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Dental x-rays: Yup that’s on the “be careful” list. My long time dentist has a note in my file to have a really good reason to do an X-ray. I’ve never had any kind of radiation treatments, well except for looking at my feet in a fluoroscope once a way long time ago, but as on old nuke worker I’ve always been mindful to avoid un-necessary exposure.

Remember the Old Radar Ranges, the first microwave ovens? From the 1950’s. The folks I’ve run across that had those things wound up with brain tumors later in life. They leaked microwaves at a stoopid level and got themselves super regulated fairly early on. I remember a diabetic guy who kept a Hershey bar in his shirt pocket. It kept getting soft. He finally figgered out he was working to close to the microwaves.

I remember a diabetic guy who kept a Hershey bar in his shirt pocket. It kept getting soft. He finally figgered out he was working to close to the microwaves.

Years ago, I worked with another engineer who was a bit older than me. He told the story one day about the time he attended the World's Fair in New York City during high school. One of the exhibits had a long line where attendees were handed a small bag of popcorn seed. He joined the line and once he received his bag, he was pointed to one of the refrigerator-sized metal cabinets. As instructed, he opened the door, placed his bag inside, closed the door, and pushed the "On" button. After several seconds, he fell to the ground and grabbed his chest. He thought he was having a heart attack. It was then he realized the package of flashbulbs in his shirt pocket and used for his camera had exploded. I guess the shielding in the microwave oven lacked in its compliance.