We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s launch of Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott’s autobiography “Devilfish: Life and Times of a Poker Legend.”

Why?

Because Devilfish is not only the UK’s most successful poker export but also used to be a real bad-ass gansta who even sometimes likes to wear bling cause he's in touch with decorative gansta side. He has also taken over £2million in poker tournaments and is amongst the few Brits to have won a WPT event.

With the book launch happening tomorrow, we’re waiting with baited breath to see exactly how much his book will reveal about his dodgy exploits back in the day before he settled down and decided to do something respectable with his life by becoming a poker player.

The man himself will be there to launch his book in Leicester Square, London, where the audience will hopefully be treated to some nitty gritty accounts of his life.

Before settling down and being responsible by becoming a poker player, Devilfish burgled houses, broke into safes and was in general, a self-confessed hell-raiser. He gives details about his childhood including growing up in a house that was so small that “we had to paint the furniture on the wall”. 

With regards to his viewpoint on women and men playing poker tournaments together he says: ‘It’s always good to look at someone pretty at the table – who‘s not me, but if you ask me whether women can ever be as good as men at the table, then I reckon, no. There are good players out there like Lucy Rokach – she’s a Rottweiler – but in general women just aren’t aggressive enough.’

Controversial, yes, but perhaps his penchant for controversy comes more from his blatant honesty than his need to stir things up. Either way, the book should be full of controversial honesty and therefore a juicy good read.

Well. I seem to have gotten stuck in a Lady Gaga writing vibe. Yesterday we had the news of the Bluewater Comic book saga, and today we are getting with this.

A Bulgarians man plans to have a sex change to transform him into the doppelganger for Lady Gaga. Although constantly being at the receiving end of a never ending list of comment about her looks, Penio Daskalov, 24, is currently in the planning stages of having a sex change operations and has starting enlisting cosmetic surgeons to turn him into a copy of the pop star.

"I really admire the way she has created herself, so when I've had my operations I won't be quite a man or quite a woman," Daskalov said.

"I've already contacted her management and told them what I am doing and how I'd like to record a duet with her," he added.

It seems another ‘celebutante’ has bitten the ‘dust’ this week with the chance of Paris Hilton facing up to four years in prison for cocaine possession.

She was arrested in Las Vegas with her boyfriend, Cy Waits, over the weekend after it seems she kinda bust herself(!?) by literally dropping a packet of cocaine into the hand of a cop. Uber-oops! Hilton was being questioned after being pulled over because the overwhelming smells of burning marijuana emanating from the SUV she was in. During the subsequent questioning, Hilton attempted to get some lip balm, which is also rumoured to be highly addictive folks, out of her bag when the incriminating packet slipped out.

"As she began to open it, I saw a small bundle of what I believed to be cocaine in a clear baggy begin to fall from the purse and into my hand," wrote Lieutenant Dennis Flynn in the report. Hilton immediately denied that she knew it was there and said she thought it was chewing-gum. I hear powdered chewing gum is very popular these days.

Hilton then changed her mind/story and told the police that the handbag did not belong to her but to a friend. According to her, nothing in the bag except the asthma medication, $1,300 in cash, credit cards and Zig-Zag wrappers was hers. How big was this bag?! In an attempt to verify her story she said the bag was too “cheap” to be hers, thus once again proving that money does not always amount to class.

If Hilton is convicted she could face up to four years in jail and up to a $5,000 fine. David Chesnoff, Hilton’s lawyer, has said: "This matter will be dealt with in the courts, not in the media, and I encourage people not to rush to judgement until all of the facts have been dealt with in a court of law." But it’s just so easy!!

Waits, who is the present beau in case you forgot, has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and has subsequently been fired as a manager at a Las Vegas nightclub but is sure to be offered a few spots in some minor reality TV series- perhaps even Celebrity Rehab if he’s lucky- where he and Paris can fight their ‘lip balm’ addiction.

So here’s Hilton’s tally of ‘almost’ offenses in 2010 so far:

•    She was briefly detained in July in Corsica for being caught with a gram of cannabis in her handbag.
•    She was arrested during the World Cup in South Africa after she was bust with a joint at the Brazil-Netherlands quarter final match.
•    Viva Las Vegas! Present story

Before 2010 Hilton was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and was sentenced to 45 days in prison of which she only spent 23 days.

Hmm- notice a pattern here?

Dwight Dasher, the Middle Tennessee State University Quarterback, who is considered one of the best college football players in the United States, has been suspended from playing his loved game after using a $1,500 loan to play the game we most love.
Reportedly, Dasher took the loan from an 80 year old retired Air Force veteran, Oliver Donnell, to play poker with, leading to an investigation done by the NCAA and the university itself.

According to a statement made by the Director of Athletics at MTSU, Chris Massaro: “The overriding principle of this inquiry is to protect the University and its integrity, while maintaining fairness to all individuals involved, including Dwight Dasher .”

“Therefore, due to a violation of the NCAA amateurism legislation, we are declaring Dwight Dasher ineligible for competition but will be seeking his reinstatement,” concluded the director. “While we are seeking reinstatement, Dasher will be allowed to practice. It is anticipated that Dasher will miss some competition.”

Interestingly, NCAA bylaws cannot suspend a student for playing poker. However, the player is in trouble with the organization for accepting the loan, which is against NCAA rules for student football players.

Eight poker playing buddies got a surprise home visit by North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement officers on Thursday, who then proceeded to arrest them and confiscate their assets.

Many states in the US allow social gambling as long as no entry fees are collected or any entry fees taken are  paid out as winnings.

However, many US states will not tolerate any social gambling whatsoever, including Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. And, of course, North Carolina.

The eight men arrested were therefore deemed to be in violation of North Carolina’s gambling laws, and as well as their poker table, cards and chips being seized, $23,700 in cash was also taken away.

Seems a little bit overboard for me.. almost like arresting grandmothers for playing bridge

When a gold and copper mine in San Jose, Chile, collapsed almost a month ago, 33 miners were left, trapped in a tiny underground chamber with almost nothing to survive on. So far, the men have managed to stay alive by rationing their meagre supply of food and playing poker. It is forecasted that the miners will be down there for a further four months while the rescue tunnel is built.

The daughter of one of the stranded miners, Carolina Lobos, seems to be consoled by the news of the poker games. She said: “I’m not worried about him. I know he is happy and content down there because he is playing lots of poker and cards. It is good for his mind.” It seems she isn’t that far off; according to the Elements Behavioural Health treatment centre in California, partaking in games that stimulate and distract is helpful in assisting with getting through traumatic situations.

Poker is therefore perfect for this group of miners. It is enjoyable, stimulating and does not take up a lot of room. While their small rations of water, medicine and food keep their bodies alive, the poker will keep their minds alive.