Shocker

I gave a talk recently about Richard Crooks, saying he had developed throat cancer, which shortened his career--someone asked me, did he smoke? I said I didn't know--but you could get throat cancer without smoking--someone else said that a singer would never risk smoking--

But...at one time, smoking was considered not unhealthy--thanks to the propaganda put out by the tobacco companies--"not a cough in the carload!" was one ad, quoting doctors--

now i've just read that Enrico Caruso was a chain smoker--and he sometimes left the stage during a performance to get a drag!

proving once again that people will do the irrational--despite the views of many economists--