..calling on all XP authors .... please read and reply ;) thanks

thecat2000

Join Date 03/2001

..calling on all XP authors .... please read and reply ;) thanks

I have decided to post this thread due to the recent problems that windows XP skins and Wallpapers etc. are having on the community.

To XP authors, :- please for the sake of God please dont do any more updates. There is nothing new coming out of Xp skins and it does not benefit the community to keep re hashing old skins. I ask you and urge you to prove your skills as real skinners and show a real show of originality in your skins now. Also consider producing new a fresh idea's to share within the community.

thank you.

Many of you have thought me to be taking this issue to personally, but in a great way I have done due to the fact that I was in the center of the storm which XP created. XP has ok been re hashed and updated by that many skinners now the idea of Luna has become boring. [Poor old Microsoft] I do feel sorry for that. After all the development that went into it.

I have submitted my last work on XP so I make a simple request for others to do that. wether you considered your work to be un finished or wether it was to keep you in the top ten (If it is this reason I think thats shallow) and plays on the gullibility of the public)but please stop doing work that just looks the same as the last ! as it not helping anyne.

thanks.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1845

I love you anyway, Ms. Cat...

[that should balance things out a bit]...hehe...

OK, so I just have a thing for all the women...

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It's not an attack, its an reminder. And all you do is go into defense mode. Let me refresh your memory. Here are words that you have posted in this very thread:

begin cat2000 quotes------>

"I have submitted my last work on XP so I make a simple request for others to do that."

"To XP authors, :- please for the sake of God please dont do any more updates. There is nothing new coming out of Xp skins and it does not benefit the community to keep re hashing old skins. I ask you and urge you to prove your skills as real skinners and show a real show of originality in your skins now. Also consider producing new a fresh idea's to share within the community."

"You know guys, I was one of the most well known XP authors and I did many imports as I looked for the perfect one. BUT.. Now I look back at this and realise how narrow minded I was in doing them. Instead of developing my own artist skills."

"Thanks for understanding I know many of you have gone for ages to me to do some original work, at the time it made me feel miserable, as I just wanted to get my PC to look like the Luna appearance. But even I have to move on some time.. So there certainly wont be any new Luna themes uploaded by me to wincustomize.."

<------end cat2000 quotes

After all of that, you post more XP work. If that is not hypocrisy, then what is? Please enlighten me.

Do you fear dropping out of the Top Authors list? If so, then doesn't that make you shallow? (that was the word you used to describe this action).

My post was to point out to you that what you say and what you do are obviously two very different things. If you hadn't posted all of these XP rants, then I nor anyone else wouldn't have anything to say, would we?. Think about it before you post your reply. And if you need anymore cat2000 quotes, just say the word.

All that said, yes, you still have the right to post XP skins if you want. No one can stop you (believe me, they've tried).

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Well there is one think that gets up my nose, and that is people who assume to much..

I take what you have done as well as other's as a personal attack on me not just the work. It seems at Wincustomize it is also acceptible to do that though.

You carry on quoting all you like because I get tired of reading through it. I know the things i said, and DONT NEED REMINDING. There is a fine line between given general advise to some one and then harrasing them. Just remember that Spidermonkey.

I do NOT upload XP themes just to stay in the Top Ten. Look if you are not able to comprehend the simple comments I have made about the New XP Silver theme I made, then this is not my problem. I told you over a dozen times why I had to submit it here. If I had a Web site I would of psted it there.

If YOU want to believe I am Shallow then I can't stop you thinking that..But unfortunately you will never know how wrong you are in what you think about me anyway. At the end of the day it is my word against the rest as usual. The real fact of the matter is, I am generally Kind Hearted and willing to help people within the community, My soul aim is not Windows XP all the time.

If you will not accept my reason's for posting the XP theme then this is a problem YOU need to deal with. But i will tell you now I will not be dictated to on what I can and cannot do by people who are none Admins of this site. Give Advise, help, etc by all means, but Hypocracy is not an issue here.

You may think so but this is what YOU choose to believe because you cannot comprehend the reasons I gave in the first place of why I posted them.

Basically

1) It was impractical to e mail the skin to every one who happened to want it. Taking up a lot of time doing so.

2) I would have posted them elsewhere if could have been helped. But my own web site is far from finished.

3) The General Public availability for the theme makes sense for other who would like to try the theme out, who were unknown to me.

It has nothing to do with Downloads or the Top Ten even, it just simply was put here for convienience to me and for others who asked me as a personal request to make the theme for the 1280 resolution

Now what you choose to do with my reasons is down to you. If you don't accept what i say then fine. But just remember none of you really know me, and jump in to quick to judge. The fact none of you know me as a person out line's this even more.

But I am not making any more comments on this as I feel I have said everything i need to say. Yes i am DAMN DEFENSIVE. You would be too if you were in this posistion.

Don't pretend that the things that have been directed at me over the weeks in some cases have been directed at me personally and not just the work. The fact that you make out I am possibly a 'shallow person' indicates this. I actually hate this whole affair, and wish I hadn't even bothered with XP skins at all. The fact that this site lately has been a nightmare for me and basically I have had no enjoyment or fun being here due to the level of complaints about me and the work I submitted. It just leaves me feeling very sad. The fact that this whole thing has reduced me to tears before today, [Quite recently] shows just how much I have had to take as well.

Well look you obviously won't accept my words on this, so if my words really are that meaningless to people then so be it.

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TheCat, don't take everyone so seriously... they really like their debates and some people aren't happy if they don't flame each other from time to time (no offence meant, spydermonkey) . It's just like that on this board, I know it only from watching, it is not for very long that I actually talk here, but I've been reading it for some time.

The admins aren't better by the way, just look at frogboy, he sure likes debating too

the point people are trying to make is just that you urged XP authors not to update their skins anymore, but then update yours yourself. I understand you just wanted to give people what they requested, but of course if you act this way, you're basically saying 'shoot me' to the ones who really don't like this whole XP stuff going on lately.
So if you're sure you did the right thing, don't defend yourself that much, don't get irritated at people who don't understand, try to explain what you did, if they don't understand, well...
And most important of all, try to have fun about this whole thing, because that's what it's supposed to be...

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treetog

Join Date 03/2001

+29

thecat: the thing is, your acts are on a competly different way of your speech. Doing that, you give the others, the right of not believing in what you say.

Please, don't think that I'm calling you a liar.I think that when you see a "not so good" comment, you gets upsad, you react without thinking better before saying something, then, in the day after when you are relaxed, you begin thinking on a different way.

As you may see in many of your skins uploaded here and at devianart, the comments on them, looks like flamed message boards, just people arguing with you, instead of leaving real feedback about the specific skin/theme.

If I'm not wrong, you have 2 different ways to follow:

1- the easiest: Forget the cummunity comments and continue making all the XP skins and themes you want without using any kind of request excuse to do it and for sure you will continue having all the downloads that Microsoft XP OS makes. In this case, I suggest you to don't reply to the bad comments.

2- the less easy: Listen to the "not so few" requests of the cummunity and begin making your own original stuff wich you promissed around 2 months ago that I know you capable to do. Doing that, be prepaired for much better comments, rates and very probably, the dlls. =Þ

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Well treetog this is just IT. People think I ONLY want to DO XP skins. No ?! *actually* I dont. I want to do other things, and will most certainly look at doing more new themes from the beginning of Next Week.

I don't like the fact that on the message boards people seem to resent me. I just want them to understand I am not just here for Windows XP. I hope to be still here when XP is finally here in its final build. Hopefully by this time I will have shown the community what i can do anyway.

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The real problem is not because you are doing XP skin.

You are saying to everybody
"I have submitted my last work on XP so I make a simple request for others to do that."

Be carefull when you say something like that. You really said "LAST WORK ON XP". Did you respect what you said?

..............NO!

This is the kind of stuff people dislike. If you don't want people complaint so much about it, just don't make promess. Don't claim things you will not respect.

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Here is the request for your latest theme followed by your response:

-------------------------------

thecat2000,
Again, I really love your work and appreciate it very much. I really want to use your themes but the screen size doesn't seem to work with my 19inch monitor. This is a personal request, if it is any possible and no trouble to you at all, can you make it compatible with a screen resolution of 1280x1024? I can wait for this when you add in the silver theme to it. If you can't, that's fine also. Thanks in advance

newworld

by Citizen newworld - 6/27/2001 12:03:04 PM

--------------------------------

marc, for you only i will make the theme to fit your res. It wont be uploaded to wincustomize though. I will e mail the theme to you as a personal favour and request to you only.

Just e mail me and let me know what you want in the theme etc. and I will custom make one for you. [Only you that is].

by Lady thecat2000 - 6/27/2001 1:55:08 PM

--------------------------------

Alexandrie hit the nail on the head. Don't make promises you can't keep. That and that alone is what makes you look foolish. In my eyes, you have sold your soul to WindowsXP. Please prove me wrong and upload something original.

I have nothing more to say about this either. It's a lost cause. I can only hope that someday soon, you will see the light (again).

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DavidK

Join Date 03/2001

This is way too serious. Why is anyone getting upset about integrity here. Do you all realize how silly it is to be so dramatic and inflexible about this particular issue? It's not a big deal... really

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Thanks for pointing that out DavidK. You are 100%correct. It evolved into this big debate, but really, this whole XP thing is so trivial. And it is rather silly to take it to extremes. Thanks for the head-check.

cat2000, do as you please. I promise not to say a word regarding XP skins from you from this point on. Peace.

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What ever.. Either way All I see is a stack of people complaining again. Yes this became serious and stupid. But I defend my resons simple as that. I said I had made my Last XP skins, but I was not able to keep to the original Promise due to answering the Request from citizen New World as spydermonkey has dug up again to throw into my face.

But I also recieved request's by e mail directly to me. I wont post the rests I recieved either, as it is superficial. All this debate has served is to try and proove I am a liar, and a hypocrite. If you all wish to believe it go ahead. Ok you might not like what I did or even respect me but one thing i will say is, is that All i did was agree to make a Theme for a minority of people who use a 1280 resolution.

You all believe what you want. I am through repeating myself anyway.

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Thecat continu to upload XP stuff, just stop telling you will not upload XP stuff anymore.

That's the point.

thecat, just do what you think and don't be affraid to tell everybody the truth. The subject became huge because your action did not reflect your thread. If you are not sure about your actions then don't post something about it. This is not really XP stuff the problem. See all other XP author, they have same problem as you? no.

Why? because no promesses given. If you want to do XP, than make them but you can not stop people make comments that they are tired to see you update your skins etc...

This is bad you don't seem to understand what I mean. If you want to do something that some people are tired to see, it's normal for people to reply there comments about it. Anyway, in my case this is the last time I post something about this. Things are become to big for nothing.

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I think the problem is more than just the hypocrisy of this thread.

I think people have singled you out because everytime someone complained about there being too many XP skins, you automatically went into auto-defense, as though you were the only XP player out there. If you had not allowed people to see you get over-defensive to begin with, this would have blown over a whole lot faster. But becasue ofyour initial reaction to complaints which were not even directed at you specifically, you turned yourself into the target for many skinners' frustrations to come out on about this issue.

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I can see this thread needs a little a little something. mmm maybe some color....Yeah

How to Tye Dye

1. Obtain your dyes/chemicals. Brooks and Flynn is a good place, their
number is (800)822-2372, or (707)584-7715. They will send you a catalog,
along with a color chart (this chart has sample of fabric colored w/the
dyes so you can get an idea what the colors will look like). A little
dye will go a long way: last batch we made, we bought about 7 colors
X 2 oz.'s per color and made something like 2 dozen multi-color
( Reactive Dyes, they're potent! You can also get the auxilliary
chemicals from B/F.

2. Shirts to dye. Probably one of the most important things with dying is
to use 100% cotton (avoid material with finishes: stay-pressed, etc.). I
dyed two shirts with the same dye once, one that was a 100% cotton, the other
a 50/50. (It was a shirt from MSG that was undyed, but I couldn't resist the
screen!) The 100% cotton came out brillant, the other one looked like a
completely different dye was used (it was pale, like when you use that crap
(RIT) from the supermarket!). Another example is when you by shirts on tour
that are stitched with poly thread in the seams, the syn-fibres just don't
take the dye well at all! (the stitches stay white). Also, try sweats,
socks, towels too! (Just as long as its cotton...

3. Patterns. This is where you have to use your imagination! Some of the
more common designs:

a. Electric bunching: Pre-treated (see below) shirt is crumpled into
a ball and the dye applied. When you take it apart, you get patterns that
look like leaves in the fall. If you are planning multiple colors, do them
in separate steps, they come out better (no areas of dye blended, good
color separation, although, depending on preference, you may want some blending
of the dyes!). Start with the darkest colors first. Use rubber bands or
string to hold the shirt bunched while you apply the dye.

b. Various pleats. Its easier if you get someone to help you fold the
shirt. Basically, you fold it like an accordian, use about one-inch width
pleats. You can go up and down the length of the shirt, or go diagonally.
Different colors are applied across the different pleats (one color per pleat.)
You get a shirt that has different bands of colors corresponding to the pleats.

c. Swirl effect. Lay the shirt on the work surface and using your
index finger and thumb, pinch the shirt where you want to have the swirl
start. Then walk around the table while still holding on. The fabric
bunches into a swirl not unlike a jelly roll. Apply each color to a different
portion of the swirl, but keep a single color on each portion of the swirl.
Don't cross to different portions of the fold (stay on the same fold) or the
individual color won't be continuous throughout the swirl. Three or four
colors works nicely (try to use colors that contrast when side-by-side).
Now (this is where it gets interesting) put a piece of plastic-lined
cardboard on top and use the plastic lined cardboard bottom piece (you
know, the one I forgot to tell you about that you had to put down _before_
dying the shirt!) to flip the shirt over, taking care not to disturb the
folds in the shirt. Repeat dying procedure.

d. Teats. Pinch the shirt and and pull up, forming a peak. You can
either 1. smooth out any ridges (smooth cone) and then apply dye in a
concentric fashion, or 2. Induce ridges (sort of like the pleats from b.
but pointing to the center of where you pinched the shirt). Apply dye
to the tops of the ridges or use the previous pattern. If you dye the
ridges, you'll get a circle w/branches growing out from the middle, and
if you dye concentrically, you'll get what looks like a "bulls eye".

e. Batik. Caution: you can make a big mess this way, but this
is one of the best effects I've seen. Essentially, you dye the shirt lightly
using any of the above (lighter colors such as yellow or orange work best).
Then, melt wax is applied to the shirt and allowed to cool. When you flex
the shirt with the cooled wax on it, it cracks, creating a webb-like
pattern. Dye is wiped into these cracks and allowed to penetrate.
The excess dye is rinsed afterwards, and now for the hard part: wax
removal. Break off as much of the loose, bigger chunks by hand as you can
Then one of several methods: Put the shirt in boiling water (below the
surface) and the wax will come off and float to the top (repeat several
times). Dry cleaning can also be used. People have also told me that
certain solvents will also take the wax off, but I consider this dangerous!
Besides, what do you do with the spent solvent, down the sink? (if you think
bacon grease = clogged drain, try sending some wax down there!). Good effects,
but again difficult and time consuming!

f. Reverse dying. Bleach can be used as a dye also. Any shirt that
already has color on it can be formed into any of the patterns above and
bleach used in leiu of dye. The trick is to use the right concentration of
bleach solution (H20/bleach). Also, how quick the bleach solution is rinsed
off takes some practice. Another interesting way to use bleach is to hang
a dyed shirt on a clothes line, get a squirt bottle full of bleach solution
and blast it from about twenty feet away (looks like the milky way when
you're done!). Finally, bleach, the wonder solution, can be used like an
eraser on a blackboard if the shirt looks so bad that you can't even give
it to your sister! (smile Linda, I'm just kidding

)

There's probably dozens of other ways to apply the dyes, these are the ones
that come to mind. Please let me know if there's something good I missed...

4. How to apply the dye. There are two ways to apply the dye: one is to create
a dye bath and soak the fabric in it, the other is to apply the dye (in a much
more concentrated form) directly to the fabric (this is the way to truely
achieve deep, rich colors). The reason for this is that the dye that you
would send down the drain is instead applied directly to the fabric rather
than being thrown out with the remnents of the bath.

I'll talk just about the second method. For direct dye application, there's 2
ways to prepare the dye/reactant system: 1. One is to apply the dye to fabric
that has been pre-treated with a base solution, while the second is to add the
base directly to the dye before applying to the fabric. The advantages to the
second is that you eliminate the pre-soak step. However, the dye must be used
within 4 hours of base addition or it's shot. Personally, I think the two-step
process produces richer colors, and the dye keeps for about two weeks w/o the
base in it.

To do the two-step process, first prepare a pre-soak solution by adding 1 cup
of soda ash to each gallon of water (luke warm). Soak the shirts for about
5 minutes, then wring out excess solution. This is also an important factor
in how much the dye will penetrate. If you really wring the sh*t out of the
shirt, then when you go to apply the dye, it will really soak in. Conversely,
if you leave it relatively soaked with the soda ash solution, the dye won't
be able to penetrate as deeply (into the underlying fabric), sort of like a
full sponge that can't pick up anymore. Again, T&E (trial and error).
After the pre-treat, apply the dye to the exterior. The best way to do
this is to use dish soap/hair dye bottles, which give good control of the dye.
B/F gives mixing instructions for the right concentration for each dye, so I
won't talk to that here. After dye application, put the shirt in a plastic
bag (don't wring it out!) and seal it. Put it in a warm place (at least room
temp.) for about 24 hours. Twenty four hours is OK, I wouldn't go less; and if
you go alot longer than that (upwards of two days), you'll get excessive
penetration into the underlying fabric. (Just use 24, trust me!). It's also
important to keep the shirt with the dye moist during the 24 set, again, seal
the bag.

To do the direct application method (with the base added to the dye directly),
mix the dye per instructions to the right concentration, and then add
about one teaspoon of soda ash to each 8 oz. of concentrated dye solution.
Before dye application, wet the shirt with warm water instead of soda ash
solution. All else applies. B/F sells this stuff called "calsolene",
which is a water-prep. chemical. I've used it sometimes and other times not,
I'm not sure if the water in my area is that bad ("bad" meaning the
particular mineral content). Some might require this, so it's probably
not a bad idea to get it.

Two things at this point: 1. Wear disposable rubber glooves, the base is
harsh to your hands, and it takes about a week for the dye to wear off
your skin (don't ask why I know that). Secondly, a persistent problem is
cross-color contamination. You just get done making a nice red shirt. The
next one is going to be pure yellow (or so you thought). Problem is it picked
up red! Always change the glooves between colors, and clean whatever work
surface of the previous color or its gonna be on the next shirt! Disclaimer:
one of my friends made a nice shirt by wiping a shirt across a trash bag that
he was using as a work surface...

5. The rinse. After the shirts have sat in a bag for 24 hrs., its time to
rinse the excess dye off (don't be alarmed, alot comes out but there's
enough left behind for a good color). Before you even untie/cut the rubber
bands or string, wash the outside of the bundle with cold water. This helps
to eliminate unwanted "backstaining" (dye where it's not supposed to be).
Then start to take the strings off, again, keeping it under plenty of cold,
running water. Finally, I put the shirts into my bath tub, which I have
filled with cold water and added a little laundry detergent (use just enough
to get a hint of bubbles, no more). Let them sit in it for about a half
hour, occasionally stirring. Then wash cold in the wash machine per normal
way.

6. Misc.Poop: Any spills can be wiped with a mild bleach solution 1 cup per wash
bucket, but keep this solution away from your dyed shirts! Wipe spills quickly,before they have a chance to take!
The pre- rinsed shirts won't stain your bathtub after the initial rinse
under running water. The initial rinse should be for at least 5 minutes
or until the water running off the shirt starts to clear, which ever happens
last. Then go to the bathtub portion of the rinse...

7. Final word. I'm sure that there's gonna be some people out there
that get bent that I posted this info. (they would rather sell you the
shirts). I hope that whoever reads this info. uses it to make all their
friends happy (some of the best gifts I've given). If your intent is to
go out and make big bucks milking the scene for what its worth, may you
get stuck with a 100 shirts you can't sell. I'm not going to try to
control this info. as its fairly accessable anyway (besides, info. usually
isn't the problem, underlying attitude as to it's use is...). With that
in mind, have a blast! You can now have a good supply of t.dyes for
yourself/family and friends (yeah, I even got Dad to wear a nice sunburst
pattern when he does his gardening!). The only reason I buy shirts anymore
is for the screen patterns (I'm clueless as to how to screen!). Again, please
feel free to add to /correct these instructions...

Glen

Not my recipe, just got ot off a Dead site

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DavidK

Join Date 03/2001

HAHA - That's great China! Thanks for the info too - I can't believe I actually forgot how to do most of that...

DavidK runs out to the dye shop

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1845

And people wonder why I love China....

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Yes I like the thread much better now

looks kind of... more cheerful with a bit of color

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treetog

Join Date 03/2001

+29

Annie,
You are increadebly! I can't stop laughing!

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Valhalla

Join Date 03/2001

+16

Annie - you're an absolute star - just what this thread needed!

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Sugaree takes a bow.

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Hi everybody, first sorry that I'm not very active in the community by posting threads but you will know why I think. In fact, my english is not enough good to say all I want lol ... Now this has been said, please excuse me for what will come now

Just some words about cat, I think she's a really nice person I know now since a few monthes and all I can say is that she's really passioned by skinning. In fact if she posted this thread, this is a bit because of me, I talked with her very often and saw her very sad because of people being wrong about her work. So the best way I found to help was to tell her stopping the XP style. But you have to know that she doesn't do all these themes to be the first but really because she wants to satisfy everybody by replying to every requests ... this takes her to much time to make other things for sure.
Moreover I think she's a bit lost on how to begin a new style and what tools to use, so I gave her some tips and she's now working with me on a full theme that will come soon. I think everybody knows how hard it is to find his way to begin !

Well I don't ask people to agree with that but to understand her and just to respect eachother ! This is how the work will be at its best or you will see skinners to disapear one after one (she really wanted to quit the skinners community

)

I really believe in her talent, so why not waiting for her to show us

...

So great skinners as beginners, keep the work to be better and better and help eachother in this great familly

Best regards

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DaWebMassa

Join Date 06/2001

+21

I may be coming in here late and this may have been asked/said before...

Everything I see from this author is Microsoft related. Is she a MS employee or has she just lost her way? I am NOT saying I don't see talent, I am by no means in a position to judge such.

I will say this... I'm sorry but I am so tired of hearing or seeing anything XP related that I refuse to even look at the stuff anymore.

*** covers face and runs like a cheetah for the door ***

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Hush, Massa, don't bring it up again!

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Valhalla

Join Date 03/2001

+16

Yes - time to let this thread gradually fade awayyyyyyyyy......

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