Cocker Spaniel (Euro) 2008 Wall Calendar

Each large format calendar features 16 months and 13 full color photographs with plenty of room to write special dates, birthdays and anniversaries on the calendar grid. Size: 12x12

The very fact that there are any North Korea casinos will probably come as something of a surprise to most people. The Hermit Kingdom, as it is sometimes known (this is actually a much older name for the whole of Korea, now usually applied only to the North), is the last Stalinist dictatorship left on the planet. The regime is so restrictive that mobile phones are not allowed at all. When they were handed out to regional officals, they were then confiscated again as they had become an alternative method of communication, outside the State structures.

Even the radios are permanently soldered to receive only the State radio channels, so that no one ever gets tempted to listen to South Korean stations. North Korea really is the most oppressive country currently extant. Another claim to fame is that it is the first hereditary Communist dictatorship, something that not all that many old style Communists would actually think was a good idea. What with all that repression (yes, they have an extensive network of gulags, work camps for those who have displeased the leadership) and the pure idiocy of their economic system (they cannot actually feed their own population), it would be something of a surprise to find any North Korea casinos at all.

However, no one should underestimate the capacity of this country to surprise. There are indeed North Korea casinos, two of them apparently, possibly a third. The first of North Korea's casinos is in Pyongyang, the capital. Called, with breathtaking originality, the Pyongyang casino, it is a little difficult to know whether it actually exists. Certainly, North Koreans are not allowed to enter it if it does, and the number of tourists to the country each year is only a few hundred. Perhaps, it caters to those very few diplomats and foreign businessmen who are posted there, but that would be an extremely small clientele.

The second of North Korea's casinos that may or may not exist is the Seaview Casino Hotel in Rajin. Sixteen tables and 52 slots are what is listed. However, many think that this is either a renaming or another name for the Emperor casino in Rajin-Songbong, a free trade area that North Korea is trying to establish on the border with China. The Emperor casino is the third and last of North Korea's casinos that is definitely known to exist. It was set up to cater to the cross-border trade from China: all forms of gambling in China being illegal until very recently. No North Koreans, other than the staff, were allowed into the complex at all (and they wouldn't have the money to play there anyway). When the Chinese found that government officials were embezzling money and then losing it at the casino, they closed the border to gamblers. The Emperor thus closed as it had no customers.

So the question of whether or not there are actually any functioning North Korea casinos is unanswered. There might be one in the capital and there's definitely an empty unused one on the Chinese border, but beyond that, no one really knows.

This article is the property of North Korea Casinos

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Dario Franchitti was involved in a violent car crash on the Talladega Superspeedway where he broke his ankle. Franchitti knew it could have been worse, but now he doesn't know when is he going back in the racing world.

The incident took place on Saturday at the Nationwide Series race at Talladega; Franchitti's rear tire exploded sending his car into the outside wall after 10 laps; he was not injured with the first impact but then his car was drilled in the driver side door by Larry Gunselman.

The driver made some statements regarding his incident ...'This is broken' as soon as I was hit," said Franchitti "I thought I was OK, and thought 'Those guys did a good job of missing me,' " he said. "Then I got KO'ed."

This recent situation has sidelined the Scottish driver who is the current Indy Car Series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner for no less than two weeks. David Stremme, who drove the No. 40 Dodge for two seasons before Franchitti replaced him, filled in for him in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Talladega.

But there are some other issues such as David Stremme's contract that do not allow him to drive in the Franchitti's place as Stremme was hired not too long ago by Penske Racing as a test pilot; therefore they are looking for a replacement for Franchitti at least for next week in Richmond.

"He's not available, so we may end up picking and choosing a little bit based on the fact that we have to qualify this car into the race."

Although his spirit seemed high, Franchitti admitted he was disappointed at this setback to what's already been a tough rookie NASCAR season. He came into Sunday's race ranked 38th in the scoreboard and failed to qualify for the race in Texas. But he bounced back by making the field two weeks ago in Phoenix and again at Talladega.

He is going to see Dr. Terry Tramell, the orthopedic consultant for the Indy Racing League, to have a better idea on how long he is going to be out. This injury is a bit ironic for Franchitti, who had been accused by many of moving to NASCAR out of safety concerns with the Indy cars. But he's dismissed that opinion several times, and said his broken ankle proves that any form of racing is dangerous.

"I got asked that question a lot, 'Are you coming here because it's safer?' and I said 'No,' because if you are looking for something safe to do, do not drive a racing car," he said. "Racing is dangerous, whether it's NASCAR or Indy cars. Everyone is doing everything they can to make these things as safe as possible. Everybody is working hard to make these things safer, but racing isn't safe and we know that."

Franchitti is definitely a great acquisition for the NASCAR world but besides its dangerous lanes the rookie pilot will have to overcome greater gaps such those of the press and his counterparts.

Claudia Beckford provides outstanding Nascar content as well as information in the online betting industry.