Putting metal in a microwave is perfectly safe as long as you understand how it works. This myth all started when people were putting food covered in tin foil in the microwave and their microwave died from no "load", AKA, water molecules to absorb the 2.4GHZ from the magnetron. Staples are too small to create antennas to absorb microwave energy and form an arc from one another. Now, If you put two 1 inch balls of aluminum foil in the microwave 1cm apart.... Watch the sparks fly! I don't recommend this though. It will put aluminum oxides all over your microwave which you don't want to get on your food. Here's a cool fact for you. The metal mesh over the viewing window in your microwave is specifically designed to block microwaves by the size of the holes.

As for the popcorn thing... Ouch! Just another thing I like that's bad for you. First barbecue now popcorn! What's this world coming to!
Adam

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Current Stable:
01 ML55 AMG
92 500E (a few mods)
87 300E (lots of mods)
00 Chevy 3500HD Diesel Box Truck
68 18' Donzi Marine
06 GT i-Drive7 1.0 Mountain Bike (with GPS!)

PREVIOUSLY OWNED:83 300SD, 87 420SEL, 88 420SEL, 90 420SEL, 86 560SEL, 86 190E 2.3-16V AMG, 94 E320