Some reader responses to my soda query.
Reader A:
Re: “Other” … My grandparents grew up in Massachusetts, and always referred to carbonated soft drinks as “tonic.” No clue regarding “other” in the rest of the country.
Reader B:
How about “teeth-rotting, waistline-enhancing, artery-clogging, child-hyperactivity-inducing sludge”?
[Me] Thanks for writing in, Mister Mayor!