If your microwave oven isn’t working, never try to fix it yourself. You could kill yourself. It really is that dangerous. First, you could electrocute yourself. With most electric appliances, there is no risk of electrocution if the appliance is unplugged; however, the high voltage capacitor in a microwave oven can give you a lethal shock even if the microwave oven is unplugged and has been unplugged for weeks. Yes, I know that sounds impossible, but I’m told it’s true. Second, the beryllium oxide in a microwave oven’s insulators can be fatal if it gets in your lungs. What can you do if your microwave oven isn’t working? First, make sure it is getting electricity. Plug in something else into the outlet and see if it works. You may have just flipped a circuit breaker. Second, push the ‘stop’ or ‘clear’ button and try again. Third, unplug the microwave oven and then plug it back in. If that doesn’t work, either call a factory service repairman, or if you have a cheap or old microwave oven, just replace it. And remember, you can’t put a microwave oven in a garbage can. It is considered toxic electronic waste, and you can be fined for improper disposal of it. You can drop off an old microwave oven at the Computer and Technology Resource Center on Page Street in Berkeley. There is no charge.