RITUALS FOR COMPUTER OPERATION           
                                          
  
                                          
 THE  COMPUTER  IS A VERY COMMON TOOL  IN 
 THE FUTURES, AND IN SOME WAYS EVEN  NOW. 
 ITS JOB IS TO  DO VAST AMOUNTS OF  SMALL 
 CALCULATIONS IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF  TIME. 
                                          
 MOST  WORK ON  THE PRINCIPLES OF  POSING 
 THE  PROBLEM ON A  HILBERT PLANE,  WHICH 
 IS  THEN  FOLDED  OUT OF  CAUSALITY,  SO 
 THAT  DAEMONS  CAN  SOLVE   THE  PROBLEM 
    WITHOUT AFFECTING REAL LIFE. (THESE   
 DAEMONS  ARE  UNDER  CONTRACT  WITH  THE 
          COMPUTER MANUFACTURER.)         
                                          
   IT'S COMMONPLACE FOR PROGRAMMERS AND   
 CLERKS TO PRAY TO  THE "GODS"  OF  THEIR 
 COMPUTER,  OR  TO THE  DAEMONS DOING THE 
 WORK,   FOR  A  QUICK  AND   FAULT  FREE 
                OPERATION.                
                                          
      SOME UBIQUITOUS AND GENERALLY       
    NON-CONTROVERSIAL RITUALS INCLUDE:    
                                          
       LIGHT A SCENTED CANDLE       
         FOR QUIET AND CALM         
                                          
      RECITE A MANTRA OR OTHER      
     REASSURING MESSAGE TO MAKE     
      THE COMPUTER COMFORTABLE      
            AND AT EASE             
                                          
      SOME LIKE TO SAY A BRIEF      
      PRAYER FOR SOLACE, TO BE      
    LEFT ALONE DURING THEIR WORK    
                                          
    OFFER A CUP OF STEAMING TEA     
     OR A MEAL TO THE MACHINES      
      (SOMETIMES, BY FEY RULES,     
       THE DAEMONS ARE ALLOWED      
        TO RESPOND TO THIS)         
                                          
  
                            
                                 
                                      
                                         
                                          
                                          
 WOULD    YOU    CONSIDER    CODE    GOLF 
 TO     BE    A    KIND    OF     PRAYER? 
 AS   IN,   YOU   MAKE   A    CONVOLUTED, 
 INTRICATE,   BEAUTIFUL,    AND   USELESS 
 ARTIFACT.  AS   IN,  YOU'RE  USING  YOUR 
 SKILLS    TO    ASK    FOR    SOMETHING, 
                                          
 ...I'D  ASK  FOR  A  HANDFUL  OF   BUGS? 
                                          
 CODE    HAS    BUGS,   LOTS    OF    IT.