The cost of education: The Subterranean Development Bill: Hair today-tattoo tomorrow: Money to burn: Man on a bicycle: More 3d street art: and Welsh toilet training.

Even colder at the castle this morn, the liquid metal in the heat gauge has buggered orf to somewhere warm and the fallic glu is so bad that I want to write double entendre’s all the time and I had to retreat to the four poster yestermorn.

As university fees reach the £9,000 mark

The knobs at the top of the educational edifices have taken advantage of all the new loot and awarded themselves nice fat pay raises.

Five vice-chancellors enjoyed increases in total pay packets of more than 20 per cent and 13 more were awarded rises of more than five per cent.

The average university head was paid £239,000, while 3,403 university staff received more than £100,000 – a six per cent rise.

The highest-paid vice-chancellor was Prof Andrew Hamilton, head of Oxford University, who earned a total package of £424,000 – a slight rise on the year before.

Prof David Eastwood, head of Birmingham University, received a seven per cent rise, taking his total pay package to £419,000.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, said: “For 2010-11, there have been very few increases across the sector, reflecting the current funding climate.

“The remuneration packages for vice-chancellors reflect what it takes to recruit and retain individuals able to run complex, multi-million pound organisations, which are operating in an increasingly competitive, global market. These packages are in line with those in competitor countries and also with heads of public and private organisations of a similar size.”

Nationally, pay packages – including salary and pension contributions – rose by only one per cent on average. But some university heads took much greater increases.

The worst offenders are:

1. Paul Curran and Julius Weinberg, City University, London - £322,000 (£239,000) - 35%

2. Graham Upton, Cumbria University - £258,938 (£196,541) - 32%

3. Paul Thompson, Royal College of Art - £224,526 (£175,000) - 28% (includes two years' pension contributions)

4. Sir Leszek Borysiewicz and Dame Alison Richard, Cambridge University - £312,000 (£249,000) - 25%

5. Ian Diamond, Aberdeen University - £335,000 (£268,000) - 25% (was only part-time for part of the year before)

Nice to see that “we are still all in this together”

Up in the posh bit of the smoke

U-Turn Cam’s father-in-law has complained of Russians who moved into his “smart street in London” and started digging an underground basement.

Viscount Astor joined peers calling for tougher regulations for basement extensions amid concerns about their effect on neighbouring properties.

The Subterranean Development Bill was given an unopposed second reading after the House of Lords heard of the damage that could be done by wealthy homeowners installing swimming pools, gyms or extra rooms below their properties.

Lord Astor, who lives in basement flat in a Belgravia townhouse “on quite a smart street in London”, said his problems started when some Russian neighbours moved in and starting excavating the basement.

 Oh dear-what a shame....

Up to Brummy land

A British company said it is opening salons across England dedicated to the tattooing the scalps of bald men to make it look like they have short hair.

Company HIS Hair, or Hair-Ink-Skin, based in Birmingham, said it is opening facilities across England to allow men who have lost their hair to give the appearance of hair growing back using a tattooing technique applying different shades of pigment to the scalp to emulate the look of a buzz cut, The Sun reported Friday.

I find that a felt tip does much the same job- is a lot cheaper and doesn’t hurt at all...

East a smidge to the land of less food

Hungary's central bank is burning old monetary notes to help the needy in Europe's deadly cold snap.

The bank is pulping wads of old notes into briquettes to help heat humanitarian organisations.

Barnabas Ferenczi, head of the bank's cash logistics centre, said: "For the central bank, corporate social responsibility is an important thing.

"That's why we thought that since we destroy approximately 40 or 50 tons of currency every year, this thing can be useful for charities that have a problem finding fuel for burning."

"Our examination showed that the heating properties of these shredded currency briquettes are similar to brown coal so they are pretty useful for heating and resolve the problem to find fuel."

It takes the equivalent of £14,000 in notes to make a single one-kilogram briquette.

Wouldn’t it be better just to give them the money?

Somewhere in the Northern hemisphere

French artist and copyeditor Guillaume Blanchet from Montreal has lived on a bicycle for over a year.  Apparently he even cooked his own food and flirted with women, while perched on the narrow bicycle seat.

Blanchet does everything on the go, and he never stops pedalling. As he rides hands-free, he is occupied with the various mundane activities of life. Numerous items make an appearance, such as frying pans, shaving kits, laptops, telephones, Rubik cubes, and even musical instruments.

If you are tired of life watch the video-but beware the music is really annoying...

Tosser.....

Right a lot to the place near Edam

Dutch artist Leon Keer is exhibiting at the latest art show RawExpo in Rotterdam from 8 February – 4 March 2011.

The harbour area and abandoned warehouse forms the backdrop for the exhibition of more than 60 sculptures and installations curated by Piet de Jonge.

The 3d painting measures 45 square meters and is made directly on the concrete.

Spiffing.

And finally:

Dahn in Welsh Wales

Bosses at Swansea University have put up signs instructing students how to use the toilets properly after some were found in a mess.

They have blamed "cultural differences" in the way that the toilets are used by foreign students.

A university spokeswoman said: "The posters were produced to help address cultural differences that were unfortunately causing damage and hygiene issues.

"Swansea University is a multi-cultural campus community and the informational posters were produced, for use in both male and female facilities.

"The information was produced in conjunction with the International College Wales Swansea and displayed in key areas around the campus.

Students....

That’s it: I’m orf to have a look at Steve Jobs FBI file and then back to the four poster.

And today’s thought:

Angus