Dear Trail Staff, I write to express how unimpressed I am with Jordan Macavoy’s article “Superstitions and myths of Puget Sound” (December 13, 2013). First, the remarks about the “strange markings on the back of the sign that welcomes you as you drive onto the University grounds” are pretty offensive. These plaques were explained in the recent Spring 2013 issue of Arches, which is the second hit when you search “Alder entrance” on the university’s website. Beyond being a very easy thing to research, the meaning of them is rather...

In February, members of the City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors proposed a 2-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages including soda and energy drinks which would generate revenue for recreation and nutrition programs. City governments across America are proposing taxes on sugary beverages in the fight against obesity, but will this tax really trim the waistlines of consumers like how lawmakers imagine? These proposed taxes seek to reduce the consumption of “free sugars,” sugars processed or refined by manufacturers and animals. It is true, the World Health Organization...

By EMMA POWERS First-year orientations and mandatory Greek life seminars for the past few years have featured a new addition: education on a program called “Green Dot,” which emphasizes bystander prevention of power-based personal violence. Green Dot organizes situations into a system of both “red dots” (which represent threats and inaction in high-risk situations) and “green dots” (which represent behaviors and attitudes that promote safety for all). “A green dot is simply your individual choice at any given moment to make our campus safer,” the University’s website Green Dot page...