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) #~~       .#.#.#.#.#
.#.#.##.#.                                          .#.#.#.#.#
.#.#..#.#. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .#.#.#.#.#
           ,,,~,     ,   ~~,   ,            ~,   ,~           
           ,     ,,     ,     ,     .      ,.     .           
           .            .                  †      .           
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           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.