Base jumping: The new sky-diving?

If you are on Facebook, the social-networking site, you can click here to see the profile for Bud Travel. You can even add Bud to your list of friends. More than 500 other readers already have. EARLIER Let other magazines have their so-called Hot Lists--Budget Travel's Not List is a lot more fun. It's all the trips we don't want to take, like an hour-long "mile high club" flight or a simulation of an illegal border crossing in Mexico. And who better to walk you through the 2007 Not List than our own dapper mascot, the one and only Bud Travel? See the slide show by clicking here.

We just posted about a new smoking ban going into effect in Fort Worth, Texas, on New Year's. Across the pond, Paris, France, will also go smoke-free in all public spaces, including cafés and restaurants, starting January 2, 2008. The city approached the ban in stages: it outlawed smoking in venues like schools and hospitals (!) in February of 2007, but granted a few additional, sweet months of addiction to patrons of bars, cafes, and restaurants. Time's up for Paris's legendary smoking culture with the turn of the year. I'd never suggest a trip on the basis of a change in smoking laws, and the dollar feels a little like Monopoly money right now, but I like Paris in February—and there are usually bargains to be had. A disclaimer: if you hate the cold, keep in mind that historically Paris averages a high of about 45 degrees Fahrenheit in February (7 degrees Celsius). Personally, I think that makes dropping into a smoke-free, cozy café for vin chaud all the more satisfying, but I can understand if you don't. Related discussions: Can you still afford Europe? (94 responses at 2:11pm, 12/30/07) and Dollar forecast for 2008 (25 responses at 2:14pm, 12/30/07) UPDATE, Jan. 2 Do smoking bans increase the chance you'll visit cafes and other hotspots? Post your thoughts!

The Texan city is kicking the habit for New Year's, with a stricter smoking ban taking effect in most bars, restaurants, and public areas as of January 1, 2008. Fort Worth joins a growing number of U.S. cities, states, and companies that are giving smokers the cold shoulder; the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation has compiled a detailed list. The smoking ban isn't the only change sweeping through Fort Worth, which, as I recently discovered, is mighty cosmopolitan for a place nicknamed Cowtown. Get the scoop by reading 25 Reasons We Love Fort Worth.