voodoo programming

voodoo programming n.  [from George Bush's "voodoo
   economics"] The use by guess or cookbook of an {obscure} or
   {hairy} system, feature, or algorithm that one does not truly
   understand.  The implication is that the technique may not work,
   and if it doesn't, one will never know why.  Almost synonymous with
   {black magic}, except that black magic typically isn't
   documented and *nobody* understands it.  Compare {magic},
   {deep magic}, {heavy wizardry}, {rain dance}, {cargo
   cult programming}, {wave a dead chicken}.