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.