Category: Columns

  • Long term impact of using self-checkout tills!

    This week Bosco Santimano founder and executive director of social enterprise You Can Cook, shares his thoughts on humans battling with the onslaught of machines in our day to day lives; this week its self-checkout tills. It’s been a couple of decades since self-checkout machines really took off on these islands. Our two big supermarkets…

  • Potholes in the Scottish Borders

    Having moved to Peebles in 2002, self-proclaimed ‘stooriefit’ Bosco Santimano gives us his own take on what he feels is the hot topic of the day. This week it’s potholes! I recently visited my country of birth and was amazed to see some of the infrastructure projects that have been completed and some in progress.…

  • What happens to our food rights post Brexit?

    This week Bosco Santimano  shares his thoughts on the UK leaving the European Union. Finally its happened! We have officially left the European Union for “Unity, Peace and stability”. It’s taken three and a half years, three Prime Ministers and two elections to finally get to this stage. The initial process is now complete and…

  • Britain’s Very Own Darth Vader!

    Having moved to Peebles in 2002, self-proclaimed ‘stooriefit’ Bosco Santimano gives us his own take on what he feels is the hot topic of the day. This week it’s Sir Ian Duncan Smith! Recently after watching Episode III – Return of the Sith movie, from the Star Wars saga, I could not help compare the…

  • Get Back In Shape!

    It’s the end of the festive season and many are probably feeling physically and mentally exhausted, bloated and depressed. In my December column I wrote about how to avoid eating foods that are detrimental to our health during the festive season as prevention is better than cure. But for most of us it may have…

  • The Final Nail in the Coffin

    Christmas is on everyone’s mind as the season of giving and sharing begins. But for many individuals and families it’s a season of despair, poverty, foodbanks, and so much more worse. The election has proven once and for all the huge cultural divide between Scotland and England on compassionate grounds. As an organisation we have…

  • Sacred Rowan Trees Vandalised by Trustees

    Our elected  councillors who are also the trustees of the Chambers Institute have committed an act of environmental vandalism on this hallowed institution.  When they were first appointed this was what was expected of them; “Local people want the Chambers Institution to maintain and enhance its role as the cultural heart of the community and…

  • The Queen Still Rules Great Britannia!

    Having moved to Peebles in 2002, self-proclaimed ‘stooriefit’ Bosco Santimano gives us his own take on what he feels is the hot topic of the day. This week it’s sovereignty. Irrespective of the outcome of the EU negotiations, the clocks are spinning towards the breakup of the Union. Many people want to go back to…

  • The Last King Of Scotland!

    Finally, the last King of Scotland, MP David Mundell has been dethroned by the newly appointed Emperor of Great Britain, Boris Johnson. Democracy is a farce on these islands and anyone who thinks otherwise should seriously get their heads examined. David Mundell and the future crown prince Oliver Mundell, have access to more power, money…

  • Cuts! Cuts! More Cuts!

    The ruling Conservative and Unionist party along with their partners in crime(Independents) at Scottish Borders Council(SBC) are trying to emulate their counterparts at Westminister in bringing hardship and misery to majority of its residents. The Tories are good at cuts and just like a skilled butcher, can cut to the bone! The last few weeks…