THIS DOESN’T SURPRISE ME: “Former smokers earn higher wages than smokers and people who have never smoked, according to new research.” I think it’s because quitting smoking takes more willpower than never smoking, as well as (obviously) not quitting smoking.

UPDATE: Rand Simberg emails with two examples: “Two cases in point: James Lileks, Rush Limbaugh.” Right. See, I’m not sure I have that much willpower, which is why I never started. I looked around and all the people I knew who smoked were trying to quit, and I figured it was a lot easier to quit before you ever had a cigarette, so I did.

Like my decision to skip the first marriage entirely and go straight to the trophy wife, this has saved me a world of grief . . . .