Long-Duration Motion Machines of the Fifth Kind (LDMM5)

The most advanced category: devices that achieve long-duration motion by operating within complex dynamic systems—harnessing planetary orbits, gravitational fields, or cosmic dynamics to sustain motion over astronomical timescales. Unlike earlier kinds that fight dissipation locally, LDMM5 work with systemic energies—riding gravitational waves, exploiting orbital resonance, or tapping into cosmic background energy in ways that don't violate thermodynamics because they're part of larger systems. A spacecraft using gravitational assists to maintain trajectory for billions of years. A satellite that harnesses solar wind to counteract orbital decay. LDMM5 are the ultimate expression of working with the universe rather than against it—motion sustained by the dynamics of the cosmos itself, not just isolated engineering.

Long-Duration Motion Machines of the Fifth Kind (LDMM5) "Those Pioneer probes are still going after 50 years, but they'll eventually slow. LDMM5 would be something that uses gravitational fields to keep moving indefinitely—not perpetual motion, just motion sustained by cosmic dynamics. It's not a closed system; it's an open one, sipping energy from the universe's motion. LDMM5 is what happens when engineers stop fighting the cosmos and start surfing it."

by Dumu The Void March 1, 2026

Portland Water Donation

When a homeless person buys bottled water with food stamps and empties the bottles down the drain to return the bottles for cash to buy drugs/non food stamp approved goods.

Named after Portland Oregon where the practice is quite common.

Look there's crazy Alice again, doing a Portland Water Donation to buy some more smack.

by SassySalmon93 February 12, 2023

Murphy's Law of Engine-Idling Duration

"If you leave your vehicle's engine running during a delay in proceeding (traffic-jam, road construction, accident-resolution, "stuck" red signal-light, etc.), you will be sitting there for many minutes, just wasting gas. The instant you turn the key off and climb out of your seat to stretch, however, THAT'S when the line of traffic will begin moving again, and thus you will have shut off your engine "for nothing", AND you will now be holding up everyone behind you while you hastily hop back into the driver's seat and re-start the engine so that you can move forward again."

I finally took da plunge and bought a second-hand Toyota Prius because I'd eventually had one too many cases of Murphy's Law of Engine-Idling Duration... the Prius automatically shuts down its power during stand-stills, and then uses its electric motor to provide instant mobility as soon as you're ready to go again.

by QuacksO October 20, 2018