Gushes:

National Geographic had a lovely article on the U.S. Postal Service now re-allowing coconuts to be mailed (write the address and put the stamp on the surface). Good for them! It was once forbidden. It also noted that pumpkins, driftwood, flip-flops, messages in sand-filled bottles all can be mailed via coconut method.

— Anonymous

Gripes:

What to do with Bates Mill #5? The Bates factory under Fred Lebel closed in January 2001 and here we are 11 years later still talking about what to do with this building. It’s year after year and nothing gets done. Enough already!

And Lebel was only using 10 percent of #5.

— Anonymous

Why should prisoners in jail . . . exercise on equipment furnished by the taxpayer. These guys have little to do in jail, except to get stronger and be better able to fight when they get out, be it against the police or anyone else. It appears prisoners have everything in jail except their freedom outside, be it basketball, weights, etc. I thought when a person goes to jail, it was for punishment.

— Anonymous

One-ring telephone calls!

— Anonymous

My gripe is with stores that charge to cash a money order that was sold by them, and paid for in the beginning, but then they charge me $3 to cash it. I’m not buying any more there.

— Anonymous

The political calls never end. The worst is the one “Hey, it’s me . . .” I can certainly make my own decisions and contact any campaign with any queries at a later date. Ignoring the fluff and doing real research are what make smart voting.

— 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.