Visual Basic

public static byte[] CompressString(string str)
{
    using (var output = new MemoryStream())
    using (var gzip = new DeflateStream(output, CompressionMode.Compress))
    using (var writer = new StreamWriter(gzip, System.Text.Encoding.UTF8))
    {
        writer.Write(str);
        return output.ToArray();
    }
}

public static byte[] CompressString(string str)
{
    using (var output = new MemoryStream())
    {
        using (var gzip = new DeflateStream(output, CompressionMode.Compress))
        using (var writer = new StreamWriter(gzip, System.Text.Encoding.UTF8))
        {
            writer.Write(str);
        }

        return output.ToArray();
    }
}

Dim entry As DbEnttiyEntry(Of YourEntityType) = yourContext.Entry(yourEntity)

' All properties:
Dim currentValues As DbPropertyValues = entry.CurrentValues
Dim originalValues As DbPropertyValues = entry.OriginalValues
Dim databaseValues As DbPropertyValues = entry.GetDatabaseValues()

For Each propertyName As String In currentValues.PropertyNames
    Dim current As Object = currentValues(propertyName)
    Dim original As Object = originalValues(propertyName)
    Dim database As Object = databaseValues(propertyName)
Next


' Single property:
Dim prop As DbPropertyEntry = entry.Property("PropertyName")
Dim current As Object = prop.CurrentValue
Dim original As Object = prop.OriginalValue


' Single property (strongly typed):
Dim prop As DbPropertyEntry(Of YourEntityType, PropertyType) = entry.Property(Function(x) x.PropertyName)
Dim current As PropertyType = prop.CurrentValue
Dim original As PropertyType = prop.OriginalValue

.GetValue(obj, Nothing)

Dim entry As DbEntityEntry = yourContext.Entry(obj)

Dim values = obj.GetType.GetProperties.Where(Function(t2) t2.PropertyType.IsValueType).ToDictionary(Function(p) p.Name, Function(p) New With {
    .CurrentValue = entry.CurrentValues(p.Name),
    .OriginalValue = entry.OriginalValues(p.Name)
})

obj=context.entry(obj).OriginalValues.ToObject

Dim values = obj.GetType.GetProperties.Where(Function(t2) t2.PropertyType.IsValueType).Select((Function(t3) New With { _
        .property = t3.Name, _
        .value = t3.GetValue(obj, Nothing) _
    })).ToDictionary(Function(x) x.property, Function(y) y.value)

1. Write it yourself.
2. Pay someone else to write it for you.

Dim pValue As Decimal = 0

        Using context As New hx5Context()

            pValue = _
           (
               From sc In context.ShoppingCart
               Where sc.SessionID = p_sessionID _
               And sc.Taxable = True
               Select (sc.Qty * sc.Price) - (sc.Qty * sc.InstantSavings)
           ).DefaultIfEmpty().Sum()

        End Using

        Return pValue