the world outside.

To Be Continued. . . . .

A/N: So shall I continue?


text:
Tim woke up in a cold and dark room,he struggled to make sense of his surroundings through his foggy brain. He was relieved to find that he wasn't restrained and his body didn't feel as if he was hurt. He called out with his mind,"Richard are you there?"

The reply was instantaneous,"Tim where are you? Are you hurt?"

"I don't know where I am,it is dark and the door is locked. I'm not hurt."

"Is there anything you can tell me,to help me found you?"

"They drugged me and I woke up here in the dark. They hurt your butler and the housekeeper. Are they okay?"

Tim couldn't hear the shout of anger,but he could feel the cold fury in his mind,"Is it Graham who took you?"

"I only saw his two goons,but I'm sure its him."

"I am going to kill them when I find you!"

Tim didn't know what more to say,"I'll be here."

"Just hold on Tim ,I will find you!"

Tim heard the door open and moved away from it in fear,trying in vain to escape what was going to be done to him. He saw the two vampires that took him the first time,standing there in the feint light,sneering at him. He tried to be brave,but couldn't think of anything to say. He knew if he was Tony he would have quoted some or other movie-reference and would have found a way to insult his captors. But he was geeky McGee and for the death of him,he couldn't find one appropriate thing to say,except,"Richard is going to take his time to kill you,if you let me go,he might just forget that you helped Graham."

They just looked at him bored,his meagre threat not even rising a response. He was dragged out of the room and carried down a narrow passage to a bigger room,holding a bed , a few chairs and a small table. They tore off his clothes and tied him up on the bed,anchoring his arms and legs wide-spread to the legs of the double bed. Tim reached out in fear,"Richard!"

"Tim,what is happening?",the voice in his mind was frantic.

"I can't do this,they tied me to a bed naked,I won't be able to do anything to help myself!"

"Please Tim,just calm down,don't show them you are afraid,don't give them the satisfaction to see your fear!"

"I can't do this! Please don't let him touch me!"

"Oh,God Tim! I cannot stop them,but I will stay right here in your mind and help you through everything they do to you."

"No,you have to keep on searching for me,if you stay in my mind you won't find me. I need you to go to Gibbs and get him to help you find me!"

"Tim,I don't know if that is such a good idea!"

"Please Richard! I beg you,he always find us when we are in trouble."

"Okay,but you have to promise me you will stay strong for both of us."

"I promise,please hurry!"

Gibbs was beyond irritated,explaining to Fornell and Vance what happened to Tim and how he was taken from protective custody was not something he wanted to live through in his lifetime again. Team Gibbs looked like fools and everyone made sure they knew it. Gibbs and his team were suspended for a weak after they violently complained when the case was given over to the FBI. The team gathered at his home,licking their wounds and in an effort to try and find their lost team-member.

It was late and Gibbs send the rest of the team to bed,knowing that he wouldn't be able to sleep he worked on his boat. He was tempted to pour himself a large jar full of bourbon,but refrained as he needed to keep a clear head. Gibbs dropped his favourite chisel when the figure appeared out of thin air next to him. He recoiled in fear ,searching frantically with his eyes for a weapon. He was sure one of his rules stippled that he didn't believe in ghosts,but for the life of him,he couldn't remember which one and if there wasn't one,he would make a new one.

The ghost stared at him and he stared back at the ghost. He reached out and touched the ghost,finding that its body was solid and cool to the touch. The ghost spoke first and it scared Gibbs that it knew his name,"Gibbs,I need you to help me find Timothy."

Gibbs had to ask first,"Are you a ghost?"

Richard sighed,he knew it wasn't going to be easy,talking to Gibbs,but he didn't have time to waste,his mate was in danger."No I'm not a ghost,now will you help me find Tim?"

"I saw you appear out of thin air,why do you want me to help you find Tim?"

"I am a vampire and Tim are important to me."

Gibbs laughed,fearing his mind was going insane,"You are not a ghost,but a vampire?"

"This is getting us nowhere,yes I'm a vampire!" He opened his mouth and his canines lengthened.

"Okay,I see the teeth,but it doesn't mean I believe you are a vampire."

"Does it really matter,when Tim is in trouble?"

"How do you know Tim is in danger?"

"Because he told me himself."

"You saw him after he was taken,you know who has him?"

Richard then slowly explained to Gibbs that he and Tim had a telepathic connection and that he could speak to the other man. He conveniently left out the part that he abducted Tim from the house the previous day and that he was Tim's mate He also told Gibbs that the persons who took Tim were vampires.

Gibbs had to verify that he heard correctly,"Tim was taken by vampires and you want me to help you,who are also a vampire to get him back?"

Richard was annoyed,"Yes. is that a problem?"

"No,but I'm not telling the rest of the team that you are a vampire and that vampires took their team-mate."

"I would prefer if you don't tell them,because I'm not going to explain it again."

Gibbs woke up the rest of the team and introduced Richard as an old friend,who had FBI-connections. They started to work on finding Tim. Graham was at the disadvantage that he didn't take into consideration,that Richard would use modern technology to find them. Abby was the first one to suggest that they should try and find out,if Graham had cellphone and then they could trace its location. They worked frantically to find out if he owned a cellphone and if any property was registered in his name. They checked for bank and credit card transactions.

While the rest of the team were busy searching for Graham,Gibbs had time to think about the situation. He pulled Richard away from the others and asked,"If it is vampires who took Tim,how do we kill them. Do we used wooden stakes like in the movies?"

Richard sighed,"Yes that would work,but it won't be necessary as I'm going to do all the killing there needs to be done."

Gibbs looked at him sceptically,"When you speak of 'them' ,how many are there?"

"There should be Graham and his two helpers."

"See there is where I have a problem,three against one,doesn't seem like great odds. You are going to need help and I'm planning to be your back-up."

"It isn't necessary,the vampire council will give me all the help I need."

"Yeah ,so why are you here?"

At that moment a desperate cry resounded in Richard's mind."RICHARD!" His eyes clouded and his fists clenched,the pure look of menace on his face drove Gibbs back a few steps."Tim,what is happening?

There was no response,he could just feel the terror and pain streaking through his mate's mind. It took all his willpower to focus on the human in front of him,"Gibbs we have to hurry,Graham is doing something to Tim."

"What is he doing to McGee?"

"I don't know,I can feel the terror and pain in his mind!"

Gibbs walked back to the rest of the team ,where they were still busy on the laptops in front of them. Abby noticed him first,"Gibbs,Gibbs,I think I found Graham's cellphone-number ,I am just tracing his location,but it is going to take a few minutes."

"Good work Abs! Just go as fast as possible!" The vampire was still standing in the corner,his face bathed in fury,his eyes glowing. Gibbs shivered,he wondered how Tim and the creature were connected.

"Tim,can you hear me,we are making progress, I will come and get you soon!" There was no response from Tim and for the first time in many centuries,he felt helpless. He never would have thought that he would have to rely on humans to find his mate. He just hoped that Tim could hang on,the only reassurance he had was that Graham liked to play with his prey.


text:
"Germany, huh," he feels more than sees Kevin flop down beside him on the couch. "That's kind of far."

Having been together and as close as brothers since they were kids, he can't blame Kevin for being uneasy about his departure. When Kevin had gone back to Florida to settle matters with his father the previous year, their shared flat had felt far too wide, as if there were empty spaces where there weren't supposed to be. It feels wrong having to leave Kevin behind to feel the same loneliness this time.

"It's only for two months," he says. "I'll call everyday. And I'll be done in time for the Roland Garros."

Kevin gives a heavy sigh. "I'll meet you in Paris, then?"

He nods, kneading Karupin's tummy with his well hand. "In Paris."

The rehabilitation center is just as he had imagined it; dry, white, and ascetic. He doesn't think he can survive two months here, alone with his wander-prone mind. He fears he might go insane; heaven knows he has the genes for it, given his father's proclivities.

Said father passes him by and approaches the front desk, where a nurse immediately recognizes them and beckons over a trio of doctors who apparently had been waiting for them for a little while now. (Well, at least he can guiltlessly tell them that their tardiness is not his fault. Perverted shitty old man.)

It doesn't take long to settle him in and begin his preliminary examinations. He quietly obeys as the doctor takes his injured wrist and clucks a tongue at its state.

"Too much reaching, too many heavy balls, too little training, and such a small frame! You're practically asking for this. It's an early stage of tendinitis, and it's good that we caught it early," the lady doctor carefully turns the hand over. "I assume you will want to participate in the coming Roland Garros, so we will have to incorporate your training into your rehabilitation—they're two completely different things, mind you—so you'll be fit just in time for the tournament. You will want to strengthen your forearms and wrists so this won't happen again when you face an opponent like Sampras who gives low-skid heavy shots."

I won, though, he thinks to himself, and takes a moment to savor the bright white spike of victory searing through his nerves. Defeating Pete Sampras on hard court is an accomplishment few can boast, and it's an accomplishment he is particularly proud of. If the world hadn't been looking at him before, they sure are now.

But that isn't precisely why this victory brings him such pleasure. The high-tension game that Sampras had given him was something he hadn't even known he'd been intensely craving—and the hunger had been so bad that in the middle of the game, he could feel it threatening to drown him in its depth. That one game with Sampras brought such an unexpected and brilliant rush that for just a short while, the hunger faded into a wash of electrifying white, a torrent of satisfaction and fulfillment unlike any other he had ever known in his short twenty years of life.

He fears now that he will go insane with the dark cloud of hunger hanging over his head and his left wrist preventing him from playing even just one game. Now that he has had a taste of what truly lies within a fulfilling game against a worthy opponent, he does not know if he can stand three months of nothing but waiting.

When he is finally taken back to his small, blue room to rest for the night, he sits in the darkness and holds Karupin close, seeking a comfort he knows he will not find here.

He wanders the vicinity of the rehabilitation center, set in a nice suburban neighborhood of Berlin. There is an intense atmosphere of concentration and rekindling hope everywhere he goes, and he finds that he cannot stand it. It scathes the dark hunger within him, so he purposefully avoids people, unless otherwise absolutely necessary.

A fortnight passes as he diligently follows through with his doctor's orders, if only to have this end quicker and clear him for tournaments once more. He doesn't know any other place where he can meet worthy opponents, unfortunately, so he quietly does his flexing exercises and takes care to apply ice whenever the swelling begins to return.

He's allowed light play using only his right hand, which somehow feels very different, even though he's ambidextrous. His left hand is a substantial factor in his game; its loss cripples him, and he can feel it, intimately so. But eventually, hitting against wall becomes a bore as well, and moving his body about in such familiar motions only serves to agitate the monster inside him. He hates this with a passion, and it's not going to end any sooner despite it.

Two weeks and a half into his regimen and maybe his displeasure is beginning to show. His doctor discreetly begins to search for practice partners for him behind his back—he notices this, and does nothing to stop it. Even a complete amateur would be more amusing than a stationary wall.

But an amateur isn't what he gets—"This is Tezuka-kun; he's with one of our visiting doctors from Japan. He's currently in medical school, but he used to play competitive tennis in middle and high school."—and here the hunger within him begins to stir.

"It's an honor," ever-polite, these Japanese, he thinks, as they stand face to face in the middle of the small, hidden court. They're at the very back of the facility, a place where almost nobody wanders into unless necessary. The place, at least, is well-maintained; there will be no hindrances for their game.

"Whatever, let's get on with it," he sighs, dipping his head in a parody of a bow, and walking confidently back to his post. It's his opponent's serve first—Tezuka, was it?—because he feels somewhat generous today. He admits he's rather curious too, if this Tezuka is any good at all. He takes care not to expect too much, however; he has learned long ago that it's a big mistake to do so.

From across the court, his opponent tosses the ball up and down, up and down. He positions himself, lowering his center of balance, leaning forward the slightest bit, eyes sharp for the quick slip of yellow. He takes care to put the full weight of the racket on his right hand, only using the left to steady and assist—never any pressure on the injured wrist.

He blinks.

A ball rolls to meet the heel of his right foot, having already bounced against the rusty fence.

He didn't even see that coming.

Turning back, now with full concentration, he watches as the ball goes up, down, up—his body jolts into movement as his racket tilts and receives the ball, hitting it back—out.

He quickly returns to position and waits for the next one—this time he hits it back in, and they rally back and forth once, twice—and Tezuka gears for a drop—he darts forward—don't you underestimate me—and the ball, strangely enough, does not bounce towards him. Instead, the queer little drop shot spins on the ground and rolls away from him, as if purposefully taunting him by avoiding his racket.

…what the fuck?

Tezuka straightens on the other side of the net and looks down upon him with stern, admonishing eyes: "I would think its common courtesy for any tennis player to repay his opponent with an equal amount of respect, Echizen Ryoma."

It's then that the blooming frustration within him churns into bewildered anger.

In the end, he loses—and of course he would lose. He's shamed himself by playing with anger in his heart. Tennis should not be played with anger; only instead with determination, with a will to win, and, as much as he hates clichés, with love. His father had taught him no less than this; through his tournaments, he should have learned no less than this. Or had he not been learning anything at all?

For the rest of the night he locks himself up in his room, curled up under a warm blanket with Karupin cuddled close against his chest. The purring ball of fur brings him much-needed comfort in the face of an unexpected loss to an unknown enemy. He has yet to find out anything about Tezuka Kunimitsu, apart from the name, the face, and that wicked little drop shot. He wants to know if there's more.

The next day, he seeks Tezuka out, but does not find him around. The following day after that, he seeks again, but Tezuka isn't anywhere. On the third day of seeking, he finally finds the ever-stern figure, carrying a lunch tray to the courtyards. He approaches.

"I would like to ask for a rematch with you," he asks as politely and quietly as he can, purposefully swallowing his pride and inborn rudeness. He truly wants this rematch, and if a little bit of politesse can secure it, then politesse he shall give.

Tezuka nods once, and motions forth. "Please, sit."

Ryoma sits.

"Another match with you would be more than welcome. I could sense that you were not playing at your prime concentration the other day," Tezuka says after a stretch of rather stiff silence. "However, I shall ask of you one thing in return."

Squaring his jaw, Ryoma says, "Anything."

"You have to promise me," Tezuka begins, "that from here on, you will never again disrespect or disregard any of your future opponents—or even just any tennis player—without prior knowledge of who or what they are. I think it's unbecoming of someone of your caliber—and I have had enough experience with tennis players to know that one's personality plays quite a role in determining the potential of one's talent." Tezuka pauses for thought, and then continues, "I think you will find that a quiet congeniality will help you draw much information from your opponent without them even knowing it. It can be a valuable weapon, as well."

Ryoma finds himself pressed into a somewhat awed silence. Most people would never dare speak to him in such a manner, as if he were their inferior, an apprentice of sorts. His father sometimes does so, but very rarely. Kevin and he are equals, and he can think of no one else in his life familiar enough with him to attempt such a tone.

But this man—this man—had just admonished him in a manner that gave him enough clues to figure out where to go next. It's as if he's being taught.

"Well?" Tezuka prompts him, and he jolts out of his little reverie. That one little monologue had seemed so long that he'd forgotten that he was supposed to promise.

"I-I promise. Never again."

It's just the barest of a fraction, but Tezuka relaxes, and for a fleeting instance, Ryoma thinks he sees a flicker of a smile on the older man's face.

Their next game is still a game he loses, most likely because his pace is still rather stilted. The aftershock of an overwhelming victory combined with the lingering sting of an unexpected loss is a potent combination against his peace of mind. Slowly, though, bit by bit, he recovers his ground, and soon, they are playing even, pushing against each other each time they meet across the net.

However, he has this desperate feeling that Tezuka still hides something—still has yet to unleash all of what he can do. And it might just be as well, Ryoma thinks, because it would be an unfair game, with his favored wrist sprained and his mental balance still recovering.

So they occupy day by day with small games, warm-ups, if anything, and these little reminders of the court keeps Ryoma's hunger at bay. Whenever Tezuka can't play for one reason or another, Ryoma wanders around in wait for something to amuse him, or pays attention to Karupin, who is beginning to feel lonely and trapped inside his room. He decides to bring Karupin on a little walk every Monday and Thursday, when Tezuka is gone elsewhere and he is dead bored inside the rehabilitation center.

The days pass quicker now, turning into weeks with him barely noticing. The days pass in a white, somewhat wet blur. The winter is beginning to melt—spring should already be beginning in New York—and the blossoms are coming out of their buds. Karupin feels cheerier during spring, and in general, so does he.

Periodically, he calls his father (who always asks, multiple times, when he's going out to get himself a pretty German girl) and Kevin (who practically wails at him for not calling often enough). The rest of his time he burns walking about the place, rotating his wrists in exercise (the tendinitis is healing wonderfully, a result of his diligent regimen).

On one certain rainy day, he chats with Tezuka in one of the lounges. They sit by the window and watch the rain drench the city, turning the skies a darker steely grey. He has hot chocolate in hand, while Tezuka has tea and stories of Japan—a place he has never been to, but is an important root for his blood. His father came from Japan, and learned his beginning skills in Japan. Ryoma will not deny his curiosity.

Apparently, there are quite a group of talented young players in Japan, except they aren't really given the opportunity to shine on the international stage, more than likely because of local technicalities, or personal situations. Such cases Ryoma always finds pitiful. Simply thinking of all the wasted talent and challenge turns his very stomach.

"Maybe I should go to Japan, then, when I'm in need for a good challenge," he grins a tiny grin over the rim of his mug.

Tezuka reclines against one of the couches and looks down into his tea. "The media will not think lightly of you leaving the professional field to play with amateurs."

Ryoma pouts, "Who cares about the media, anyway? They've less than nothing to do with a good game."

This coaxes a chuckle from Tezuka. "You should consider your position more carefully. Many can only dream of such prestige and privilege; don't be too quick to throw it away, despite it's… inconveniencies."

He can only snort. Inconvenience is too light a word for the trouble he and Kevin both get from the media sometimes. Never mind the paparazzi; the fans are beyond difficult.

He sips a bit of chocolate. "How about you come to the professional scene, then? You're certainly good enough." He hopes that the challenge is clear within the tone of his voice and the shine of his eyes, and if not, he braces himself to say it outright. But the answer he gets is not what he expects.

"I'm afraid I can no longer play competitive tennis."

Ryoma watches in bemused silence as Tezuka relinquishes the cup of tea on the table. The pitter-patter of rain is steady and growing heavier by the second, but it is only white noise underneath the tension sizzling between the two of them. He's confused; did Tezuka just refuse his challenge?

"Please do not misunderstand," Tezuka amends quickly, perhaps seeing the look on his face. "I don't wish to push your challenge away, and if I could, I would in a heartbeat face it and take it. But I'm afraid I can't."

"Is this because of school?" Ryoma demands. He has to know the reason why he is being refused—he thinks he has the right to know that much, at the very least. "Is your family pressuring you into medical school? That doctor you came here with is your uncle, right? Are they going to hold you back from professional tennis?"

But Tezuka is already shaking his head no.

"Then what? Why?"

Sighing, Tezuka leans forward, and rests his elbows on his knees. Ryoma watches as Tezuka's head dips in a bow. "Let me tell you," Tezuka begins, "of the first time I came here, nearly eight years ago."

Late that night, while in bed, is the first time Ryoma finds himself appreciating in full the effort his father had poured into keeping his talent safe and protected, guarded on all corners as he grew up. When he was little, he only saw it as the old man meddling, always standing in the way of his amusement. But now, he sees.

He has never had to suffer such a tragedy as Tezuka's. His body, his investment, has always been kept healthy, fit. Both his parents had expended much money into keeping his athleticism at its peak form. But Tezuka, who had none of the insurance and security he did, lost this athleticism even before it could bloom.

The thought of this makes Ryoma's chest burn.

For a moment that truthfully isn't too fleeting, he considers flying to Japan at this very moment, hunting down Tezuka's ex-teammates, and shoving a million tennis balls down their throats. For a moment, one staggering little moment, he wishes desperately that he had been in Japan when that had happened, that he could somehow turn time back and prevent it from happening—he wants to believe that maybe, just maybe, there's still something to be done.

He rolls over and buries his face into his pillow, acknowledging the burn and sting and fall of the tears in his eyes. There is but frustration blooming within him; his hunger has been denied.

Two days later, on the night before his release, he asks Tezuka for one last game.

He feels it again, that white hot spike of bright victory burning in his throat, as a tongue slides against skin, as a hip grinds against hip. He feels it again, and again, and again, even brighter, even more vivid, as heat sears into him, as he feels the girth and length and depth of Tezuka within him.

The growl that overflows from within his chest is a manifestation of this hunger that he will forever carry, forever, unless he can have this—this substitute, or not really, because this is their real game—and he will have this, a piece of this, to carry to Paris, and to London, and to New York.

If he can't have Tezuka on the court, then he will have him off of it.

Directly after sweeping London with his victory, he goes to Japan.

It is midsummer, muggy and hot, but inside Tezuka's flat is cool air, with wide spaces white and blue. He sits by the window and sips hot chocolate, and just like winter in Germany, he waits for Tezuka to come home, so they can play.

( end )

Written for The Official TezuRyo Revival Post on 30 Dec 2009, originally posted on my LJ (iluxia dot livejournal dot com), mirrored on AO3.


text:
New Authors     New Books     Coming Soon     Most Popular     Top Authors
Next book >>
book cover of

Murder Sunny Side Up

Murder Sunny Side Up

(The first book in the Ben Safford series)
A novel by

What Congressman Ben Safford knew about eggs was this: they come from poultry farms like the ones he represented in Newburg, Ohio, and you often eat them for breakfast. He had a lot to learn.
When the Subcommittee on Non-Military Assistance to Unaligned Nations decided to investigate the safety of Ova-Cote, a preservative that kept eggs fresh indefinitely, Ben was forced to attend. He thought he'd fall asleep from boredom in the committee room until a bizarre and shocking murder stopped the proceedings cold.
And that was only the first death. From the House in Washington, to the farms of Ohio, to the Library of Congress, even to the racetrack, Ben chased two killers: one chemical and the other human in name only!

Used availability for R B Dominic's Murder Sunny Side Up

See all available used copies of this book at Abebooks UK or Abebooks US

Paperback Editions

November 1985 : Canada Paperback
Title: Murder, sunny side up
Author(s): R B Dominic
ISBN: 0-7701-0376-6 / 978-0-7701-0376-7 (Canada edition)
Publisher: PaperJacks
Availability: Amazon   Amazon UK   Amazon CA

Search for


text:
Dale A. Zimmerman,76

February 17, 2013

Elmore – Dale A. Zimmerman, age 76, of Elmore, died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, at his home. Private Family memorial services will be held. Public visitation will be from 1-4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb....

« Back to Article

sort: oldest | newest

No comments posted for this article.

Post a Comment

You must first login before you can comment.

*Your email address:
Remember my email address.

I am looking for:
News, Blogs & Events Web


text:
Current Issue
This Month's Print Issue

Follow Fast Company

We’ll come to you.

2 minute read

Undercover Houston Cops On Bikes Are Nabbing Drivers Dangerous To Cyclists

Be careful which bikers you buzz by super closely on Houston's streets. One of them might arrest you.

Undercover Houston Cops On Bikes Are Nabbing Drivers Dangerous To Cyclists

In Houston, cops are taking a novel approach to arresting jerks who cut off cyclists. They’re going undercover on two wheels, and when things get too tight for the law, they're calling in for support.

In 2012, if you were cycling around the country, Houston ranked as one of the worst cities to make a stop. Out of 51 American cities in the last Alliance for Biking and Walking report, listed from low to high cyclist fatalities, Houston beat out other lethal cities for number 41.

Houston ranks near the bottom of U.S. cities for bike safety.

But Houston could turn itself around, especially now that it’s implementing a "Goal Zero" bike safety program that aims to keep all its cyclists alive. Last Tuesday, Mayor Annise Parker announced a series of changes to the way the city went about its transportation business. Among those changes: Sting operations from plainclothes policemen riding bikes to catch drivers who pass cyclists too closely for the city’s three-foot mandated standard.

"We asked them to put police officers in plain clothes on bicycles with support in the area, so if someone did pass them too closely, they could call on their support to pull over that driver and issue a citation," explains Mike Payne, executive director of BikeHouston, the organization that originally went to the mayor’s office with the idea. "They just started running special missions, if you want to call them that, where they send people out to different neighborhoods to do this. And they start writing citations and warnings."

Last year, the Houston City Council passed an ordinance that called on drivers to maintain a three-foot radius from cyclists when passing them on the road, and a six-foot distance if drivers were following them from behind. But those rules, Houstonians found, were almost impossible to enforce. After all, how were cops supposed to possibly guess who passed too closely?

Since December, the city experienced five cyclist deaths, four of which were hit-and-runs. Two of those crimes remained unsolved, which drew attention to the city’s problem with enforcing its own laws. Perspective changes, though, when you’re riding on two wheels with the traffic.

Houston isn’t the only city to pull this maneuver. Austin has also initiated police stings to catch aggressive drivers. And programs that catch drivers veering into pedestrian crosswalks have existed for some time. Last year, in Fort Lee, New Jersey (yes, they would soon experience even worse traffic problems), the local police department nabbed 56 drivers who motored through crosswalks without slowing down for pedestrians.

Payne hopes that policies like these will turn Houston into a cycling mecca. The city is flat, he points out, and has wide streets—ideal for riding bikes.

"Houston’s one of the fastest growing cities in the country, because of the energy industry and the medical industry here," he says. "We’ve got more automobiles, and we’ve got more cyclists, and this is true all around the country. How we plan for them will determine whether or not we are successful in dealing with challenges of urban obesity."

The Fast Company Innovation Festival


text:
Trending Deal!
Old Navy:

40% Off Sweaters + 20% Off

40% or 20% Off after Coupon
Free Shipping on $50+
Click to Copy & Shop Now
Coupon Details: 20% Off Select

Shop Now ►   Old Navy
More Old Navy Offers

Old Navy is offering 20% Off Select Items using coupon code "STILLSAVE" (Exp. 9/13) OR 40% Off Sweaters with no coupon code needed.  As always, shipping is free on orders over $50.00.

Notable Items:

Also, use your Super Cash for $10 off every $25 spent!

Best Deal

While FatWallet makes every effort to post correct information, offers are subject to change without notice.
Some exclusions may apply based upon merchant policies.
© 1999-2016

Welcome to FatWallet

Our promise is to connect you with a great deal.

  • Hundreds of fresh coupons and top deals everyday
  • Keyword alerts for the products and brands you want
  • Over 1,600 stores to browse
  • Buying guides ... and more
Like what you see? We've got more where that came from!
Sign up to get deals, coupons, and exclusives sent to your inbox every day.
It appears you have already registered.
Please sign in to manage your email preferences.


text:
[time-nuts] Pulse width for start signal for HP5370

Paul A. Cianciolo paulc at snet.net
Sat Sep 3 18:14:45 UTC 2011

Following a suggestion given to me I am using   a 1PPS signal to "START" the
The "STOP"  is  the normal  the DUT 10 Mhz.

The pulse comes from a Z3801 rear Db 25 connector.
The counter seems to work ok with this except the level control does not
have a lot of range.
Too far CW and the level light stays on, to far CCW and the level light
There is some range but not a lot.
Does seem normal to you folks?

Paul A. Cianciolo

"Time is relative"  Abert Einstien circa 1950
"Relatives use up all my time"  Lisa Cianciolo circa 1983

More information about the time-nuts mailing list


text:
Reviews for I Can't
xXhootsXx chapter 1 . 1/31/2010
Aww...that's so sad...:( WHY DID SHE HAVE TO DIEE?

**bursts into tears**
ReadersClub chapter 1 . 4/3/2009
Aw ... well, that was to be expected, but still ...

Anyway, I love good, well-written short stories, and yours fall into this category.

Recommending it on my forum and adding it to my comm.

Member 27


text:
(A Way To Mean)

lazy lady
take your camisole and stitch it to me so I
don't feel horribly and dive
from this fire escape under me
I'd hate to be rendered by such unsweet sounds today
there's too much good hidden in your shoes for
a mid-air swim of such post-warmth collision
just lay your body under mine and we'll while away our sides
with missed cues and castanets
to mark out the beat of your fingertips down blank post-scripts
and I am not one for lovers
but I spent an entire night dreaming of your shoulders
these are risky thoughts
but I couldn't find a better way
so I'll march your street and keep you safe until I lay
with you in the quiet light behind my curtains
and like this days will come and we'll be vagabonds
traveling when our feet are on
and we will find it in the people until
our lies are so honest they're truth


text:
• Goldsmiths, University of London Featured Masters Courses
  • University of Cambridge Featured Masters Courses
  • University of Leeds Featured Masters Courses
  • Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Featured Masters Courses
  • Jacobs University Featured Masters Courses
  • Swansea University Featured Masters Courses
  • University of Edinburgh Featured Masters Courses
  • Ulster University Featured Masters Courses
De Montfort University Featured Masters Courses
Imperial College London Featured Masters Courses
Nottingham Trent University Featured Masters Courses
Coventry University Featured Masters Courses
Bath Spa University Featured Masters Courses

MSc Entrepreneurship

Course Description

The MSc in Entrepreneurship puts strong emphasis on balancing research-led teaching with experiential learning (e.g. consulting for small-business owners, preparation for joining an accelerator, field trips) to guide students through the process of starting their own venture/intitiative. Under the guidance of world-class professors and expert practitioners, students will learn how to identify, create and exploit entrepreneurial opportunities.

By launching this course in 2016/17, we are strengthening our position as a centre for entrepreneurship, and further leverage the unique benefits of our location at the crossroads of the financial heart of the City of London and the technology start-ups of Tech City.

A weekend-long event where all City University Postgrad students (developers, designers, marketers and startup enthusiasts) come together to pitch their business ideas, form teams, build products and hopefully launch startups by the end of the weekend! It is a great opportunity to create something beautiful but not only.

Visit the website: http://www.cass.city.ac.uk/courses/masters/courses/entrepreneurship/2017#courses-details=2

Course detail

Cass Business School is among the global elite of business schools that hold the gold standard of 'triple-crown' accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS). We are consistently ranked amongst the best business schools and programmes in the world which, coupled with an established 40-year reputation for excellence in research and business education, enables us to attract some of the best academics, students and businesses worldwide into our exclusive Cass network.

To satisfy the requirements of the degree course students must complete:

• twelve core courses (10 - 15 credits each)
• five electives (10 credits each)
• one elective (10 credits) and a Business Research Project (40 credits)

Assessment of modules on the MSc in Shipping, Trade & Finance, in most cases, is by means of coursework and unseen examination. Coursework may consist of standard essays, individual and group presentations, group reports, classwork, unseen tests and problem sets. Please note that any group work may include an element of peer assessment.

How to apply

Apply here: http://www.city.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying-to-city

For information on funding, please follow this link: http://www.city.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/funding-and-financial-support

Visit the MSc Entrepreneurship page on the Cass Business School website for more details!

Entry Requirements

A UK upper second class degree or above, or the equivalent from an overseas institution.

Email Enquiry

Recipient: Cass Business School
Insert previous message below for editing?
You haven’t included a message. Providing a specific message means universities will take your enquiry more seriously and helps them provide the information you need.
Why not add a message here
* required field
Send a copy to me for my own records.
Email Sent

Share this page:

Cookie Policy    X


text:
How Can We Help You?

More on LifestyleBack

Weight-Loss Surgery Affects Medication Needs, Physicians Say

| Date Posted: 3/12/2014

Bo Kopynec, M.D.
Bo Kopynec, M.D.
Raymond Washington, M.D.

Raymond Washington, M.D.

ELLERBE – Sherry Cooper didn’t have the high blood pressure or diabetes that often accompanies excessive weight, but she did have rheumatoid arthritis, a painful condition that was being complicated by her extra pounds and was especially making itself known in her right hip.

She was also taking several medications to help control her symptoms and pain.

After deciding “I've just got to do this,” Cooper attended one of the weight-loss surgery information sessions that are part of the bariatric surgery program at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital. She had her surgery in September 2012 and has since lost 113 pounds or the equivalent weight of a small adult.

Since her surgery and weight-loss, Cooper no longer needs four of the five medications she had been taking previously – one that upset her stomach, another that caused nausea, a third she took to combat the nausea caused by the second and yet another that gave her headaches. She is also enjoying some relief from her medication expense.

“I feel great,” says the mother of three and grandmother of five.

Cooper is a lab technician at FirstHealth Family Care in Ellerbe, where primary care physician Bo Kopynec, M.D., has noticed similar responses to medication requirements in all of his patients who have had weight-loss surgery. Some, especially those who had been diagnosed with diabetes, were ready to come off at least some medications by the time they left the hospital after their surgery.

“It’s one of the tools we can use to treat diabetes,” Dr. Kopynec says of bariatric surgery.

Various studies, including information cited in the respected British medical journal The Lancet, have confirmed what Dr. Kopynec has observed. “Bariatric surgery,” a recent Lancet article pointed out, “not only induces weight loss, but also improves metabolic status (the way the body uses food and water to make energy).”

As Dr. Kopynec studied the medical records of six of his patients who had had weight-loss surgery, he noted the following striking improvements:

  • One patient was able to come off her diabetes medication immediately after surgery
  • Three patients now no longer need medication to control their high blood pressure
  • Two patients no longer require medication to control their cholesterol/triglycerides levels

Although there are always risks to surgery, Dr. Kopynec points out, there can also be risks to adding medication after medication to a patient's treatment plan. That is why he will usually bring up the subject of weight-loss surgery with obese patients who are also dealing with uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes and other conditions that are aggravated by their weight.

“There are a lot of factors to consider when you are adding medications,” he says. “(Weight-loss surgery) is an option that should at least be brought up in the discussion.”

Raymond Washington, M.D., a general and bariatric surgeon with Moore Regional Hospital and Pinehurst Surgical, says that weight-loss surgery is especially effective in patients who have been prescribed an oral medication for their diabetes.

“Their medication needs are usually resolved prior to their discharge from the hospital,” he says. “If they are on insulin, it will take a little more time.”

About 70 percent of patients with high blood pressure will eventually experience a change in their medication needs, too.

“Sleep apnea is another area that improves,” Dr. Washington says. “These conditions continue to get better as the patient loses weight, but there are definite improvements right away.”

FirstHealth has begun an outreach program designed to inform primary care physicians about the various positive effects of weight-loss surgery on a patient's health.

“We follow patients for life so we know about these improvements,” Dr. Washington says. “We are able to notice it ourselves.”

Related Content

Healthy Living Programs
Fitness Programs
Community Tour

FirstHealth Magazine Subscription

To receive FirstHealth Magazine via email, please complete the information below.

1. Browse Our Free Printed Magazines
2. Subscribe to FirstHealth Magazine

How would you like to recieve the magazine?

FirstHealth Magazine Sign-Up


text:
Drop Down Menu

Business Checking

Direct Deposit

Direct deposit is the electronic transfer of a payment from a company or organization into an individual's checking or savings account. It is the most widely used ACH electronic payment application and is a smart way to be paid. It is ideal for payroll, tax refunds, pensions, dividends, bonuses, or other payments.

Direct Deposit is simple.

  • Once you have signed up for Direct Deposit, you don't have to go to the bank to deposit checks.
  • Your money is automatically deposited into your account on time, every time - and you don't have to be at work - or even in town!

Direct Deposit is safe.

  • Direct Deposit payments never get lost.
  • Direct Deposit is confidential. Money is transferred electronically and passes through fewer hands than a check.
  • Problems with Direct Deposit, which are rare, are quickly resolved.
  • Almost 85 percent of identity theft starts with someone seeing your personal financial information on a paper check, billing statement, or bank account statement. Once electronic payments are set up, the money travels electronically, greatly reducing the number of people who see your personal information.

Direct Deposit is smart.

  • Direct Deposit gives you access to your money earlier than check deposits. There is no waiting for checks to clear.
  • Direct Deposit puts you in charge of your money. Financial planners recommend Direct Deposit as one step towards gaining control of your finances.
  • With Direct Deposit, you decide how to divide your pay among your accounts and it will be done automatically.
  • Employers will issue a payment summary of every deposit that will look much like your paycheck stub looks today. It will show your deductions for taxes, insurance, and other obligations, and will reflect the balance that was deposited into your account(s).

To set up a direct deposit of your payroll or any other payment requires you to contact the company and complete the paperwork. They will normally want a voided check from your checkbook containing your bank's routing number and your account number. The routing number is the first set of numbers on the bottom left of your check. The routing number is followed by your account and the number of the check itself.

Contact a customer service representative at one of our office locations if you need help. We are there to help serve you.

Business Construction Loans Credit Cards Debit Card Investment


text:
The Catholic Church’s deployment of the language of “human rights”, thanks to Pope John XXIII’s encyclical  Pacem in Terris , says George Weigel in today’s column , has helped magnify its moral voice in world affairs.

The universal resonance of  Pacem in Terris  confirmed the late-twentieth-century papacy as a unique voice of moral authority among the deeply divided and often-conflicted tribes of Planet Earth . . . . That same moral authority has already begun to be wielded by Pope Francis who, in his post-election address to the diplomats at the Holy See, reminded the assembled representatives of worldly power that there can be no peace without reference to the moral truths embedded in the world and in us—truths that are accessible to everyone by the use of reason.

Read the full column here .

Articles by Katherine Infantine

Show 0 comments


text:
Barnstaple IT Tutors, IT Teachers and Barnstaple IT Training and IT Lessons

With First Tutors: I.T. you can find an IT trainer in Barnstaple and across the UK. IT training is an excellent way to develop skills quickly, gain confidence with computers and improve your career prospects. Please use our service to search for IT trainers near you in Barnstaple and select which best suits your requirements so you can start IT lessons immediately!

First Tutors: I.T. is the only place to discover IT trainers in Barnstaple, helping you find an IT teacher to help with any subject, for example, Microsoft Office, web design or programming languages. We can help you find IT lessons in Barnstaple to prepare for IT exams and develop your IT skills to work your way through grades! Our search will order Barnstaple IT trainers in your area according to their training charges and proximity to you.

If you are an IT trainer wishing to offer your IT training services in Barnstaple or anywhere else across the UK, please register with First Tutors: I.T. or find out more about us here. Becoming an IT teacher is a great way to re-affirm your own knowledge through giving IT lessons while helping someone else, all in your local Barnstaple area!


text:
Ayr Flugel Horn Teachers & Ayr Flugel Horn Lessons

We help you locate a Ayr flugel horn teacher. Flugel Horn lessons are the perfect method to learn an entertaining new hobby, acquire a new talent and attain confidence with flugel horn. Try our service to find Ayr flugel horn teachers and select which suits your needs so you can start your flugel horn tuition in Ayr today!

This is the best way to discover Ayr flugel horn teachers in the UK, helping you discover Ayr flugel horn lessons close to home and Ayr teachers to assist with any instrument such as piano, violin or guitar. We can help you find Ayr flugel horn lessons or a Ayr flugel horn tutor to prepare for flugel horn grades and develop your flugel horn skills! Our search will order Ayr flugel horn tutors local to you according to their lesson prices and distance from you.

If you are a flugel horn tutor and would like to offer your flugel horn tuition services in Ayr or throughout the UK, please register with First Tutors: Music or find out more about us here. Becoming a Ayr flugel horn tutor is a great way to improve your own skills by providing flugel horn lessons while helping someone else, all in Ayr!


text:
Redbridge Cello Teachers & Redbridge Cello Tuition

We help you find a Redbridge cello teacher. Cello tuition are an excellent method to start a stimulating new hobby, pick up a new skill and gain confidence with cello. Try our site to find Redbridge cello tutors and determine which matches your requirements so you can start your cello lessons in Redbridge immediately!

This is the best way to locate Redbridge cello teachers in the UK, helping you find Redbridge cello lessons close to you and Redbridge tutors to assist with any instrument, for example, piano, violin or guitar. We can help you find Redbridge cello tuition or a Redbridge cello teacher to prepare for cello exams and develop your cello skills! We order Redbridge cello teachers local to you by their hourly prices and proximity to you.

If you are a cello tutor and would like to offer cello lessons in Redbridge or throughout the UK, please register with First Tutors: Music or find out more about us here. Becoming a Redbridge cello tutor is a brilliant way to re-affirm your own knowledge through giving cello lessons while helping someone else, all in the Redbridge area!


text:
Inverkeithing Japanese Tutors and Inverkeithing Japanese Tuition

With First Tutors you can find a private japanese tutor in Inverkeithing and across the UK. Local japanese tuition is an excellent way to bolster confidence while increasing grades and doesn't have to be boring! Please use our service to find Inverkeithing japanese tutors and select the one who best meets your requirements.

First Tutors is the best place to discover through one search the most suitable Inverkeithing japanese tutors for your needs, enabling you to find a private Inverkeithing japanese teacher for any subject including GCSE English, A-Level Maths or even university Chemistry. We also help with language tuition, so if you want to learn French, take a Russian course or prepare yourself for French life, we can help - and all in Inverkeithing! Our search will order japanese Inverkeithing teachers in your area by japanese tuition charges and distance from you.

If you are a Inverkeithing japanese tutor wanting to offer your private japanese tuition services in Inverkeithing or anywhere else across the UK, please register with First Tutors or find out more about us here. Home japanese tuition is a great way to re-affirm your own japanese knowledge while helping someone else, all in your local Inverkeithing area!