Leon Black
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drleonblack.bsky.social
Leon Black
@drleonblack.bsky.social
1.1K followers 1.5K following 1.1K posts
Professor of Infrastructure Materials at the University of Leeds.
Posting about materials, resilience, circular economy, green stuff, and whatever else I stumble on that I find interesting.
No DMs, unless they're size 12 cherry reds.
Posts Replies Media Videos
drleonblack.bsky.social
Discworld, perched on elephants, on the back of a turtle, flying through space.
November 27, 2025 at 3:34 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Can someone track down this guy and ask him his thoughts on lifting the 2 child benefit cap? I'd much rather hear that than those of Mason or Peston.
Young boy saying "we try not to eat a lot in one day". Scene taken from Channel 4 Dispatches on child poverty.
November 26, 2025 at 7:07 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Tax payers are already paying hundreds of pounds more than they would have if thresholds had been allowed to rise with prices since 2021, when they were frozen by the previous government. Inflation has been high in recent years, making the impact of frozen thresholds bigger.
November 26, 2025 at 4:17 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
What is "pay rises with inflation"?
For example, if you currently earn £49,000 and your pay rises with inflation, by 2031 you could be earning £54,000, meaning some of your income will be taxed at the higher rate which is applied to earnings over £50,271.
November 26, 2025 at 4:11 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
I read Forensics by Val McDermid (not one of her novels). She wrote that the combative approach of UK courts does lead to development of more robust forensic analyses.
Photo of the book "Forensics The Anatomy of Crime" by Val McDermid
November 26, 2025 at 12:57 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
If only we could harness their rage and use the wasted energy.
Grievance farmers will always rotate their crops.
November 18, 2025 at 3:41 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Hmm
Map of Clacton-on-Sea
November 16, 2025 at 1:53 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Reminded me of this
"Metalheads are nice people cosplaying as mean people, while hippies are mean people cosplaying as nice people" is the truest thing I've heard today.
November 14, 2025 at 6:55 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
The late Dawn Foster got it right.
Tweet from Dawn Foster. "I knee Wes when I was a student and he was the NUS president - always been a right wing lickspittle cunt"
November 13, 2025 at 8:15 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
You were talking about the period 2010 to 2024, but truncated at 2014. Why?
Per capita GDP (current US$) plotted from 2014 to 2024
November 10, 2025 at 1:33 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Enjoy a full morning meal.
A man being bundled into a police car.
November 4, 2025 at 7:13 AM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Wildly inaccurate commentary to write the following.
Knife Violence in Europe Stabbing deaths and injuries are more common in Europe than in the Americas. Particularly in northern Europe, where levels of knife crimes among young people have increased and made headlines. Deaths by sharp objects are especially noticeable in the 15-19 and 20-24 age groups in Northern and Western European countries. The proportion of knife deaths is about three times greater than firearm deaths in these countries for the 20-24 age group. Between 2002 and 2007, hospital admissions for assault by a knife or sharp object increased by 34%. One high-profile example of homicide by knife in Europe occurred in 2013, when a 13-year-old girl was stabbed to death in the United Kingdom. Her death sparked anti-knife campaigns throughout the U.K.
November 3, 2025 at 10:31 AM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Oh no, we can't change the rules to stop a (possible) nonce being head of state. Sorry folks, but that's the thing with a hereditary monarchy, we don't get a say in the matter.
#Republic
No plans to change line of succession - No 10 published at 14:23 14:23 Breaking Downing Street has confirmed it has no plans to introduce a law to change the line of succession. Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne and it would take an act of Parliament to formally remove him. But the prime minister's spokesperson says the government does not intend to go down that road.
October 31, 2025 at 4:35 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
No, I think there will still be Christmas.
Will Andrew's other titles disappear - and what about Christmas?
October 31, 2025 at 4:32 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Piers will be cancelling his subscription right away, and we'll all soon see a drop in his sartorial elegance.
Piers Morgan walks down the street wearing trainers, joggers, a casual top and a woollen overcoat.
October 31, 2025 at 12:50 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Prince Andrew is a sweaty nonce scrawled on a wall. Prince has been crossed out.
October 30, 2025 at 10:28 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
This is the best bike pump; it goes to 11.
Photo of the pressure dial for a bike pump. The dial reads pressure to 11 Bar.
October 22, 2025 at 3:27 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Friday
Collage of before and after faces. The ravages of cocaine, booze and speed are clear. The final pair of pictures shows two faces: glum and smiling - before and after a chippy tea.
October 10, 2025 at 6:19 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Accompany it with this one.
Graph of uk home ownership by age
October 9, 2025 at 10:39 AM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Here are the people Robert Jenrick interviewed for his video on litter in Birmingham. This was over the 90 minutes he claimed he'd seen no white faces.
Robert Jenrick interviews a white man Robert Jenrick interviews a white woman Robert Jenrick interviews a white woman Robert Jenrick interviews a white woman. Two white women are walking past in the background
October 8, 2025 at 7:59 AM
drleonblack.bsky.social
BBC asking how welcoming the USA will be when hosting the World Cup.
An athlete lights the Olympic flame during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The crowd stands by and a number of nazi banners are hung in the background.
October 6, 2025 at 6:58 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Have you a link to the source? The latest YouGov data for London shows Greens tied in second with Reform, but behind Labour.
yougov.co.uk/topics/polit...
Plot of voting intentions in London according to YouGov.
October 6, 2025 at 3:51 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
Not sure why this sprung to mind.
Brad Majors, from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, stares into space wearing a tan jacket.
October 1, 2025 at 8:34 AM
drleonblack.bsky.social
What I'm wearing for the rapture
Me, stood in the rain, wearing a black bin bag for a raincoat.
September 22, 2025 at 9:06 PM
drleonblack.bsky.social
BBC still subtly suggesting that he was left wing / Antifacist.
Screenshot from BBC website Earlier, Cox said a family member reported Robinson had become "more political" in recent years - the suspect was on an electrical apprenticeship, but was not a student at the university where the shooting happened Bullet casings were found with inscriptions, including one saying: "Hey fascist! Catch!" Another inscription seemed to be reference to a video game code
September 12, 2025 at 10:01 PM