After the previous fiasco and given the tainted history of the group, this should hardly come as a surprise to anyone who knows of it:

Subscription fee poll [link to original]

Hookups Announcement [link to original]

Apparently the revenue he generates 'under the table' from the ~30,000 group members by inserting disguised referral links into all of the Amazon deal links, which he uses to "pay his rent" (previously in his own words), is not enough for his tastes. Making money off of the group members is what it is really about for the owner and always has been -- and without them knowing about it. And because the group owner has control over everything he can censor and delete whatever he wants to cover up the truth of what has happened previously and continues to transpire.

Edit: As a matter of further clarity, a big issue with the previous drama that went on at Hookups was about him not being upfront and honest about where the money is/was going, as well as being unwilling to tell anyone (even his own previous staff members before they all quit) about how much it is/was. He had people doing the work of scouring for deals and putting together announcements for him, and then he would go in later after the fact and edit their posts to put in his own referral links, which they understandably took issue with when they found out. That's just the tip of the iceberg as they say. If you want to know more you can always read up in the link above.

To anyone who may have a friend in the group, I encourage all of you to let your friends know (by posting on their Steam profile wall) of the story behind Hookups and the exploitative practices and hidden agenda of it's owner. Encourage them to leave the group and spread the word in the same way. If we all committed to doing this we could have a collective impact on things!

Edit: I got banned from the group lol. No surprise there. Truthfully, it actually happened shortly before I made this thread, when I simply posted "Agree 100%" as a reply to someone who left a comment in the group regarding the subscription fee poll. So, you see how it is.

11 years ago*

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Hmm, I'll keep what I want to say to myself. I've been paying attention to a lot of his announcements since he went on a tirade a few months back about his regrets for starting the group. It was pitiful. I rather enjoyed it and instead of flaming him, just stayed on for the hilarity of it all. My favorite line he said was, "I do it because I am entrepreneur." Haa Haa Haa You had to read the whole thing, but it was insanely funny.

11 years ago
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The Hookups Exclusives are a sham too ;) These sellers sell their games for the same prices all over the net.

11 years ago
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Yeah, CAG comes to mind. I'm not sure if it is the exact same sellers, but where I'm from it's the prices you remember...Not the names.

I bet you're loving this. ...I wouldn't blame you.

11 years ago
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dunno what you're talkin' about :)

11 years ago
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I remember seeing the "Hookups Exclusives" on SteamTrades. I only stayed in the group because it's easier to find the dealers since you can't find SteamTrade threads based on usernames from when I last used the site.

11 years ago
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We got you covered here

11 years ago
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I'm there for the lulz.

11 years ago
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bump

11 years ago
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I really enjoy the group a lot. I ran into one day while looking through groups. Has a lot of good links to deal I never heard of, so I have nothing to say about "Thank you for the links". I don't read into anything but the deals themselves. Other then that Polls are polls, nothing surprising came out of it. The group isn't forcing me to do anything. Not sure what all the hate is all about though. If he is doing something wrong, report it. Simple. But all this useless hate/posting isn't going to fix anything. I am trying to understand what is going on here as a whole, but all I see is hate for polls and hate for posted links to deal on amazon. Also, noting people are talking about referral links and how he makes money on that. Please note I know nothing about how referral links even work. After this post I will likely read up on it a bit though.

Please by all means fill me in, if I should know something. Cheers.

Thank you for taking your time read my post. Peace.

11 years ago
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If you are really interested to know " what all the hate is all about" the answer is here

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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How the hell did you find it?

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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Woooosh

11 years ago
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All the info you need was reported by OP earlier today: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/OpiumPulses#announcements/detail/1369388788398456829

This is the site he wants people to pay to use BOOM HEADSHOT

11 years ago
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How nice of you to show up!

11 years ago
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I'm good like that.

11 years ago
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Is that a shady key site?

11 years ago
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Haha.

Sammy, you so silly...

11 years ago
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I left few months ago, not that I missed it much.

11 years ago
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"People behind the deals"? I'm sorry but there are more groups and people that post the deals hours before he does and odds are he just copies/pastes it...and those hookup "exclusive" deals are exclusive to man kind not to his group.

What else does he do? Besides editing the links with his referral.

11 years ago
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Hello all!

Ex-Hookups mod here!

For information of the past events with hookups, this page gives links to all the information you could ask for:

http://forum.opiumpulses.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=341

Screenshot of the announcement made at hookups today:

http://s13.postimg.org/5zr2ohn93/Hookups_poll_announcement.png

The poll which he was speaking about (incase it ever gets removed):

http://s7.postimg.org/xx8g8ubdn/Poll_sammy_2.png

Original link to the poll (Vote no all):

http://www.easypolls.net/poll.html?p=52999215e4b0bb5d1499f192

Also just so you all know, some of the mods which left Hookups after the first drama, came together in this group which offers exactly the same, if not a better, service. Oh and guess what?! they don't want your money! =P:

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/OpiumPulsesSavings

Remember people, if you don't want to pay him for something people do all over the internet for free, then you're a selfish dick. Get over it!

11 years ago
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this.

11 years ago
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Haha! Whatever you do, don't question his fandom :D Some fangirl douchelord was whining in the comments, calling people "selfish" for not wanting to be "free" mod/staff/etc while the owner pockets the referral income, all comments of which have been deleted by the owner, so I replied;

image

A few minutes later...

"You have been dropped from 1 group

Remove notice

Hookups
Kicked today @ 8:17 PM"

Oh heavens no, however will I cope with the soul-searing pain of not paying the owner's rent for him?

11 years ago
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I've used Digital Game Deals for awhile now and it's a good site. I've sent a few deals in from time to time and the admins there seem nice. They miss deals and announcements on weekends sometimes though.

As mentioned above, Reddit Game Deals is also pretty good.

11 years ago
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Yup, r/GameDeals is the most complete of all the deal sources because it's community based. I basically have it together with Digital Game Deals in a feed, which causes some repeats, but you can skim through.

11 years ago
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Sincerely? People who sticks with the group deserves it. Theres so many alternatives, google first and foremost that the only ones being 'deceived' are those who want to. Plus, if someone really wishes to pay a monthly fee for some deals anouncement (the kind of stuff my inbox is full of, im tired of it) LET THEM DO IT: that money surely is better with someone smarter, even a 'fishy' one like this admin.

11 years ago
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I've been in that group for a while and it didn't cause me any harm personally. So I don't know what it is that happened and that I "deserve". All the drama with changing links doesn't even concern me and I don't give a damn. I'm not really bothered either way, whether I'm in the group or not. I'm just wondering why all this harassment is necessary. Nobody is forced to be there.

11 years ago
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No body is "Harrasing" the owner. Also, it isn't all about refs or changing links. It is a variety of different things. Try reading all the information in both threads before offering your ill informed opinions.

11 years ago
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Left that group during the drama from last time. There are much better alternatives ran by much more mature and honest people.

Also, that "no" option in the poll; so funny!

11 years ago
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T.T that's all I have to say to that group's drama and the owner.

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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Hey, I want to be kicked from group.

11 years ago
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Post something to question or condemn this practice and you will be kicked in record time.

11 years ago
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All you need to do is disagree with what he does! It's easy!

11 years ago
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I disagree with what he does.

11 years ago
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are you out yet?

11 years ago
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Deleted

This comment was deleted 6 years ago.

11 years ago
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??? The guy you replied to is not - nor has anything to do with - Sammy. Not even close.

11 years ago
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something to question or condemn this practice

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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LMAO!

You're now banned! And banned from the chat, please tell me what you said!

11 years ago
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Ooooo!!!! Kick me! Kick me!

11 years ago
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Quick! Say something true about Hookups!

11 years ago
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LOL. I didn't even need to say anything remotely even about the group to get kicked.

Never posted in the group, never joined the chat. Kicked purely from the post above.

11 years ago
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Now that's funny :P

11 years ago
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I got the boot too. Probably for closing the other thread about this, but not this one? idk

11 years ago
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Probably because you didn't close this one.

11 years ago
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lol you deserved it ;)

11 years ago
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According to Sammy you got booted because of your "Congrats on being a troll" comment here, which he misinterpreted as egging on that guy. It's obvious to any 'normal' person that it was sarcasm and criticism directed at some guy who approached the situation in a silly manner and was just out to get himself kicked/banned. Was it trolling? Yeah, I would say so. But it was also fairly tame to be honest.

Anyway, why would you, being in the position that you are in, support that sort of thing? The answer of course is that you wouldn't. This offers some insight (albeit redundantly so?) into the unfathomable way that Sammy's mind seems to work.

11 years ago
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I want your money too... so what's the big deal?

11 years ago
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Can you read it ALL please.

11 years ago
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I did, didn't read the replies to this topic or the one on the previous link thou.
But that's beside my point, the point is that guy was greedy, I am greedy, and you and everyone else is greedy; if you say your not greedy, your a damn liar. That owner guy hid it good for a bit and now some need to raise a stink over it. And what's worst is the stink is coming onto the forums of a gifting site that has nothing to do with that steam group at all; other than being steam related.

11 years ago
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Dude... We are not saying he should be criticized for being greedy, but infact calling anyone that doesn't give him money, selfish. That is the wrong doing here. All he had to do was put a yes or no answer on the poll. If you agree with him calling people selfish for not giving him money, they you are the minority.

11 years ago
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To each his own, but I don't agree on the selfish part.
You, and the other noise makers, also seem to forget that it's HIS steam group. HE can do anything he wants with it and I am pretty sure using it to make some money isn't against the TOS rules or whatever for using referral links. Wheither or not he chooses to say the links are referrals or not is also his own business as it is so easy to spot referral links BEFORE clicking them if people have problems with doing referral links for others.

11 years ago
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Actually, Sammy hides all his referrals with shortlinks. Both of which are against the Steam TOS :)

11 years ago
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Again so simple, don't click the link unless you see the addy on mouse hover over.

11 years ago
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Editing your post to post his referral link isn't being an asshole?

11 years ago
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Called being greedy AND smart.

11 years ago
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Your moral compass is misaligned.

11 years ago
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I tossed my morals out the window long ago.

11 years ago
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This explains your behaviour.

11 years ago
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Then I can't wait 'till you follow them down. Jackass. "..and you and everyone else is greedy; if you say your not greedy, your a damn liar." What a fucking joke of a cop-out. You're a greedy dick (by your own admission) yourself, so in a piss-poor attempt to justify it and absolve guilt, you try lumping the rest of us in with your fucked up, cynical world view by speaking for everyone that's not you.

Seriously, if your existence consists of such a neanderthalic, selfish, closed-minded look at the world, just clock out and spare the rest of us from your destructive attitude. Or at the very least, don't fucking dare speak for me or anyone else and call anyone other than yourself greedy. Especially if it's only to justify your own pathetic demeanour. Grow a pair, speak for yourself, own up to who you are without implicating others.

11 years ago
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'Smart' until people catch you and it comes back to bite you in the rear

11 years ago
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The way I see it, if you expect to get money for doing near to almost no work (or doing what others do for free), then expect to be called out.

11 years ago
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You'll be calling out most of the human race then.

11 years ago
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I am pretty sure most of the human race don't expect to be paid to do nothing.

11 years ago
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I'm pretty sure most would try if they thought that they could get away with it for a bit, so my statement stands.

11 years ago
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Sorry I am late. What you said originally really adds nothing. We still call out people who do what he does just as we call out evildoers. Are we just supposed to ignore all bad people because there are so many of them? I guess the criminal justice system might as well shut down too.

11 years ago
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Scammer ALERT!

11 years ago
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"No, I just want to be selfish and don't give a crap if the people behind the deals have to waste a lot of time, effort, and stress by giving me deals."

Wow. Way to make those people seem like dicks... They couldn't have just made the option "No. I wouldn't."

11 years ago
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It's called a guilt trip. My jewish yenta mother raised me with them all the time. Although this one's incredibly non-subtle.

11 years ago
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Im pretty sure all mother's get together once every 4 years to share techniques in shaming and guilt tripping their kids. I was raised on shame and guilt by my mother :|

11 years ago
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Oh it's definitely not something specific to jewish moms, but let's say that of all (stereotypical) mothers, they use them (guilt trips) some of the most, and they also seem to have distilled it into a fine art :P.

11 years ago
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I wasn't even aware of the bullshit going on behind the scenes in Hookups, and I've been a member for over a year. I've decided to leave the group. What a bunch of shady behavior.

Thanks for the heads up!

11 years ago
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Time to vote :] and fuck you hookups

11 years ago
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So I came to the groupchat to ask the admin to kick me...

and somehow this happend

Duh.

EDIT: Also, have you noticed the associated games ? It's not even subtle, Sammy.

11 years ago
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Why did you want to be kicked? I was there, and-

8:20 PM - =^[(O){d_b}(O)]^=: Skeletan you are just trying to provoke me and try to get stuff you can use in your harassment threads

8:20 PM - Skeletan king is ambulance: Hah, you got it!

I don't get it honestly.

11 years ago
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I tried to sound as stupid as possible.

Also, check the thread. I just wanted to piss the admin off.

11 years ago
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I don't think you had to try it.

11 years ago
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Congrats on being a troll.

11 years ago
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I read it all, glorious.

"What, you want us to pay to see "You are great" message?"

11 years ago
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There's something very 4chan-like about this.

11 years ago
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Much like the trolls that hounded Anita Sarkeesian, all you seemed to have done is give credence to Sammy's "I'm the victim" excuse.

11 years ago
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Credence which only would have any effect on the opinions / thoughts of people dumb enough to fall for simple emotional manipulation (from a guy who reeks of obvious desperation for validation and approval) without checking all the facts first, even when they're readily provided.

In other words, whether the guy got more ammo for his "boo hoo I'm a victim" spiel or not, he'd still have gained just as much sympathy from a specific demographic who are (somewhat) easily mislead, anyway. And guys like this Sammy will always come up with new and creative ways to try and manipulate people, too. Stuff like that very overt "guilt trip" poll. My yenta mother would be proud.

11 years ago
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Thought about it and I retract my "people dumb enough" bit. Anyone who's not informed can be swindled and manipulated into believing this guy. You don't have to be any level of dumb to be fooled by someone, just a regular person willing to take someone's story at face value, without doubting everything someone says when there's no prior indication it might be a good idea.. :/

11 years ago
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Wait what? WTF is Herp still doing there?

11 years ago
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I'm actually in the group and i don't even know when i joined, probably on some group giveaway or something, i think i've never used their group before, guess i'll have to vote for option 3 :P

Left already ofc.

11 years ago
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I'm there because annoucements. Only for that.

I never clicked any link there. I just go to Google and look out for a "url expander", paste link there, get full link, remove referral, and go to original deal without giving a penny to him.

Anyway, Sammy, when you read this, if you want to kick me, feel free to do it. I wrote this in big letters so everyone there can know how to avoid giving you money!

11 years ago
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same here lol

11 years ago
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Too much work!

11 years ago
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I can now say, I was here. I was here for when you and Bobo got kicked because Sammy can't handle any opinion but his own. (What was Bobo kicked for?)

11 years ago
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Probably for not closing the thread and suspending OP. Dude has an "if you're not with me, you're against me" mentality.

11 years ago
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LOL I know faraday, why the hell would they kick him? haha

11 years ago
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Hah! Caught a pic of me getting kicked too. Just from my posts in this thread. Now I have to rely on posts like this around the web for my Hookups lulz.

11 years ago
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Damn, when I read the title of this thread I thought the group was for meeting and hooking up with people. quietly tucks penis away

11 years ago
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lmao. The mental imagery just made me giggle.

11 years ago
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Same. Oh my >_<!

11 years ago
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That can be arranged sir.

11 years ago
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Closed 11 years ago by Shad0WeN.