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} The room contained the world's mightiest computer, and was
} suffused with the cool blue light of gas diode rectifiers
} punctuated by the dim red glow of pentode filaments, and
} suffused as well by the hum of powerful electric motors as
} they spun the magnetic drums that allowed for retrieval of
} hundreds of bits in only tenths of a second.
}
} None of this had anything to do with the world's mightiest
} computer, of course, but the Oracle liked having this
} antique voltmongery around.
}
} Bleary-eyed, the Oracle took a sip of his Coffee and seated
} Himself before his Keyboard. He flexed his Fingers, set the
} keyboard focus to the Answer window, and positioned his
} Oracular Mouse Pointer exactly in the center of the <Zot!>
} CommandButton. All was in readiness.
}
} Taking a deep breath, he opened the flow of Questions:
}
} > who is chelsea clinton?
}
} > What do you remove the outside, cook the inside,
} > eat the outside and throw away the inside?
}
} The Oracle's eyes closed, and his head started to nod
} forwards. "Huh?", he said with a start. "Just thinking!"
}
} He realized he was talking to Himself, and sheepishly
} muttered "Answer 2".
}
} He typed, "The President's daughter." and said "Sendit."
}
} He saw,
}
} > who is chelsea clinton?
}
} "Huh?", he said. "Thought I answered that one."
}
} "Answer one." "A future President." "Sendit."
}
} He heard a beep, and read
}
} Message from kinzler on ttyp4 at 06:28 ...
}
} Aren't we being a little bit brief today?
} And you forgot to charge a fee!
} Get with the program, guy!
}
} "All right, that's it! It's too early in the morning for
} that kind of crap! I'm outta here! Joanie! Cancel my mail!"
}
} Message from kinzler on ttyp4 at 06:28 ...
}
} You're not the Incarnation who invented Joanie,
} so I don't think you should be using her in your
} Answers.
}
} "Look, Steve, I didn't invent the 'Message from kinzler'
} bushwah either, so just shut up! Joanie or no, I'm outta
} here."
}
} The Oracular Telephone rang. He picked it up, and heard,
} "You can't get out. Being the Oracle is a life sentence,
} and you're immortal, so..."
}
} He slammed down the receiver with a satisfying crash. A few
} diamonds fell off, and rolled off, to be lost under the Couch.
}
} For a long, long moment, the Oracle just sat there, his face
} getting redder and redder. Then the calming hum of the drum
} memories, and the cool blue light, began to take effect.
} (This is why he liked having that junk around.)
}
} With a sigh, he turned to his Keyboard and began to type
} an answer to the third question.
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![[IO]](https://kinzler.com/picons/db/domains/org/internetoracle/unknown/face.gif){kind=small}
