sneezes, locks, transformations, averted explosions

But first, something bejeweled and beautiful:


At a traffic light, a truck gave a series of little sneezes. It sounded like my cat when he sneezes, but I think it had to do with some sort of hydraulic system.

I think all combination locks that I've had have included the number 36. Based on this scant, and possibly misremembered, evidence, I've come to the conclusion that all combination locks--at least the portable sort, like the ones that come at the end of cheap cable bicycle locks--include t...