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Should you wait first before sticking your hand in
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slow moe
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Aug 2, 2003, 10:33 AM
 
...to the microwave, silly. With all that microwave radiation going on in there, I'm wondering if it would be best to wait a little before opening the door and reaching in after it beeps. Theories?
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philzilla
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Aug 2, 2003, 10:46 AM
 
yes. and no.
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iWrite
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Aug 2, 2003, 10:47 AM
 
Are you THAT bored that this is the object of your attention today?



???

I dunno, why don't you try it 100 times and get back to us if your hand turns green.
     
Cipher13
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Aug 2, 2003, 10:50 AM
 
Um, that's not quite how it works.

But I do recommend you stop placing your ear against the door to hear the 'ding' better, as it would seem you do more often than is healthy...
     
Adam Betts
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Aug 2, 2003, 10:51 AM
 
Actually radiation in the microwave isn't as bad as most people think it is.

If you're talking about pre-1990 microwave then you should move back around 1.3 miles
     
OldManMac
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Aug 2, 2003, 11:08 AM
 
Originally posted by Adam Betts:
Actually radiation in the microwave isn't as bad as most people think it is.

If you're talking about pre-1990 microwave then you should move back around 1.3 miles
Damn; no wonder I'm losing my hair!
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slow moe  (op)
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Aug 2, 2003, 11:11 AM
 
Originally posted by Adam Betts:
If you're talking about pre-1990 microwave then you should move back around 1.3 miles
Mine is a mid-1970's model made by Sears, and it's big enough you could put a turkey in it. My girlfriend's mom still has one of the first microwaves to come out, it was made in the 1950's or 60's, I think. It's actually pretty cool to look at, but I usually leave the kitchen area when it's in use.
Lysdexics have more fnu.
     
The Placid Casual
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Aug 2, 2003, 11:18 AM
 
Originally posted by slow moe:
Mine is a mid-1970's model made by Sears, and it's big enough you could put a turkey in it. My girlfriend's mom still has one of the first microwaves to come out, it was made in the 1950's or 60's, I think. It's actually pretty cool to look at, but I usually leave the kitchen area when it's in use.
Leave the kitchen?! I would personally invest in a lead lined suit before approaching that thing... Or better still, a radiation bunker of some kind.
     
Shaddim
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Aug 2, 2003, 11:26 AM
 
Yeah, schedule a prostate exam... Those 60s-70s models are quite dangerous. Their "shielding" is equivelant to Reynolds Wrap. Standing near one is the same as getting a chest x-ray.
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wdlove
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Aug 2, 2003, 01:01 PM
 
I have been using a microwave for over 25 years with no problems!

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Shaddim
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Aug 2, 2003, 01:44 PM
 
Originally posted by wdlove:
I have been using a microwave for over 25 years with no problems!
What about that growth on your forehead? j/k
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euphras
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Aug 2, 2003, 01:52 PM
 
Quote:"it was made in the 1950's or 60's, I think. It's actually pretty cool to look at, but I usually leave the kitchen area when it's in use."

Does the emitted gamma radiation let it glow bluish in the dark (like an atomic power plant core) ?


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permanent68
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Aug 2, 2003, 01:56 PM
 
My microwave is all brushed stainless.

Awww jyeeeeaaahhhh.

- Ca$h
     
JakeTuba
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Aug 3, 2003, 02:56 AM
 
Well, I don't really know about the rest of you, but if I'm gonna stick my hand in anything I want to know what's in it first...

Ewwwwww... ... wait... that's actually kind of relaxing...

8 )
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G4ME
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Aug 3, 2003, 03:57 AM
 
our microwave burns a quart of oil every hour, roughly every case of popcorn. i have been contemplating giving it a valve job recently. but its still running strong

I GOT WASTED WITH PHIL SHERRY!!!
     
scaught
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Aug 3, 2003, 01:23 PM
 
Originally posted by permanent68:
My microwave is all brushed stainless.

Awww jyeeeeaaahhhh.

- Ca$h
ooh. very ikea of you.
     
MikeM33
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Aug 3, 2003, 01:57 PM
 
It's probably more dangerous going outside on a hot sunny day.

There's one thing I've always wonderred about with microwave ovens. What really happens when you put something metal inside?

MikeM
     
malvolio
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Aug 3, 2003, 02:04 PM
 
Originally posted by MikeM33:
There's one thing I've always wonderred about with microwave ovens. What really happens when you put something metal inside?
A whole bunch of sparks and crackling noises, often followed by death of the microwave.
They used to have one of those dual-use microwave-toaster oven units in the break room where I worked. One day somebody put a frozen dinner in an aluminum tray into it, and didn't notice that it was on the microwave setting.
It's now in kitchen appliance heaven.
/mal
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Adam Betts
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Aug 3, 2003, 02:06 PM
 
Originally posted by MikeM33:
It's probably more dangerous going outside on a hot sunny day.

There's one thing I've always wonderred about with microwave ovens. What really happens when you put something metal inside?
"Put a grape in there and it'll explode" -Bathroom Reader

True about hot sunny day being more dangerous these day. The heat ray is absolutely worser than it was around 1990s
     
gerbnl
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Aug 3, 2003, 02:18 PM
 
Originally posted by MikeM33:
It's probably more dangerous going outside on a hot sunny day.

There's one thing I've always wonderred about with microwave ovens. What really happens when you put something metal inside?

MikeM

Did you ever put a failed CD-ROM in a microwave? best put it on a plastic holder so you have a good view of the surface... Just a few sec's is enough, DON'T overcook you CD-ROM's



Anyways afterwards you'll have a pretty solid base contemplating what would happen to a fork or tray...
( Last edited by gerbnl; Aug 3, 2003 at 02:25 PM. )
     
chabig
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Aug 3, 2003, 02:26 PM
 
If you can put your hand in, there is no radiation. The radiation stops when the door opens.

Chris
     
shanraghan
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Aug 4, 2003, 05:10 AM
 
Originally posted by slow moe:
...to the microwave, silly. With all that microwave radiation going on in there, I'm wondering if it would be best to wait a little before opening the door and reaching in after it beeps. Theories?
Most, if not all, of the radition that went into the microwaves has now been transferred to whatever is inside in the form of heat. The rest escapes when you open the door, and radiates out diffusely and harmlessly. What would make exposure to microwaves dangerous would be, well, being placed under a constant source of microwaves for extended periods.
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chabig
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Aug 4, 2003, 07:47 AM
 
You do understand that microwave radiation is just electromagnetic--like light? When you turn off the light, the radiation stops. There is no residual radiation.

It's not like nuclear radiation.
     
The Placid Casual
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Aug 4, 2003, 08:00 AM
 
Originally posted by MikeM33:
It's probably more dangerous going outside on a hot sunny day.

There's one thing I've always wonderred about with microwave ovens. What really happens when you put something metal inside?

MikeM
Light bulbs are where it's at...
     
Kilbey
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Aug 4, 2003, 10:40 AM
 
Originally posted by permanent68:
My microwave is all brushed stainless.

Awww jyeeeeaaahhhh.

- Ca$h
Brushed stainless is the "Harvest Gold" of the '90s
     
memento
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Aug 4, 2003, 11:50 AM
 
Originally posted by chabig:
You do understand that microwave radiation is just electromagnetic--like light? When you turn off the light, the radiation stops. There is no residual radiation.

It's not like nuclear radiation.
bingo. And the frequency of that radiation is tuned so that it vibrates and therefore heats H2O molecules. You will not go sterile by standing in front of one.

Radiation from the sun is much more dangerous. When you get a sunburn, it is the same thing as getting a nuclear radiation burn. That's why people get skin cancer from tanning too much!
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daimoni
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Aug 4, 2003, 12:15 PM
 
.
( Last edited by daimoni; Aug 17, 2004 at 11:47 PM. )
     
permanent68
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Aug 4, 2003, 03:27 PM
 
Originally posted by MikeM33:
It's probably more dangerous going outside on a hot sunny day.

There's one thing I've always wonderred about with microwave ovens. What really happens when you put something metal inside?

MikeM
On older microwaves it would kill them. On newer microwaves it just makes sparks. Don't believe me? throw some tin foil in it. It will NOT hurt your microwave.

- Rob
     
permanent68
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Aug 4, 2003, 03:33 PM
 
Originally posted by daimoni:
Wait a sec. You're actually bragging about a micowave oven?
Uh... yeah! Instead of buying some white plastic piece of ****, I spent the extra $ and got one that looks real niiiicceee.

- Rob
     
Fyre4ce
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Aug 4, 2003, 03:42 PM
 
Originally posted by MacNStein:
Yeah, schedule a prostate exam... Those 60s-70s models are quite dangerous. Their "shielding" is equivelant to Reynolds Wrap. Standing near one is the same as getting a chest x-ray.
Are you sure about that? Microwaves are many orders of magnitude less energy than X-rays. And sure you might be taking a hell of a lot of them (and the total energy absorbed might be the same) but I think all it would do is heat you up by a very little bit. Microwaves are not energetic enough to knock electrons loose and cause cancer and such. I would much rather absorb an equivalent amount of energy in microwaves as I would X-rays.
Fyre4ce

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Aug 4, 2003, 03:49 PM
 
(David begins to sing the old hulk Cartoon theam song)

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Kilbey
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Aug 7, 2003, 03:59 AM
 
Originally posted by permanent68:
Uh... yeah! Instead of buying some white plastic piece of ****, I spent the extra $ and got one that looks real niiiicceee.

- Rob
I repeat:
Brushed stainless is the "Harvest Gold" of the '90s
     
shanraghan
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Aug 7, 2003, 05:46 AM
 
Originally posted by chabig:
You do understand that microwave radiation is just electromagnetic--like light? When you turn off the light, the radiation stops. There is no residual radiation.

It's not like nuclear radiation.
Actually, it's just like 'nuclear' radiation, except the 'radiation' left by an atomic bomb going off is either uranium/plotonium or other radioactive elements from the core of the nuke that, through their decay, release alpha, beta, and sometimes neutron radiation, plus any other isotopes formed by neutron radiation.

Originally posted by Fyre4ce:
Are you sure about that? Microwaves are many orders of magnitude less energy than X-rays. And sure you might be taking a hell of a lot of them (and the total energy absorbed might be the same) but I think all it would do is heat you up by a very little bit. Microwaves are not energetic enough to knock electrons loose and cause cancer and such. I would much rather absorb an equivalent amount of energy in microwaves as I would X-rays.
It might not be energetic enough to cause genetic damage, however if you were exposed to a microwave oven amount of radiation you would roast, as the water molecules inside of you would resonate with the microwaves and it would heat you up. It may take a few minutes for it to do significant damage, but it would do damage. A hot stove gives off only infrared radiation but it's still enough to burn you if you touch it.
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Aug 7, 2003, 08:33 AM
 
Originally posted by permanent68:
Uh... yeah! Instead of buying some white plastic piece of ****, I spent the extra $ and got one that looks real niiiicceee.

- Rob
And I took the extra money, stuffed it in my pocket, went to wal-mart and bought a white plastic piece of **** for $30.

Then again we have a brand new white plastic piece of **** built into the kitchen in our new house (ok not "BUILT IN" but it's in place of the hood) and it cost us $300.. so i was kinda reluctant to blow money on something I won't need too long anyway.

I still stick with white appliances, frankly, they're cheaper.. still look awesome when new... and.. well... 10 years down the line your stainless steel refrigerator will be like fake woodgrain refrigerators are today.. make way for some new style to come
Aloha
     
exa
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Aug 7, 2003, 08:44 AM
 
Originally posted by permanent68:
On older microwaves it would kill them. On newer microwaves it just makes sparks. Don't believe me? throw some tin foil in it. It will NOT hurt your microwave.

- Rob
But what about steel? Recently our friends told us that you can microwave steel harmlessly, and we've been doing that, no sparks and lightning bolts either. Who woulda thunk?

Hope it's not killing the machine though...
     
Spheric Harlot
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Aug 7, 2003, 09:38 AM
 
Originally posted by Fyre4ce:
Are you sure about that? Microwaves are many orders of magnitude less energy than X-rays. And sure you might be taking a hell of a lot of them (and the total energy absorbed might be the same) but I think all it would do is heat you up by a very little bit. Microwaves are not energetic enough to knock electrons loose and cause cancer and such. I would much rather absorb an equivalent amount of energy in microwaves as I would X-rays.
IIRC, microwaves are in the same spectral range as RADAR, and RADAR most definitely *can* cause cancer. There are a bunch of former military RADAR operators currently suing the German army because of the health consequences of improper shielding.

Totally different magnitude, of course, and today's microwave ovens are properly shielded, but to say that microwaves are harmless or not carcinogenic is simply false.

-s*
     
tooki
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Aug 7, 2003, 10:23 AM
 
Stainless steel is NOT the "harvest gold of the 90s." Brushed stainless steel has been around for decades, primarily in commercial and luxury appliances. Look in any commercial kitchen and you'll see tons of brushed stainless, since it can be scrubbed with steel wool without damage. It has been coming down in price, so now you see it in home appliances more and more. But it's just another feature of commercial products that has filtered down into consumer products, kinda how airbags started out in luxury cars and are now in every car.

tooki
     
andi*pandi
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Aug 7, 2003, 11:11 AM
 
hmm. our new house has an old microwave. I wonder when they put it in... house built in 1964... if its original, is it dangerous?

Yikes!
     
chabig
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Aug 7, 2003, 12:27 PM
 
Actually, it's just like 'nuclear' radiation, except the 'radiation' left by an atomic bomb going off is either uranium/plotonium or other radioactive elements from the core of the nuke that, through their decay, release alpha, beta, and sometimes neutron radiation, plus any other isotopes formed by neutron radiation.
In a sense, you are right. Nuclear radiation can include electromagnetic radiation. But the radiation you are talking about (alpha, beta, and nrutron radiation) consists of particle streams. The particles have lifetimes of their own.

But the microwave radiation in an oven is just electromagnetic radiation. It's exactly like a light bulb. When you turn if off, the radiation stops. That's what I was talking about.

Here is a pretty good description of radiation in general:

http://www.orau.gov/reacts/define.htm

Chris
     
Kilbey
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Aug 8, 2003, 02:05 AM
 
Originally posted by tooki:
Stainless steel is NOT the "harvest gold of the 90s." Brushed stainless steel has been around for decades, primarily in commercial and luxury appliances. Look in any commercial kitchen and you'll see tons of brushed stainless, since it can be scrubbed with steel wool without damage. It has been coming down in price, so now you see it in home appliances more and more. But it's just another feature of commercial products that has filtered down into consumer products, kinda how airbags started out in luxury cars and are now in every car.

tooki
Deny it all you want.

If you look at all the kitchen design books right now you see old style bold-colored porcelain coated appliances. not a stainless steel one to be seen.

Just because industry has been using it, and consumers adopted it for a while, doesn't mean it isn't a passing fad. When you can buy a stainless steel coated anything at Big Lots you know it is long out of fashion.
     
wdlove
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Aug 8, 2003, 02:28 PM
 
You could always purchase a brushed stainless steel microwave to match your new Power Mac G5!

"Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense." Winston Churchill
     
   
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