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To Gustavus Adolphus College for its consideration of the innovative idea of eventually building senior citizen housing on its campus.

The college has been researching the idea and while there are no immediate plans to construct such housing, Gustavus is taking the next step by studying a potential market of alumni who live within 100 miles of St. Peter.

Building senior housing on college campuses is a growing trend and offers numerous benefits for colleges and residents.

The college can benefit from the income these housing projects bring and the diversity this group of citizens can bring to the learning environment.

In a project in Michigan and elsewhere seniors like the campus atmosphere, can take classes and use exercise facilities. Students can benefit by using the insights and experience of these older residents to add to the depth of a term paper, for example, or compile oral histories. The campus housing option appeals to many senior citizens, especially those who may have been students at given campuses at one time during their life.

These housing projects are win-win situations and help bridge a generation gap through positive educational venues.

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To the federal government for allowing the continued use of methyl bromide, a dangerous pesticide.

The United States signed an international treaty banning its use for all but the most critical uses by this year. But the pesticide is being used as much or more than ever in the United States.

Rather than enforce the ban, the administration is using a loophole in the treaty and making the pesticide available for at least several more years. That means other nations will also continue using it.

The fumigant is highly effective against pests on a variety of crops, from strawberries to Christmas trees. It’s also deadly to farm workers and nearby residents who inhale too much of it. The long-term health effects from eating food sprayed with the pesticide is still inconclusive. Methyl bromide is odorless and tasteless.

Pesticides are necessary to provide an adequate food supply. But alternatives must be used for the most dangerous pesticides, even if it means food costs rise.

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To the Transportation Security Agency for its recent reprioritizing of its duties to focus more on potential explosives and other items and worry less about screwdrivers and scissors.

The agency has proposed that passengers be allowed to once again carry scissors 4 inches or less in length and small tools like screwdrivers that are 7 inches or less. Box cutters and small knives will still be banned.

The agency said its rules, which take effect Dec. 22, would allow it to spend more of its time searching for explosives rather than worrying about small items that carry little risk.

The only scary thing about the new plan is that it took four years to figure out how to prioritize the work of airline security personnel.

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To Hormel of Austin for being offended by a CD made to benefit charity that used a SPAM likeness on its label.

This is from a company that has an entire museum that highlights the quirky canned ham product. The CD is called “Phone Scams Volume 7” and contains prank phone calls and other antics from radio station WKQI-FM’s morning show. On the cover was the SPAM can illustration, with the P replaced by a C for SCAM.

The company knows that the sale of the CD goes toward charity, but said it had an obligation to protect its trademark. The radio station had to doctor up the 7,000 labels by hand to avoid a lawsuit.

SPAM has become a pop culture icon. The company shouldn’t be so prickly about some harmless fun that was ultimately for a good cause.

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To a Mankato woman who has donated her Barbie Doll collection to Toys for Tots. A lot of people are making generous donations to the program — including Notre Dame Elementary third-graders Amelia Michels and Alexxys Clow who forfeited birthday party gifts for toy donations.

Terri Santee’s contribution has caught extra attention because she is thinking of others despite having a terribly tragic time herself. Suffering from cancer, she lost her husband in a fatal crash just four days after starting chemotherapy. New to the area, she has battled her illness alone, except for her dog, Bear, who is having surgery Tuesday.

Santee’s generosity is noteworthy in a time when giving can take a back seat to lots of hustle and bustle.