while (<FILE>)
    {
        next if ! /\S/;
        chomp;
        process_stuff( $_ );
    }

##</code><code>##

    while (<FILE>)
    {
        chomp if /\S/;
        process_stuff( $_ );
    }

##</code><code>##

Yours:
    $line =~ /^$/ or chomp ( $line );
Mine:
    chomp $line if $line =~ /\S/;