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Del Padre Visual Productions Inc. (DVP) has been featured on Howard Stern News twice in the last two months, after launching of a Web site and a series of multimedia-based products for frequent Howard Stern Show guest Riley Martin.

The project was first lauded on Howard Stern News after a one-page introduction of the site, rileymartin.tv, went live. DVP President Nino Del Padre took the project on himself, creating a dynamic teaser that blends video and Flash animation and resembles a movie trailer.

Following the broadcast, visits to DVP's Web site, delpadre.com, increased 100-fold.

The site features other products produced by DVP, including an audiobook of Martin's novel, The Coming Of Tan, as well as a Riley Martin ringtones, answering machine messages, and talking bobbleheads. Riley Martin merchandise including t-shirts, mugs, and bumper stickers is also available for sale on the site.

The Howard Stern Show took notice of the project, and invited Del Padre to speak on Howard Stern News just days after the site was introduced. Following the launch of the full site, Del Padre, whose company has also worked with NASA, LEGO, and the Space Science Institute of Boulder, Colo., was featured on Stern two more times.

Ralph Howard, part of the Howard Stern News team, praised the site's preliminary design.

How on earth did Riley get such a big-time Web site going? he said on-air. What's billed as the Official Riley Martin site is out of this world, with just the design of the introduction.

Martin is one of the Stern show's more colorful characters. Author of The Coming of Tan, his television and radio appearances on national programs including Coast to Coast AM, Jerry Springer, and London, England's Resonance 104.4 have earned Martin a cult following and a place in pop culture history.

About DVP:
Del Padre Visual Productions (DVP) Inc. was founded in 1991, and today specializes in video production, interactive CD-ROM design, and high-end Web design. Its clients include NASA, the Space Science Institute, LEGO Systems, Barnes Aerospace, and Proficient Audio. DVP has also garnered many awards for its work in new media, including inclusion in the international ComputerWorld Honors Program, for which they were nominated by leading interactive software manufacturer MacroMedia, a 2006 Communicator Award, and a 2007 Telly Award.

DVP Develops Web Site, Product Line, for Howard Stern Radio Personality Stern Regular Riley Martin is a post from: Lego Sets and Gifts

Our Last Flashback focused on one of the most famous LEGO locomotives from the early 1980s 12V system. This time I want to take a look at a set from an even earlier era, the 165 Cargo Station. Released in 1978, the Cargo Station was one of the first buildings available for LEGO trains, at a time when trains ran on blue tracks and bricks in the color gray were
fairly novel - and perhaps even controversial.

In all, four different train-themed buildings were issued, beginning with a train station in 1975 and followed by a level crossing and fuel refinery in 1976. The Cargo Station appears somewhat simplistic by modern standards, comprised mostly of basic brick and with only a few details. By the standards of 1978, however, it was a capable - and even ground breaking - set. In the world of LEGO trains, this set came at the transition from the 1970s "LEGOLAND" sets to the classic Town sets of the 1980s. The Cargo Station was the first train-related building to include modern minifigures as opposed to their predecessor, the "armless" figures. The Cargo Station also set the stage for things to come by using a standard 32 x 32 stud baseplate.

FLASHBACK

The first train building to make use of the now-ubiquitous baseplate standard. The Cargo Station was also significant in being the first in a series of cargo loading stations for LEGO
trains. Each subsequent generation of LEGO trains has featured a set of similar design. In 1986, the 7823 Container Loading Crane was released for 12V trains, followed in 1995 by the 4555 Freight Loading Station. The latter set in particular appears to be a direct descendant of the 165 Cargo Station, updated for the aesthetic standards of System-era sets. Both 7823 and 4555 included a freight wagon and container truck; these were omitted from the 165 Cargo Station. The late 1990s saw the trend toward juniorization take grasp in the LEGO System offerings. Two other freight station sets were released during this era: the 4557 Freight Loading Station in 1999 and the 4514 Cargo Crane in 2003. These sets were smaller in scale and included a truck but no rail car. Returning to the 165 Cargo Station, it is worth noting that the crane in this set was designed to lift crates, not the larger intermodal shipping containers that would appear in later sets. It is also interesting that the small crates found in the Cargo Station from thirty years ago are not unlike the crates now appearing in
several sets from the 2008 lineup!

The mechanism for grasping the crates - by wedging a plate between the studs on top of each crate - would not be permitted in a modern LEGO-issued set. This technique, which appeared in a number of earlier LEGO sets, was found to weaken or warp bricks over time and has earned a place on the list of "illegal" building techniques. For a set that appears quite simple, the Cargo Station encompasses a good degree of play value. It features a traveling crane with a functioning winch. The freight station has two bays for cargo and plenty of crates. The crane straddles two train tracks, a feature unique to this crane set, making it possible to transfer cargo from one train to another or to the warehouse. Or, with one set of tracks removed and replaced by a driveway, the crane could be used to transfer goods from truck to train and vice versa.

It is straightforward to build a replica of the Cargo Station, but it would be difficult to construct an exact replica given what parts are available in the modern era. Despite the use of mostly basic bricks in the design, a number of elements are no longer made, such as the rooftop antenna and the large 2 x 6 x 3 window featured on the control tower of the station. Several other elements are much rarer now than in the 1970s, in particular the white hinged doors on the freight station and the wheels used on the crane. The set included a decal sheet with decals for the crates and the sign atop the station that read "Goods Station". The
decal sheet included this text in eight different languages! The 165 Cargo Station marked the end of one era and the beginning of another. It was the first LEGO train building to exhibit System-style design, and it was an indication of things to come in the era of gray-railed 12V trains. It was also the first of several cargo stations for LEGO trains. Historically, each generation of trains has featured a cargo station of some sort. Currently,
there are no structures for the RC line of trains, and the line from LEGO City has plenty of vehicles but is conspicuously short on cargo buildings. Perhaps this oversight will be corrected when the Power Functions trains are issued; only time will tell!

As always BrickTrainShop would like to remind you to keep your eye out for fraudulent Lego and fraudulent advertisements.  Many look alike lego have surfaced on the internet mostly made in china, one of the toy lines is called "enlighten"  these blocks look like lego and many ebay members are purchasing these knock offs and mixing them in with regular Lego and selling them by the pound.  This amounts to Fraud, Deception, Deceptive Advertising, etc.  It is wrong and a total Rip-Off!! Please be careful when making such purchases especially if it sounds to good to be true.

Play Well

Lego System is a post from: Lego Sets and Gifts

Free Harry Potter Book

I, like a lot of other people, was never really into  Harry Potter. I had never actually read the books, but for some reason looked down on Harry Potter fans, thinking them to be a bit off beat. I was convinced that the whole Harry Potter thing was totally blown out of proportion (like Lord of the rings).

Click the link below to receive a free Harry Potter Book

>>>Free Harry Potter Book<<<

How wrong I was. I finally gave in at the continuous urging of friends in school, and they are now without a doubt my absoloute favorite books.

I have  reread all seven books and stood in line for ages to see the midnight premiere of the latest movie. Can you remember the  last time you  read a book and just wanted to pick it up and read it all over again? It happens once in a blue moon.

These books are just so powerful. Not only are they highly entertaining, but they are jam-packed with the good vs. evil, the power of love, and the value of good choices topics.

All the  characters in this Harry Potte book have become part of my life. If you hesitant to read this series because it is labled  a 'fantasy' series, let me tell you that you will not be disappointed.

>>>Free Harry Potter Book<<<

Of course the book is about wizards and magic, but you would be shocked at how quickly the story just completely absorbs you.

The books get better as they progress, and I feel that the final chapters of the last book are among the best literature around.

Also, don't think the movies are exactly like the books. Everybody knows that the book is always better than the movie, and it's the same with Harry Potter books. The movies are really well done, but you need to read the books to fully appreciate what's happening and become a true Harry  Potter fan.

Now here is some great news for Harry Potter fans. For a limited time, Potter lovers can receive a free harry potter book. All you need to do is enter your email address to participate and you could receive a Free Harry Potter Book (or all seven).

So hurry and get your free Harry Potter Book today!

Lego Harry Poter is a post from: Lego Sets and Gifts

Lego Videos is a post from: Lego Sets and Gifts

Directions to build a Lego NXT robot? is a post from: Lego Sets and Gifts

Lego Man is a post from: Lego Sets and Gifts

Verizon Droid the very first cell phone ever you might have seen. The splendid fastness swept one in flying by browsing what he likes. The best approach is provided by loading and running a featured operating system - Android OS of Google effectively. The OS takes the user to any ground of the real PC where one find all the features which is necessary for an educationist or business man or scientist or game lover or any one who wants to be in the world in hand. It has a high resolution screen with 854-480 pixel display. This provides a room to work even in the hands of people having any eye sight problem which they have to peep through in older hand set.

Is the Verizon Droid better than your cell phone?
YES - or - NO
(win a 00 Walmart gift card for voting)

It supports HTML 5 and so the web sites with best features can be browsed on this. The real browsing felt with the PC is found here and it gives a great pleasure of browsing at any where easily without seeking browsing centers. The features it provides takes the world of joy when you get the phone in hand which ever one can forget as a best first experience. It also supports Google map navigation which every loves are in search of a place in shrunken world.

At a time it allows some six applications in run mode. It has QWERTY keyboard where the fast typing is set. These splendid features stops one from power cut or being in a remote place without computer facility or solving emergency information problems or the burst loving to browse.

Is the Verizon Droid better than your cell phone?
YES - or - NO
(win a 00 Walmart gift card for voting)

By adding something like Facebook Phonebook, you'll have single-tap access to your Facebook Phone book.  Regardless of whether you like your phones with a lowercase "i" or a giant red eye, the Verizon Droid has some undeniably interesting features.

Lego Heros Factory is a post from: Lego Sets and Gifts

Lego Star Wars Lego City is a post from: Lego Sets and Gifts