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.