Grainlike flecks of ice danced in the nightbreeze as they moved in the solemn dark, turning right on the next street and walking several more blocks until they came to the house on the corner of Pyrtania and Second.

Athletes' use of herbal supplements has skyrocketed in the past two decades. At the top of the list of popular herbs are echinacea and ginseng, whereas garlic, St. John's wort, soybean, ephedra and others are also surging in popularity or have been historically prevalent.

No delicate little tidbits at these parties; there are buckets of shrimps and oysters, roast beefs and hams and tables of sweets with smiling corporate heads and their lobbyists to greet the guests.

The chief occupation along the shore is gathering the seaweed called kombu (something like our kelp, or quite the same), which is sent in such large quantities to China; and a certain amount of fishing is also done. The kombu grows upon submarine rocks, but for drying it a wide, flat space is needed, and the houses, therefore, are placed along the sandy beaches; and almost every beach however small is occupied.