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    while (<FILE>)
    {
...
        chomp;
        process_stuff( $_ );
    }

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

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