Blue-collar workers should retire later

If Congress decides it's necessary to raise the retirement age in order to save Social Security, I hope it doesn't forget that all jobs are not equal.

There are two kinds of workers: those who shower in the morning before they go to work, and those who go to work and shower when they come home. It's one thing to imagine having to sit behind a desk in an air-conditioned office beyond 65 in order to collect full benefits; it's quite another to imagine working at a job that requires hard labor and the sweat of one's brow beyond that age.

If the retirement age must be raised, one size does not fit all. Let there be two retirement ages: one for white-collar workers and one for the blue. It's the right thing to do.

'Drive right' to help ease traffic woes

As the recent mayoral election confirmed, traffic is the No. 1 issue facing Honolulu today. It will take much time, money and construction to get things moving. There is something our driving public can do, though, to bring improvement overnight: Drive right!

Our drivers do not seem to understand that "cruising" and slow vehicles belong in the right-hand lanes of our streets. The left lanes are for passing. If you are driving along in open traffic and are not planning on turning left soon, you should be in the right lane. If you are driving in the left lane and people are passing you on the right, it is time to move over.

Additionally, large vehicles like trucks and buses should stay out of the left lanes as they are naturally slower. What good would that do, you ask? Well, some drivers are doing the "right" thing, but when two or three of these slow vehicles meet up they create a roadblock. Traffic piles up behind these cars and eventually the problem compounds itself. While our traffic will still naturally back up, perhaps keeping the left lane open could delay the onset of the logjam and help it clear up earlier.

ABC's football intro a bigger malfunction

If CBS got fined for Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during the Superbowl halftime show, then ABC should be fined 10 times as much for its introduction to last week's Monday Night Football. Both events were contrary to the Fed's idea of decency on broadcast television, but there is a difference. ABC initiated and promoted its offense. ABC has control over the introductions to its program and clearly displayed poor taste. This is the same network that pulled a showing of "Saving Private Ryan," a highly acclaimed movie, on account of some colorful, everyday language.

On the other hand, CBS was an innocent bystander. It had inquired in advance of the Superbowl halftime performance by Jackson whether or not there was anything indecent in her performance and was advised there was nothing. Further, they are reported to have observed rehearsals and no wardrobe malfunctions were included.

ABC is clearly guilty of violating the code while CBS appears to have been unfairly fined. So fine ABC big bucks. CBS, if they paid a fine, should seek reimbursement from the FCC or, failing that, sue Janet Jackson for damages.

Why warn insurgents of Fallujah attack?

I'm not a general in the army, neither am I a member of the CIA or MI5, but my intelligence is dumbfounded.

One week prior to a major offensive on Fallujah, where all the car-bomb maniacs, insurgents and beheaders lurk in dark alleyways, we drop leaflets informing them of our intentions, spread the news all over TV and newspapers, and ultimately stage the well-planned barrage of troops, tanks, air cover and armored Hummers.

They discover the room where the beheadings took place, but where are all the perpetrators? Does the superlative intelligence of the U.S. generals and warfare planners think these maniacs are totally deaf and dumb? I would like to know the true meaning of a surprise attack.