AlfaMag Newsletter - September 2007

The Current

The official newsletter of AlfaMag Electronics, LLC.The fun newsletter to read..!!!

Highlights
"AlfaMag Distributors"
"Fun Trivia"
"Bits & Pieces"
"Rick's Favorite Recipe of the Month"

AlfaMag Distributors
"Digi-Key Corporation and Belford Electronics"

Digi-Key is our main distributor for our SW Series Power Inductors designed to work directly with National Semiconductors Simple Switchers. Digi-Key generally has stock on most all of the SW Series inductors.

Digi-Key's contact information is as follows: Phone: 1-800-DIGI-KEY or 1-800-344-4539. Website: www.digikey.com

Our other distributor is Belford Electronics located in the Chicago area, mainly serving companies in the southern Illinois region. They will stock parts for their customers and ship against blanket orders, according to their customers manufacturing requirements.

Belford's contact information is as follows: Phone: 1-800-323-1231. Website: www.belfordelect.com

These inductors are available for 50kHz, 150kHz, and 260kHz regulators. These are drop in replacements for Pulse Engineering toroids, with no need to redesign your PCB. Offered in through-hole and surface mount packages (bulk or tape & reel). Full specifications, including National's Simple Switchers matched with the Talema inductors list, and a Talema / Pulse cross reference guide can be found under the Product Index link on the AlfaMag website. www.alfamag.com

Please give us a call or email if you have any questions. You can contact us at 1-800-413-6693 or email us at support@alfamag.com

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Fun Trivia
"One Hit Wonders - The Seventies"

1. Who sang the song "Kung Fu Fighting"?
a) Johnny Nash
b) Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods
c) David Essex
d) Carl Douglas

2. Who originally sang "My Maria" in 1973?
a) B.W. Stevenson
b) Marshall Tucker Band
c) Leo Sayer
d) Clint Holmes

3. Complete this lyric with the song title: "We had joy, we had fun, we had...
a) Seasons in the Sun
b) This Demonstration Won
c) Hot Dogs on a Bun
d) A Whole Lotta Fun

4. Who originally sang the song "Spirit in the Sky"?
a) Frankie Fabulous
b) Norman Greenbaum
c) Chris Montez
d) Shocking Blue

5. Who sang "Video Killed The Radio Star"?
a) The Buggles
b) Edward Bear
c) Split Enz
d) Tom Schilling

6. John Stewart had a Top 5 hit in 1979 with the song "Gold", who sang backup on that song?
a) Yvonne Elliman
b) Carly Simon
c) Stevie Nicks
d) Minnie Ripperton

7. Who sang the song "If I Can't Have You" in 1977?
a) Rita Coolidge
b) Yvonne Elliman
c) Maxine Nightingale
d) Melanie

8. Who sang the 1976 smash "Afternoon Delight"?
a) Starland Vocal Band
b) Tony Orlando & Dawn
c) Dave & Sugar
d) The Cowsills



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Answers: (1)d (2)a (3)a (4)b (5)a (6)c (7)b (8)a
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Bits & Pieces

* * It's Soooooooo Hot * *

"Observations collected in the heat of the moment."
Heat radiates off a dusty, beaten earth long void of the color green. The memory of spring's soft green grass has turned into a brittle barb, one that crumbles under our step. A deep breath sucks in hot air. It is filled with the fumes of a stale kitchen, the earth's slow baking.

The cicada, crickets and katydids drone on and on with their magical chant, trying to cast their spell and bring the relief of rain.

Searing heat beats on my face and weighs heavy on my arms. It sucks the energy from me, as I drag the watering hose from flower to flower in a hopeless struggle to give them life-fluids. I step over my dog, and he looks at me with great disgust. He's cranky and in a daze, and so am I.

It is HOT! It's sooooooo hot that.....
* the fleas are trading in their fur coats for cotton.
* the trees in our front yard are starting to fight over the dog.
* my husband picked a goggle eye out of the Piney River last week. It had ticks.
* Piney River and Brushy Creek have been running every other day.
* the McKinney chickens crossed the road....and were fried.
* to save water, the local Baptists have taken to sprinkling, and the Methodists are wiping with a damp cloth.
* the Foster farm cows are giving evaporated milk.
* the farmers' market is selling baked beans picked straight out of the garden.
* both taps at the newspaper office are running hot water.
* local chickens are being fed crushed ice so they won't lay hard boiled eggs.
* the birds have been using pot holders to pull the worms out of the ground.
* the buzzards flying over are carrying their own water.
I suspect they are looking for me. I've been simmering for the past week, and I'm well done...!!


Kathy Richardson, "Houston Herald"

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*** Rick's Recipe of the Month ***

"Santa Fe Cobb Salad"

You just can't beat a good salad with a tall glass of iced tea on a hot summer evening. This salad recipe is open to suggestions. You can change around the ingredients as much as you like, and it still comes out great. This time of year I especially like using as many home grown veggies as possible.

Ingredients
* 1/2 cup chipotle mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
* 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
* 1/2 tsp each grated lime zest and salt
* 1 Tbsp lime juice
* 8 cups shredded romaine lettuce
* 3/4 lb smoked turkey breast, cut into strips
* 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
* 3 hard-cooked eggs, quartered lengthwise
* 2 large cooked beets, diced
* 1 ripe avocado, diced
* 1/2 of a seedless hothouse cucumber, diced
* 1 small orange bell pepper, diced
* 1/3 cup red onion strips
* 4 strips cooked thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
* 4 oz Pepper Jack cheese, diced

Preparation
Dressing: In a bowl, whisk first five ingredients until blended. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. of water to thin slightly.

Salad: Line a large platter with lettuce. Arrange remaining ingredients, in rows, on top of lettuce. Serve with dressing.

Ummmm, Ummmm....!!!!!

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