The government is trying to extract $280 billion from the tobbaco companies for 'racketeering'. Hmmm. $280 billion. Where have I heard that number before? Wasn't that about the size of some mind-boggling revenue shortfall recently? And what if said companies defaulted into bankruptcy? Wouldn't that leave the government holding our largest food companies (which the tobacco barons bought with all their ill-got gains)? And what if the government turned out to not be so good at delivering food products to the marketplace? OK, enough what-ifs. It could be quite an interesting tale when all is said and done.