Refunding Deposit, Help!!

Business By KalisCakes Updated 16 Jun 2011 , 6:50pm by bakingatthebeach

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Kitagrl Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 6:55pm
post #331 of 413

What did you do with all those cakes you had at your house after the emergency?

Really sorry about your son. thumbsdown.gif

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KalisCakes Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 7:40pm
post #332 of 413

The cakes weren't at my house. In Texas we don't have a cottage foods law yet, though I'm hoping our governor signs it this week!!! The cakes stayed in the walking of the kitchen I use until Monday. For those people that wanted their cakes still, I delivered their cakes to them, along with a refund or credit (their choice). For those that no longer wanted their cakes, I took them down to a few of the churches around town so they wouldn't go to waste. The Ruela's cake was one of those that was donated, since they were on their honey moon.

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WykdGud Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 7:46pm
post #333 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by KalisCakes


5) The number of customers I've had in my lifetime... too many to tell you off the top of my head? Last year alone (June-April) I had 62 wedding cakes, which doesn't include grooms cakes, graduation cakes, shower cakes, bday cakes, etc.




I hope that's the truth and not an exaggeration, since it's posted here and will probably be used against you (i.e., someone making sure the local sales tax authority has received their fair share, as well as Uncle Sam) - although, if you've done that many cakes, I don't understand why you would have so few photos of your own on your web pages and so many of cakes that were made by others...

And while I sympathize with the situation about your son, if the cakes were made, why didn't you have a friend or relative go to your house so that the cakes could be picked up? If it were me, I'd make sure those cakes went out. Not that I can't empathize - I've had two sons who were hospitalized myself (one almost died and had emergency brain surgery, and the other was hit by a car while crossing the street).

I'm sorry to be such a pain, but I really think your story is more than a bit suspect. You really need to keep in mind that everything you post here can also be used against you. If you say he was in the hospital and you have proof, I hope you do - because I have a feeling this is not going to go away simply because you give them their money back... you've cheesed a few too many people off and I think this is just the beginning.

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Allie06 Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 7:46pm
post #334 of 413

Hi Kali...Just wanted to say keep your head up. I worked at and managed a small business before I moved on to my "big kid" job, and I think thats where most people are trying to pin you as being deceptive...You made some moves that were, odd. Just odd business practices, that don't work. Hindsight, huh? =) I think you will come out of this entire situation a better business woman. Good luck! Hope your son is healthy and you are seeing some light at the end of this messy tunnel!!!

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Texas_Rose Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:09pm
post #335 of 413

You might want to get your web person to take care of the photos you've got on The Knot too.

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jason_kraft Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:15pm
post #336 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by WykdGud

I hope that's the truth and not an exaggeration, since it's posted here and will probably be used against you (i.e., someone making sure the local sales tax authority has received their fair share, as well as Uncle Sam)



How exactly can the fact that OP made 62 cakes in the last 12 months be "used against her"? Do you know something we don't about how much revenue her business collects and how much tax she pays?

Or do a couple customer complaints against a business automatically mean that the business owner is a lying tax cheat?

Quote:
Quote:

I'm sorry to be such a pain, but I really think your story is more than a bit suspect.



What specifically about her story is "suspect" that she hasn't already addressed?

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Bri122005 Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:18pm
post #337 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas_Rose

You might want to get your web person to take care of the photos you've got on The Knot too.




Really?? You say you had someone running your facebook and website for you and didn't know there were cakes posted that weren't yours? So, your computer tech came on CC and pulled off pics to post without your knowledge?

And, as long as I'm posting, I have a few other questions...when the bride's father was talking with your husband, why didn't he write down the mailing address at that time? Or, why didn't you get it during your first communication with them after the wedding before things got ugly? Or just send a text asking for the info the day after? You keep saying they won't send it to you, but why didn't YOU call them immediately and write it down while on the phone with them? And, while you were at the hospital with your son, couldn't you have stepped out for 5 minutes to at least send out a group text alerting customers that you weren't going to be able to deliver?

I'm truly sorry your son was sick. I'm sorry things have gotten bad for you. I refuse to jump to any conclusions, but all the information coming together makes it hard to believe as a series of bad mistakes. I wish you and your family all the best. All this drama has to be upsetting for your little boys too, and it's a shame.

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jason_kraft Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:23pm
post #338 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bri122005

Really?? You say you had someone running your facebook and website for you and didn't know there were cakes posted that weren't yours? So, your computer tech came on CC and pulled off pics to post without your knowledge?



It's actually pretty common for web designers to look at Google Images (which automatically pulls pictures from web sites including CakeCentral) if they need to fill out a web site with additional images.

Back in high school I did this quite a bit on web sites for clients (this was well before Google Images but there were other image search tools available), before I became aware of the concept of copyright extending to online images created by others.

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madicakes Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:24pm
post #339 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas_Rose

You might want to get your web person to take care of the photos you've got on The Knot too.




This is what makes the least sense to me as I've followed this. I am wondering why or how a web designer would even really know to create an account on Cake Central and then search for cake photos to add to a person's website. Wouldn't that person ask the customer for photos instead of spending the time searching for photos online? And would a web developer create an account on the Knot or Facebook and put said photos on those sites as well? Maybe they would....but it seemed odd to me. I've tried to give the benefit of the doubt to the OP through this, but it is becoming increasingly difficult.

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Kitagrl Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:27pm
post #340 of 413

The only thing I can't figure out is why you couldn't possibly have anyone, even from the kitchen you rent, deliver that wedding cake? If it was made...and the wedding was that day....there had to be ONE person in that whole town you could hire to deliver that completed cake? That's something I don't understand. I think if I had a completed cake and I were in a coma, I'd subconsciously dial my cell phone and beg somebody to deliver a wedding cake. haha. So...I don't understand that. If the accident happened before you finished the cake, that I understand. If the cake was finished....I do NOT understand.

Copied pictures on The Knot? Uh oh....

Anyway....still not trying to be mean...I just can't comprehend the non-delivered cake thing if they were sitting all done in a cooler...any cooler...anywhere....the bride probably would have gone to get it herself if she would have known where to find it....

I mean...one time I was delivering a couple cakes and I ran over a piece of metal in the road (small, didn't know what it was at the time) and it totally deflated my tire. I immediately called my client to have someone sent out to pick up the cakes from my car while I waited to get help. (She was a member of AAA so she pulled some strings to get me some help, while sending someone out there to help me as well)....

That's the thing about this job....there are no sick days....and if we get sick...or something happens...we have to MAKE things work....unless we are on life support or something.

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WykdGud Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:33pm
post #341 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

Quote:
Originally Posted by WykdGud

I hope that's the truth and not an exaggeration, since it's posted here and will probably be used against you (i.e., someone making sure the local sales tax authority has received their fair share, as well as Uncle Sam)


How exactly can the fact that OP made 62 cakes in the last 12 months be "used against her"? Do you know something we don't about how much revenue her business collects and how much tax she pays?

Or do a couple customer complaints against a business automatically mean that the business owner is a lying tax cheat?

Quote:
Quote:

I'm sorry to be such a pain, but I really think your story is more than a bit suspect.


What specifically about her story is "suspect" that she hasn't already addressed?




You know, I'm starting to think you've got a little crush on me... you really should try not to be so obvious. icon_lol.gif

What I posted was called a WARNING. You know, because if she really had done that many cakes, she could have posted her own photos instead of culling them from the internet. And if she really hadn't done that many cakes, one of her unhappy clients may try whatever angle they can to seek revenge. I was trying to give her a heads up, it wasn't an accusation - stop trying to look for things to pick an argument with me.

The things that are suspect to me are obviously not apparent to many others ... I don't need to go into further because as soon as I point out inconsistencies, I'm accused of trying to start drama. Whatever.

I just don't believe much about this story other than the OP is a bad businesswoman, and she has many unhappy clients after taking their money and not giving them their cake.

Funny though how the story changed from "they didn't pay the remaining balance and I went to bed without making the cake" to "the cake was done, but my son was rushed to the hospital and the cake was donated". I must be reading between the lines though... Heh.

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jason_kraft Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:39pm
post #342 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by WykdGud

The things that are suspect to me are obviously not apparent to many others ... I don't need to go into further because as soon as I point out inconsistencies, I'm accused of trying to start drama. Whatever.



Please do point them out, I'm curious specifically what you were referring to. Why are you all of a sudden so shy about starting drama? icon_wink.gif

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Quote:

I just don't believe much about this story other than the OP is a bad businesswoman, and she has many unhappy clients after taking their money and not giving them their cake.



Many = 2?

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Funny though how the story changed from "they didn't pay the remaining balance and I went to bed without making the cake" to "the cake was done, but my son was rushed to the hospital and the cake was donated".



I don't remember the "went to bed" story in this thread, do you have an in-context quote?

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Jenniferkay Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:40pm
post #343 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitagrl

The only thing I can't figure out is why you couldn't possibly have anyone, even from the kitchen you rent, deliver that wedding cake? If it was made...and the wedding was that day....there had to be ONE person in that whole town you could hire to deliver that completed cake? That's something I don't understand. I think if I had a completed cake and I were in a coma, I'd subconsciously dial my cell phone and beg somebody to deliver a wedding cake. haha. So...I don't understand that. If the accident happened before you finished the cake, that I understand. If the cake was finished....I do NOT understand.

Copied pictures on The Knot? Uh oh....

Anyway....still not trying to be mean...I just can't comprehend the non-delivered cake thing if they were sitting all done in a cooler...any cooler...anywhere....the bride probably would have gone to get it herself if she would have known where to find it....

I mean...one time I was delivering a couple cakes and I ran over a piece of metal in the road (small, didn't know what it was at the time) and it totally deflated my tire. I immediately called my client to have someone sent out to pick up the cakes from my car while I waited to get help. (She was a member of AAA so she pulled some strings to get me some help, while sending someone out there to help me as well)....

That's the thing about this job....there are no sick days....and if we get sick...or something happens...we have to MAKE things work....unless we are on life support or something.




word. thumbs_up.gif

aWykd...I think that was another cake...like a birthday or something. Maybe I'm wrong...This whole thing is making my brain hurt.

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WykdGud Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:41pm
post #344 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

I don't remember the "went to bed" story in this thread, do you have an in-context quote?




Your failure to keep up with the "story" doesn't require any extra effort on my part to keep you informed. I'm sure you know how to navigate the pages in this thread... Have fun.

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jason_kraft Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:43pm
post #345 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitagrl

The only thing I can't figure out is why you couldn't possibly have anyone, even from the kitchen you rent, deliver that wedding cake?



Agreed there...I'm constantly paranoid about breaking down on the way to a delivery and planning out contingency strategies on the fly.

But then again hindsight is 20/20, and if was at the hospital with my child in critical condition I probably wouldn't be thinking too clearly.

@wykd: Concession accepted.

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WykdGud Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:44pm
post #346 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenniferkay

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitagrl

The only thing I can't figure out is why you couldn't possibly have anyone, even from the kitchen you rent, deliver that wedding cake? If it was made...and the wedding was that day....there had to be ONE person in that whole town you could hire to deliver that completed cake? That's something I don't understand. I think if I had a completed cake and I were in a coma, I'd subconsciously dial my cell phone and beg somebody to deliver a wedding cake. haha. So...I don't understand that. If the accident happened before you finished the cake, that I understand. If the cake was finished....I do NOT understand.

Copied pictures on The Knot? Uh oh....

Anyway....still not trying to be mean...I just can't comprehend the non-delivered cake thing if they were sitting all done in a cooler...any cooler...anywhere....the bride probably would have gone to get it herself if she would have known where to find it....

I mean...one time I was delivering a couple cakes and I ran over a piece of metal in the road (small, didn't know what it was at the time) and it totally deflated my tire. I immediately called my client to have someone sent out to pick up the cakes from my car while I waited to get help. (She was a member of AAA so she pulled some strings to get me some help, while sending someone out there to help me as well)....

That's the thing about this job....there are no sick days....and if we get sick...or something happens...we have to MAKE things work....unless we are on life support or something.



word. thumbs_up.gif

aWykd...I think that was another cake...like a birthday or something. Maybe I'm wrong...This whole thing is making my brain hurt.




She said the wedding cake balance wasn't paid after many chances, so she went to bed - and the next evening they showed up at her door wanting to know where their wedding cake was.

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Kitagrl Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:44pm
post #347 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by WykdGud

Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

I don't remember the "went to bed" story in this thread, do you have an in-context quote?



Your failure to keep up with the "story" doesn't require any extra effort on my part to keep you informed. I'm sure you know how to navigate the pages in this thread... Have fun.




Oh brother.

I do think those are two different stories. The "Went to Bed" story is the one where she had an angry mob at her house the next day demanding cake. It was a party cake.

The other is the wedding cake that evidently sat completed in a cooler, that I can't figure out why she could not hire somebody to deliver it....$50 bucks could have solved this whole problem...anybody would deliver for $50 these days...unless the cake was not really done...

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cakegirl1973 Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:45pm
post #348 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitagrl

That's the thing about this job....there are no sick days....and if we get sick...or something happens...we have to MAKE things work....unless we are on life support or something.




I agree. Come heck or high water, the cake is delivered.

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Jenniferkay Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:45pm
post #349 of 413

oh. I thought it was a quince. see. I need cliff notes.

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Kitagrl Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 8:49pm
post #350 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitagrl

The only thing I can't figure out is why you couldn't possibly have anyone, even from the kitchen you rent, deliver that wedding cake?


Agreed there...I'm constantly paranoid about breaking down on the way to a delivery and planning out contingency strategies on the fly.

But then again hindsight is 20/20, and if was at the hospital with my child in critical condition I probably wouldn't be thinking too clearly.

@wykd: Concession accepted.




Well hopefully I never have to find out...but I dunno...if I just spent the whole day before decorating a wedding, it would be fresh in my mind....

I was in the hospital last Thanksgiving for three days and I was already calling a cake friend telling her if I didn't get out by a certain day, I needed to get her to fill a cake order for me....if I had put hours into making a wedding cake and had $600 or more in my account that I'd have to give back if I didn't get it delivered...I'd be getting that thing delivered somehow...I might need that $600 for a sick kid...

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KalisCakes Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:06pm
post #351 of 413

Don't you have to pay to be on The Knot? I'll check it out. I think the girl who was doing my web stuff had the good intentions of helping.
Creating a cakecentral account to download photos? If pics show up with a search engine, I'm pretty sure you can just download them that way. The whole point of me hiring someone to do my webpage/facebook was so that I didn't have to do it, be bothered with it, or stay on top of it. I've already explained that.
Yes, hindsight is 20/20. That day was horrible, I thankfully had the forethought to alert clients their cakes would be late as I was in the ambulance with my son. His health continued to deteriorate from that point Have your child stop breathing in your arms and tell me how you would handle everything else.
I know there are no sick days, I know there's no weekends off. And being young and naive, I thought I could do it all on my own and didn't have a back up delivery plan in place for this situation. I do now.

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WykdGud Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:12pm
post #352 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by KalisCakes

With the no pay, no cake. We called and txt quite a bit throughout the entire process, because they were ordering the cake only 1 month out. They had my personal phone number. When the deadline came and no money, I called the following monday. They said they would be there Friday morning by 10 to bring the money. At noon that Friday I called, and then text. They said they would be by before 5. At 6, I called again and then txt explaining the money needed to be in my hands no later than 8PM. I already had the cakes baked up, fondant rolled, they were stacked and in the fridge, and I was figuring an all nigher for the final decorations on it. By 9PM I'd heard nothing, so instead of going to the kitchen to work all night, I went to bed. On Saturday, at 8PM, I had a large crowd drive up to my house demanding the cake, to which I explained because it was not paid for in full, there was no cake for them. They threatened to call the police, and I told them they were welcome to do so if that's what they felt they needed to do. For the next week they called my personal number non stop, and those are the calls I refused to answer from them.




For posterity.

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HappyCake10609 Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:14pm
post #353 of 413

I have to disagree with the people who say that they would (or could) take care of business while their child was in the hospital. We don't know what happened, but she said he was rushed to the hospital unconscious. I would be beside myself!

I was in a car accident a few years ago, in my panic I completely blanked on the number for my job to let them know I wouldn't be in (I ended up dialing what I thought was the number and left a message but it was the wrong number)... I can't imagine how I would react if it was something that happened to my son. In a situation like that you go into panic mode, in your concern/shock/hysterics you forget things you know or otherwise don't react the way you would without the stress...

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WykdGud Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:15pm
post #354 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by KalisCakes

Thank you, CakeStyles, for asking.And for showing me this. I just got off the phone with the news station because that all is a flat out lie.
That was the cake that was not paid for. Depoit left April 15th for event April 30th. Final pmt due April 22. No pmy recieved. Client said pmt would be brought by before April 29th. No pmt on April 29, no cake on April 30.

And phone numbers they found disconnected would probably be person, private landline numbers. the phone number where in extreme cases clients can text me as listed on my website has been in service for OVER 6 years.


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KalisCakes Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:16pm
post #355 of 413

I want to say thank you to everyone who has posted, and for all the valuable lessons that have been learned through this situation, and within this thread. I hope that this thread can be a learning experience for others. Goodness knows I've learned more these past few weeks than all my years in college.
There is a reason I refused further on camera interviews with the news station, as well as why I chose to end any correspondence with them. At this point in the thread, I think I've done my fair share of explanations, and I've learned all that I can from these 24 pages of comments. My focus needs to be back where it ought to be: bettering my skills, my business, my customer service, working on cakes, making clients happy, and more importantly than anything else: taking care of my family.
Thank you again to everyone for all the input, good and bad. I hope we have all learned from my mistakes.
Happy Caking everyone!

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Kitagrl Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:17pm
post #356 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyCake10609

I have to disagree with the people who say that they would (or could) take care of business while their child was in the hospital. We don't know what happened, but she said he was rushed to the hospital unconscious. I would be beside myself!

I was in a car accident a few years ago, in my panic I completely blanked on the number for my job to let them know I wouldn't be in (I ended up dialing what I thought was the number and left a message but it was the wrong number)... I can't imagine how I would react if it was something that happened to my son. In a situation like that you go into panic mode, in your concern/shock/hysterics you forget things you know or otherwise don't react the way you would without the stress...




I'm really not trying to be mean...and I'm so sorry if anyone thinks so. Hopefully everyone around here knows I try to be kind and fair.

She did have the foresight to call the clients to let them know the cakes would be late....That's GREAT! But since he was that sick, she should have known the minute they stepped in the ambulance that the day was shot...over...done....may as well figure out what to do now, other than just call everyone to tell them she'd be late.

Anyway....enough....I'm so sorry for your son and so glad he is okay now.... What a horrible day for you. thumbsdown.gif

I hope things start looking up from here.

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WykdGud Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:18pm
post #357 of 413

Ok, so how many unhappy clients are there? The two from the news story are separate from the no pay/no cake person discussed in this thread? Who is also separate from the original person the OP mentioned who wanted a refund due to the cake disaster?

To my count, that's 5 unhappy customers... or one heck of a spin job.

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jason_kraft Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:19pm
post #358 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by WykdGud

Quote:
Originally Posted by KalisCakes

Thank you, CakeStyles, for asking.And for showing me this. I just got off the phone with the news station because that all is a flat out lie.
That was the cake that was not paid for. Depoit left April 15th for event April 30th. Final pmt due April 22. No pmy recieved. Client said pmt would be brought by before April 29th. No pmt on April 29, no cake on April 30.

And phone numbers they found disconnected would probably be person, private landline numbers. the phone number where in extreme cases clients can text me as listed on my website has been in service for OVER 6 years.



The event for the no-pay cake was April 30th, the wedding date for the second story was April 16th, so they are in fact separate incidents.

I certainly don't blame the OP for the no-pay cake, if the customer wants a cake and you require payment in advance, they need to pay beforehand, or no cake for them.

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Kitagrl Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:19pm
post #359 of 413
Quote:
Originally Posted by WykdGud

Ok, so how many unhappy clients are there? The two from the news story are separate from the no pay/no cake person discussed in this thread? Who is also separate from the original person the OP mentioned who wanted a refund due to the cake disaster?

To my count, that's 5 unhappy customers... or one heck of a spin job.




I think she's done now..... (talking about this, that is.)

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AnotherCaker Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 9:21pm
post #360 of 413

This is just the most utterly insane thing I have ever come across on this site.

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