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.