Cat casino biography

American gambler (1950–2022)

Cathy "Cat" Hulbert (1950 – 2022) was an American professional gambler. She was one of the world's first professional female card counters. Card Player magazine named her one of the top seven-card stud players in the world in 1996.

Life

Hulbert was born in 1950, one of six children of a truck driver and a nurse. She left school at 15 and put herself through college. She first developed an interest in gambling when investigating the industry as an assistant to the minority leader of the New York State Senate, took a course in blackjack dealing, and in 1977, at the age of 25, moved to Las Vegas.

Hulbert became one of the first professional female card counters, a member of the Czechoslovakia team, and a companion to Ken Uston. She then moved on to 7-card stud and dated David Heyden. In 1996, Card Player magazine named her one of the top 7-card stud players in the world, the only woman on the list. The Game Show Network called her "the best female gambler on Earth". She taught poker classes for women.

At one time, Hulbert employed people over the age of seventy to play casino slot machines for her.

In 2016, she was named as one of BBC's 100 Women.

Personal life

Hulbert was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1990. She was married twice, both ending in divorce. Since a bout with cancer, she had retired as a gambler and worked as an online casino consultant. She died on September 20, 2022 from cancer.

References

Actually, it turned out that having a girl counting cards was not good camouflage after all. I stuck out like a sore thumb. For many years I was the only one - and women generally are looked at more closely than men.

There isn't a blackjack player I know who hasn't used a disguise, but I couldn't grow a beard or get false teeth like my male friends.

Casino management scrutinise games from an area called the pit. You knew you were in trouble when a casino pit boss came over and barked "Break the shoe!"

All the cards would then be removed from the shoe - the device from which the cards are dealt - and shuffled. Not only did this kill your count, it meant the jig was up and you were in danger of being "back-roomed".

The back room is dismal - no windows, no clocks, just a steel bench with rings for handcuffs and an empty desk. The brawny head of security would begin an interrogation and your job was to act confused by their accusations.

If I was detained too long, I would ask them to call the police so they could charge me with an offence. They never did.

This happened to me at least 50 times. As horrible as the experience was, my main worry each time was whether my chips would be waiting for me after I left or whether the casino would confiscate them.

I can remember like yesterday the moment the pit boss at the Hilton in Las Vegas came to my table, threw out his long arm and yelled, "Deal past that girl!" Then two guards picked me up under my arms, dragged me over to the craps table and pressed my face against the felt, snarling, "You want to play craps, little girl? How about using that stolen money to play some craps?!"

Then they dragged me over to the roulette wheel and did the same thing, before shoving me out the front door on to the sidewalk.

I walked away shaken. Looking back, to check whether I was being followed, I saw the neon

Swedish metal band

Deathstars is a Swedish industrial metal band from Strömstad. Formed in 2000, the group are noted for their dark horror-themed lyrics, pessimistic and misanthropicsocial commentary, distinctive trademark face paint, dark stage uniforms and physical appearances that correspond to gothic fashion. They have released five full-length studio albums; Synthetic Generation (2002), Termination Bliss (2006), Night Electric Night (2009), The Perfect Cult (2014), and Everything Destroys You (2023).

The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist Nightmare Industries, lead vocalist Whiplasher Bernadotte, bassist Skinny Disco, rhythm guitarist Cat Casino and drummer Nitro.

History

Formation and Synthetic Generation (2000–2003)

Deathstars was formed in 2000 by childhood friends in Strömstad. The members consider Deathstars to be a metamorphosed version of the black metal act Swordmaster. Deathstars' first line-up consisted of vocalist and frontman Andreas Bergh ("Whiplasher Bernadotte"), guitarists Emil Nödtveidt ("Nightmare Industries") and saw Erik Halvorsen ("Beast X Electric"), and drummer Ole Öhman ("Bone W.a Machine"). The name "Deathstars" was never intended to be a reference to the Death Star in Star Wars.

The band's debut album, Synthetic Generation, was first released in Sweden in March 2002 and released in Europe by German Nuclear Blast label the following year. In October of that same year, live bassist Jonas Kangur ("Skinny Disco") became an official member.

Termination Bliss, new lineup (2004–2006)

The band's plans to start recording their sophomore album in June 2004 were delayed as the members had over $15,000 worth of gear stolen from their tour bus while returning home from an appearance at the Wave Gotik Treffen festival in Germany. Later that year, the band opened for Dissection at their Stockholm Lilla Arenan show in late October.

In early 2005, Deaths

Deathstars is an Industrial Metal band formed in Stockholm, Sweden in January 2000. The current lineup consists primarily of members from Swordmaster, a black metal project that has former members of Dissection, and Ophthalamia. The band currently consists of Whiplasher Bernadotte (lead vocals), Nightmare Industries (guitar and keyboards), Skinny Disco (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Vice (Drums). They have released four full length studio albums.

Formation, Synthetic Generation (2000-2003)

Stockholm's Deathstars is, in fact, a metamorphosed version of 1993 founded heavy metal act Swordmaster, featuring former Dissection drummer Ole Öhman ("Bone W Machine") and guitarist Emil Nodtveidt ("Nightmare Industries"). Deathstars was fronted by Andreas Bergh ("Whiplasher Bernadotte") and saw Erik Halvorsen ("Beast X Electric") on guitar. The band took on both a radical image and change in musical direction for the album Synthetic Generation.

Synthetic Generation first surfaced in Sweden during March 2002 on LED Recordings, but would be picked up for European release by the German Nuclear Blast label the following year.

Originally only a live bass player for Deathstars, Jonas Kangur ("Skinny Disco") became an official member on October 1, 2003.

Termination Bliss, new line-up (2004-2006)

Plans to commence recording of a second album in June 2004 were delayed as, returning home from an appearance at the Wave Gotik Treffen festival in Leipzig, Germany, Deathstars had over $15,000 worth of gear stolen from their tour bus. The band later landed the support to the resurrected Dissection at their Stockholm Lilla Arenan gig in late October.

Deathstars undertook album recordings in early 2005 at the band's own Black Syndicate Studios for the Termination Bliss album.

In outside activity, both Emil Nodtveidt and bassist Skinny scored production credits on the Dissection album Reinkaos. Deathstars also remixed