> Several posts have mentioned using liquid nitrogen but none have 
mentioned specific hazards. ...Dumping out your coffee from your lunch pail 
thermos and  filling it with liquid nitrogen is probably not a good idea.

We have been over this a few times in the past and it is discussed well in 
the archives, however, in short, handling this stuff is no more dangerous 
than driving down  one side of a narrow strip of pavement at 100 KPH with 
semis and other large vehicles approaching on the other side at 100 KPH. 
Ordinary people do it every day, but usually after some very rudimentary 
education on the rules, the dangers and the protocols.

Vets and farmers use it every day.  Scientists use it routinely (My friend 
who worked at Bell Labs used to sweep the office floor with it and our first 
year chem prof used to play with it in lectures, shattering bananas and 
doing other childish tricks). Beekeepers use it safely.  It is often 
routinely poured into Styrofoam coffee cups.

There are things to know, and Bob told us the main thing about holding it: 
don't seal it in, let it fume freely.  The same applies to dry ice which is 
freely available and sold in stores some places for use in ice boxes. (I've 
bought it).  If you confine it, the results may not be pretty.

Anyhow, no one will give you any without making sure you know that it will 
freeze flesh instantly, must not be confined, and will boil off in a fairly 
short time if not well insulated.  As I recall, cloth gloves and open boots 
are not part of a good plan when handling it. 

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