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.