SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) – The owners of the other contestants in this year’s World’s Ugliest Dog Contest may have thought their pooches had a chance – until they saw Sam.

The 14-year-old pedigreed Chinese crested recently won the Sonoma-Marin Fair contest for the third consecutive time, and it’s no surprise.

The tiny dog has no hair, if you don’t count the yellowish-white tuft erupting from his head. His wrinkled brown skin is covered with splotches, a line of warts marches down his snout, his blind eyes are an alien, milky white and a fleshy flap of skin hangs from his withered neck. And then there’s the Austin Powers teeth that jut at odd angles from his mouth.

He’s so ugly even the judges recoiled when he was placed on the judging table, said proud owner, Susie Lockheed, of Santa Barbara.

“People are always horrified when I kiss him. He may turn into a prince yet. He’s definitely a toad,” she said. “I always thought he’d be great on greeting cards or on a commercial for Rogaine.”

Sam, who’s pushing 15, has something of a cult following after winning the contest – and fans’ hearts – for three years running.

“I did years of professional musical theater and never achieved the fame Sam has,” Lockheed said.

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KILLEEN, Texas (AP) – A computer goof has Robert Guinther headed for a seat at the World Series of Poker tournament.

Guinther, 65, entered what he thought was a $10 online poker tournament, but midway through he realized that he had accidentally clicked on a World Series of Poker satellite tournament with a $100 entry fee and it was too late to back out. He went on to win, defeating 180 other competitors and earning a spot in the $10,000 no-limit championship.

The tournament, which begins Thursday, will involve more than 6,600 players who either qualified by winning a satellite tournament or paid the $10,000 entry fee.

“This is the dream of a lifetime,” Guinther said. “I watch these guys on television all the time, and I’m excited about the chance to sit down and play with them.”

Guinther’s son, Rik, kept tabs on his father’s progress from his home computer in San Antonio and had to explain just what the victory meant.

“When I won, I let out a big ‘Yes!”‘ Guinther said. “I just thought I had won $11,000, but then my son told me over the phone, ‘Dad, you’ve just won a seat in the World Series of Poker!’ I screamed so loud, you wouldn’t believe it.”

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CLOVIS, N.M. (AP) – Inmates who misbehave at the Curry County jail may have to pay with their palates.

If inmates throw their food, a common problem at the Curry County Adult Detention Center, they could be served a punishment known as prison loaf.

The loaf consists of an entire meal ground up, floured, baked and served in a bread-like form.

Curry County Adult Detention Center Administrator Don Burdine said he tasted the prison loaf before agreeing to serve it to prisoners.

“It really wasn’t that bad,” he said. “It kind of tasted like a carrot loaf with fish in it.”

He said it would be “unpleasant” for people who value the texture and appearance of their food. It has the same nutritional value as a regular prison meal, Burdine said.

But the mother of an inmate, Janie Pena, said prison loaf is not an appropriate form of punishment.

“It’s OK for them to be punished,” Pena said as she waited to visit her son at the jail. “But not with food. They are not dogs, even dogs deserve better than that.”

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EAU CLAIRE, Mich. (AP) – Brian “Young Gun” Krause knows what it’s like to out-spit dad. But now he’s got to watch out for his own sons.

For years, the Krause family has dominated the International Cherry Spitting Championship in southwestern Michigan, and this year Cole Krause became the youngest in a long line of cherry pit spitting champions.

The 3-year-old took first place in the 32nd annual competition Saturday, winning the 5 and younger category. He spit a distance of 12 feet, 4 inches.

His dad, 27, the reigning champ in the overall adult division, spit 53 feet, 4 inches, about 40 feet less than his world-record 93 feet 6 1/2-inch spit from 2003, the organization said.

Second place went to Brian Krause’s father, Rick “Pellet Gun” Krause, 51, who spit 50 feet, 11 inches. He has 12 international championships under his belt.

The Krause streak also continued in the women’s category with Marlene Krause, 42, spitting 38 feet, 7 inches. She married Rick Krause during the pit-spitting festival nine years ago. Another son of Brian Krause’s, 8-year-old Braden, won the age 6-8 division with a 26 feet, 6-inch spit.