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Leon Black

@drleonblack.bsky.social
1.3K followers 1.6K following 1.9K 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.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Leon Black
Sean Casten @seancasten.bsky.social · 8h
Anyone who refers to Donald Trump as “President” and not by the highly accepted newer and more accurate term “Convicted Felon and Adjudicated Rapist” is THE ENEMY.
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Micah @rincewind.run · 6h
the reason “AI will create so much abundance we will have a utopian society” rhetoric falls so flat is that the people building it will never, ever share their bounty unless it is taken from them and we all know it
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Gianmarco Soresi @gianmarcosoresi.bsky.social · 8h
Man who won’t give his employees piss breaks claims many piss breaks on the horizon
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D.Moore @d-moore.bsky.social · 7h
The amount of people sitting in properties way below the threshold that think Labour are coming to take their family home is huge. Out of fear they'll vote for a Tory/Reform pact & lose everything to a medical bill.
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🎃👻🧙‍♀️ Vio the VVitch 🧙‍♀️👻🎃 @viothevvitch.myatproto.social · 13h
this is so fucking sad
Alvin Sng 0 @alvinsng My wife: Can you read our baby a book?
Follow
Me: Icanjust play an audiobook from my phone.
My wife: But then it won't be in your voic e.
Me:| can train a voice model.
Parenting hits different when you workin Al.
8:30 AM .07 Oct 26 . 816K Views
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Leonardo Carella @leonardocarella.bsky.social · 12h
In other words, a 10 percent contraction in one of Britain’s most successful exports. If it were steel or fish or other infinitely less profitable sectors, people would be having a meltdown.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 16h
When people say the Conservatives play politics on easy mode this is what it means
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 12h
They want white flour to be as natural as possible. WHITE FLOUR!
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 13h
It happened with critical minerals, e.g. dysprosium. I can't remember where I found this figure and can't find it online now.
Figures showing China's dominance of dysprosium production and a corresponding increase in price as other countries ceased production.
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Leonardo Carella @leonardocarella.bsky.social · 14h
A factoid: the leaders of 7 out of the 8 largest Westminster parties have been elected under non-FPTP systems: Burnham (SV), Badenoch (MMP), Flynn (STV), Farage (CLPR), Robinson (STV), Polanski (MMP), ap Iorwerth (MMP). The only party whose leader has no experience outside FPTP is... the Lib Dems.
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Kate from Kharkiv @kateinkharkiv.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Trump: "Today is Vladimir Putin's birthday. I'm sure you're going to celebrate it. Are you going to celebrate his birthday? I have a call set up." What the hell is wrong with you?! Celebrate? You sure? The birthday of a butcher responsible for murdering 25 people in Ukraine today?
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On This Day in Simpsons History @dailysimpsons.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
33 years ago today, Sideshow Bob first met his old archenemy: Rakes. #TheSimpsons episode “Cape Feare” first aired October 7, 1993.
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Wulfhelm @wulfhelm.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Torquay. Devon, England. #VisitBritain
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Anonymous @youranoncentral.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
France hit by the same US, Israel, Russia disinformation network seen attacking Spain and Canada. In all instances networks related to the AfD and South American right wing parties have followed in the 2nd and 3rd wave of disinfo and manipulation, these are tied to the US / Trump too.
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Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
I see Reform UK's internal inquiry has cleared their internal people.
static.klipy.com
Security Guard Greets People
ALT: Security Guard Greets People
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Matt Binder @mattbinder.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
the tech industry is about to invent books
Andrew Yeung 
@andruyeung
X.com
We created gyms because modern day work no
longer required physical activity. Without exercise,
our muscles atrophy.
I predict we'll need gyms for our brains too, once Al
starts doing our knowledge work.
10:53 PM • 10/4/26 • 1.3M Views
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
From the new Private Eye
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Can we moan about Barnes playing his last game for England the year before Kemi moved here?
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Yes. That's why we have bananas.
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BUCKERS @deathofbuckley.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Andy Burnham when someone says the don't like The Smiths x
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I Am Incorrigible @imincorrigible.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Agree it's a good thing, but Braverman first said this in the Telegraph in Feb 2025, as a sitting Tory MP. I can't find any objection from Cleverly, Rees-Mogg or Zahawi at the time. Sadly, the line under racism only got drawn once she'd defected to Reform.
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Sorry, but is buttering both pieces of bread in a sandwich not a thing for some people? Who the hell does that?
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
+1
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Matt Binder @mattbinder.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
can’t think of a better example of AI being mostly a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist also it can’t help when this is your user base
nic carter o
@nic_carter
X.com
this is about me and i'm not sorry! i don't have time
to autistically read forums and random team news
or whatever.
i'm sure spending hours and hours running your
fantasy team is a good ROI if you're unemployed but
some of us have jobs
also my team is stacked so that's another point in
the Al columnAndrew Weiner • @DickeyNate • 18h
What's the point if playing fantasy football if
you're just going to automate it

nic carter
@nic_carter • 17h
there's no point to fantasy football, it's grown ass
men pretending to draft NFL players

OpenWindowManiac @Cit_rusK •17h
Then just don't do it?

nic carter *
@nic_carter
X.com
social obligation
8:41 PM • 10/5/26 • 880 Views
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Margaret Morgan 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇦🇺 @margaretmorgan.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
From @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social, an accurate obit of the vile Jeffrey Archer. He was utter scum. "Archer’s whole career was an exercise in selling piss but the obits are straining to persuade us that it was champagne." brokenbottleboy.substack.com/p/here-lies-...
brokenbottleboy.substack.com
Here lies Jeffrey Archer
The death of one of Britain’s most infamous liars brings back memories of Monica Coghlan.
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Disappointed Optimist @disappoptimism.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Just watched an SME owner declare because he “took all the chances of setting up my own business I’m entitled to not declare my income or pay tax like other people” in the kind of bold way you only expect from criminals.
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Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives @darrencullen.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends towards Jeremy Clarkson spending decades denying global warming only to sink his fortune into a farm just as global warming really starts to kick in
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Then I have at least 4 vintage suits.
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
please tell me that you missed out a hyphen.
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Stephen Graham @stephengraham.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Sometimes I think we were too harsh on the last Tory government for wanting to sell Channel 4 off.
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
missiles, not drones - and there are plenty of missiles with this range. (It's still a stupid idea, though).
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
static.klipy.com
Casablanca: I'm Shocked! Bogart & Renault
ALT: Casablanca: I'm Shocked! Bogart & Renault
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The utter shamelessness of Kemi Badenoch boasting at Conservative party conference about 'defending press freedom' and berating Reform for banning critical journalists from their conference, just days after banning Byline Times journalists from her own
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Ian Martin @ianmartin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
As ever, and for the last time in connection with lying shit Jeffrey Archer, we remember Monica Coghlan, whose life he destroyed.
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Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Politico: "CCHQ is working to a strategy aimed at appealing to the center, then hoovering up right-wing support to kill off Reform...The plan centers first on winning back middle class Lib Dem & Labour voters" They're starting that by...pledging to abolish Natural England and the Environment Agency
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Just the dumbest collection of halfwit confetti emerging out of that conference. Tax cuts everywhere, paid for with imaginary spending cuts. Huge spending projects with precisely zero utility, except to anchor their 'defence day' narrative. Clowns.
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Gareth0108 @gareth0108.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
forty years of the same answer to the wrong question by politicians sigh
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David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Today I think I might finally unlock economic growth by doing the same things that haven't worked for 18 years.
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Monica Coughlan used to shop at Principles in Rochdale. Jeffrey Archer was never knowingly near any principles.
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The hagiography on ITV this morning was sickening.
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Stephen Graham @stephengraham.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I had this bit about Jeffrey Archer from the 1995 HIGNFY video memorised for whenever I needed a handy fact about him.
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Brings back so many memories (Mr Gumbley, Caldershaw Primary, 1980 - this is aimed at you, you c*nt). As a 6 foot tall 9-year-old I hated football teams being picked like that.
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
This is mine. I ended up a member of the Showaddywaddy fan club. Unfortunately, it's a bit like herpes in that it's a bit embarrassing and with you for life.
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Leon Black @drleonblack.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
TBF, I don't think that there's been much thinking.
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Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
On the main stage at Conservative conference, the shadow transport team is discussing how to “counter” things like 20mph zones and bus lanes. The war on the motorist lives.
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Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
These are Moylan’s full comments on floating bus stop bike lanes. This is the sort of transport policy almost every other European nation would find deeply weird.
“People who haven't seen a floating bus stop might think it's got nothing to do with them and they're safe. But I can promise you, the zealots behind these bike schemes are coming for you. 
“So you will get a floating bus stop if you don't have a Conservative government, because we are going to put an end to them. 
“These are bus stops, basically where the cycle lane sits between the pavement and the boarding area for the bus. So to get to the bus stop when the bus comes, you have to cross over the cycle lane. 
“Of course, the cyclists are all meant beautifully to stop for pedestrians across, especially for blind pedestrians who are crossing. They never do. There are horrendous videos of cyclists racing through them. “Now we've announced that we are going to put an end to these. It'll take little time. We'll get rid of the most egregious ones immediately. 
“We'll prevent any new ones coming along, and we'll design out the others as they go on, because they are hated by people, especially by the blind, by pedestrians, by elderly, by anyone who just does not want to have to think about a crazed bicycle coming at them at high speed, when all they want to do is get on the bus.”
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Brynley Heaven @brynleyheaven.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The Conservaive Party today promise to abolish floating bus stops ..
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James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The pitch here seems to be, ‘we’ll build the houses and infrastructure we failed to build during the 14 years we were in government, but we’ll do it in the most damaging and lowest quality way possible’. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Tories to pledge to scrap Environment Agency and Natural England
Shadow chancellor will also promise to scrap affordable homes regulations as part of strategy to refocus on growth
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Peter Murphy @peterwmurphy1.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The UK Daily Mail obviously did not like the results of its own poll. Its own graphic portrays 75% as less than 50%. #UKPolitics #Brexit #EuropeanUnion
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Peter O’Hanraha-hanrahan @peterohanrahah.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I've added the Brexit departure to a BBC chart of boat crossings. They're reporting more racist thug unrest, although they call it a "protest". Considering Pharage was the loudest cheerleader for Brexit, the levels of boat crossing are on him more than anyone.
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