Gushes:

Love the cash-only “experiment” article in the newspaper. But believe it or not, a lot of people live that way their whole lives. I know loads of people who’ve never owned plastic and never will.

— Anonymous

Gripes:

Wow, postage rates went up a penny! I’ve heard more complaints about that than I’ve heard about price increases of anything we have to buy of late. America still has the cheapest rates in the world. To be able to send a letter, Christmas card, birthday or anniversary card to any of our 50 states for 45 cents sounds like a good deal to me. How would you react if you lived in Canada and had to pay $1.03 to send a letter to a relative here in the good old U.S.A.?

— Anonymous

My gripe is these people who can take the time to send out party invitations but can’t find the time to send out thank-you notes for the gift. To me this is rude and disrespectful.

— Shirley R.

I am vexed that Occupy Maine can camp in our public parks, but if, say, a private citizen wanted to do it on an evening, it wouldn’t be permitted. Why the special treatment? Protests are our right as citizens, but the laws are meant for all, not only some.

— Anonymous

My gripe is shoes. What height will they stop at? How does a woman walk on ice and snow with those 4-inch spikey heels? Is there a shoe manufacturer out there that knows how to make a stylish shoe with a one-and-a-half-inch heel?

— Anonymous

A company that says it is “family owned” doesn’t necessarily mean “family run.” I think a little bit of research by the buying public would reveal that sometimes “family owners” have nothing to do with the day-to-day operations. . . . If you want to deal with real “family run” organizations, look to . . . companies that are actually based within your own communities.

— Anonymous

People who wear pajamas in public.

— Anonymous

Gripes and Gushes offers readers a chance to chide and to cheer. Bring it on! But references to specific people, businesses, agencies, etc. will not be used, in order to keep us all out of legal trouble and to make the column general enough to appeal to all. Send your Gripes and Gushes to bmail@sunjournal.com or snail mail to Gripes and Gushes, b section, Sun Journal, 104 Park St., Lewiston ME 04243.

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