SMOKING IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY

Who woulda guessed that banning smoking in bars might stop smokers from going to bars? Strange, but at least 100 pubs in Northern Ireland have been forced to close since the smoking ban came into effect last year and another 100 face bankruptcy in the near future. "The much-promoted view that non-smokers would be rushing to premises has not materialised,” explained the chief executive of a trade council which represents 1,100 of Ireland’s pubs, hotels and restaurants. (BBC)