In 1910, Vancouver became the first large city to cease collecting any taxes on buildings and movable property. Municipal revenue was instead based exclusively on the value of land. ... By 1914, approximately two-thirds of cities in British Columbia, all of Alberta, and one-fourth in Saskatchewan taxed land alone. Most of the remainder of the region taxed land at a higher rate than improvements. #

Land value taxation spread like wildfire throughout Western Canada as a consensus emerged that it spurred development. In this rapidly developing region, where municipalities were competing for population and investment, the pressure to adopt a more efficient basis of taxation was irresistible. #

"reduce the relative tax load on vacant land and single-family dwelling groups but would increase the tax load on apartments, industrial and commercial groups” (VCC Minutes 1969). #

1. The Refectory Restaurant & Wine Shop: This fine-dining establishment is renowned for its elegant ambiance and gourmet French cuisine. The Refectory offers an extensive wine list and a menu featuring dishes prepared with meticulous attention to detail. Its historic setting, impeccable service, and romantic atmosphere make it a standout choice for special occasions.
2. North Market: While not a single restaurant, the North Market is a must-visit culinary destination. It houses numerous vendors offering a wide range of international cuisines, artisanal products, and fresh ingredients. You can explore diverse options, from Japanese sushi to Mexican street food, all under one roof. The communal dining area and vibrant atmosphere make it a gathering place for food enthusiasts.
3. Lindey's: Located in the German Village neighborhood, Lindey's is celebrated for its classic American cuisine and upscale yet inviting ambiance. Its menu features a fusion of traditional and contemporary dishes prepared with seasonal ingredients. Lindey's charming patio and exceptional service contribute to its reputation as a go-to spot for brunch, lunch, or dinner.
4. Watershed Kitchen & Bar: This farm-to-table restaurant focuses on locally sourced ingredients and offers a menu inspired by Midwestern flavors. Watershed Kitchen & Bar is known for its innovative cocktails, creative dishes, and warm, welcoming atmosphere. They also have a distillery on-site, producing their own spirits, which adds to the unique experience.
5. The Top Steakhouse: A beloved Columbus institution, The Top Steakhouse is renowned for its classic steakhouse fare and timeless ambiance. This retro-style restaurant features dark wood paneling, leather booths, and a dimly lit atmosphere, reminiscent of the golden era of steakhouses. The Top Steakhouse consistently delivers high-quality steaks and seafood, making it a go-to spot for meat lovers.
6. Momo Ghar: For a taste of authentic Nepalese and Tibetan cuisine, Momo Ghar is a hidden gem. Located within the Saraga International Grocery Store, this small eatery is known for its momos, which are dumplings filled with various meats or vegetables. Momo Ghar's vibrant flavors and affordable prices have made it a favorite among locals seeking a unique and satisfying culinary experience.

• I had dropped out of undergrad after my first semester, when my GPA was literally 0.9 (I actually withdrew partway into the second semester so got a bunch of "W"s as well--but thank goodness I did or my GPA would have been totally irretrievable).
• About 3 years later, I got involved in politics and decided I wanted to go to law school. Went back and finished my undergrad, 2017-2020. Picked an easy major at the advice of a law prof I knew (god bless her for that advice) and got all A's and a lot of A+'s which weighted my GPA enough to get me back in the game. (I know folks have ~opinions~ on this strategy, but I was also working full time and overcoming that 0.9, so I don't feel bad about it.)
• Graduated in 2020 with highest honors
• Spent the terrible summer of 2020 self-studying for the LSAT: I used a Kaplan book and paid $100 for the unlimited practice tests. Studied 15-20 hours/week for about 10 weeks; took the August 2020 LSAT Flex (3 sections, remote proctored--which was super creepy). Got a 174 and didn't look back! I'm super glad I buckled down and focused and didn't have to take it more than once: everyone is different, but overall I'd recommend this over half-assed studying for longer...just rip off the bandaid.
• I was originally going to apply for 2022 matriculation, so I contacted my academic references in 2020 to establish that they would be willing to submit a LOR for me the next year: this was really key because I ended up waiting to apply, and it would have def been harder to get those LORs if I'd waited to ask/they forgot about me.
• Decided to wait another year to apply b/c I love my job and also wanted to save more money. Spent the time getting promoted a couple times and winning some awards to beef up my app. Applying slowly (having my LSAT done for years before applying) was actually a huge stress reliever and I definitely made apps more feasible while working FT.
• Started working on my PS/DS in spring/summer 2022. I wrapped my journey through trauma/abuse into both of them, but tried to not "trauma dump." I def recommend having a variety of friends read these, esp. if you have tough stuff to read, because you want to disclose enough the reader knows what you've overcome but not too much...
• Finalized professional LORs in spring 2022.
• Applied October 2022 to all schools, following 8 weeks of spending 20 hours/week on essays (in retrospect I should have done more for my essays earlier! It was seriously way more intense and grueling than I expected. I spent probably 40 hours on my PS, conservatively).
• Essays submitted: PS and DS for all (DS by other names for some, but same idea). Submitted GPA addendum for all schools and a separate statement for schools that asked specifically about academic probation. Used the same PS for all schools including Berk (it was 3 pages). Didn't submit a "why X" to any schools. For SLS, submitted the library essay and teaching essay.

• A: SLS ($$$$ - need-based), Penn ($$+), Berkeley ($$$$ - PI), UVA ($$$), Cornell ($+), NU ($), WashU ($$$+), UT ($$$) (withdrawn from all except SLS)
• WL: YLS, Columbia, NYU, GULC (withdrawn from all)
• R: Harvard (no KJ1)

• Grew up very poor with a single dad and my mom wasn't involved. Dad was very abusive (physically, emotionally). Parents were blue collar but my dad's parents had gone to college (most schools considered this FG, though not Penn--read the fine print.)
• Went to a very good public high school that gave me a solid academic background as well as exposure to wealthy people and academics: this made a big difference in seeing how life could be.
• Went to flagship state school, declared STEM major the first time around. Had a lot of PTSD and trouble handling my trauma, which led to failing everything my first semester.
• Dropped out, started working in the restaurant industry. Worked 60+ hours/week to save money and support my own deadbeat husband and his brother (got married at 19; divorced at 23).
• We organized a union at the restaurant and I was a leader, helped negotiate the contract, and was a union steward. Got involved in local politics from this and found out I'm really good at organizing/politics. Volunteered heavily in politics for several years before getting a paid campaign job (county council race). Got a better campaign job (county commissioner) that parlayed into government work. Worked my way up in local gov to be the top non-elected position in county gov. Established reputation as lead political consultant in local/state politics.
• This work/volunteer experience put me in contact with people who have been incredible mentors to me and given me opportunities I wouldn't have been able to imagine just a few years ago. This includes: political leaders, elected officials, law school professors, partners at major law firms, etc. This also gave me a really well-rounded idea of what I could do as an attorney and a lot of people who I could ask questions off/learn about the profession. I cannot over-stress how life changing this has been: I wouldn't have even applied to schools like SLS without their encouragement and logistical support. As a FGLI person, I realize what a HUGE privilege this is. I have turned this around into being a mentoLOR writer for a lot of young people, esp. FGLI ones, women, and BIPOC, and their successes give me so much joy.

• I had committed/deposited to UVA when I got the SLS response (late April). Even before I got fin aid info, I knew it would be hard to turn down, and then with fin aid it was a no brainer. I'll add that I am pretty debt averse but my mentors really pushed me to accept at SLS regardless of what the cost was going to be. I think it's good to be debt averse, but I also think there's a time to take a risk; risk aversion can be a trauma response (it is for me), and having mentors who could see the bigger picture (i.e. opportunities SLS will give me) has been a really helpful perspective.
• This is NOT a "I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and you can too" story. Yes, I have worked very hard, but I have also been super lucky (right place, right time). In LSAT terms, hard work is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for my successes: many other people work just as hard but don't get a break like this, and I realize the randomization in life and law school admissions. As my sister put it "You did the work of standing in line to buy a lottery ticket, and you got a winning ticket."
• I also have a lot of privilege despite being FGLI: white, cis/het, able-bodied, well spoken by rich/white standards (no accent, good grammar). It's gross, but I know that people who are BIPOC, LGBTQIA2+, fat, disabled, or speak with an accent are judged more harshly; and I want to acknowledge my "palatability" even when I'm the youngest/poorest/least educated/only woman in the room.
• Fuck the LSAC. I paid thousands of dollars (app fees, LSAT, practice tests), etc., because I made too much for the waivers but not enough to be able to afford that comfortably. Barriers like costs, applying for waivers, etc. only serve to make a private company money and hold back poor people. I am grateful for mentors who urged me to suck it up and spend more on apps for better odds at acceptance/$$$ (and for being able to afford that).
• I have a really hard time allowing myself to feel proud of myself (in general), but I am proud of myself for this.

1. Black Sabbath - Die Young
2. Metallica - Hardwired
3. Motörhead - Damage Case
4. Hypocrisy - Chemical Whore
5. Sodom - Napalm In the Morning
6. Laibach -Das Spiel ist aus
7. Billie Eilish - No Time to Die
8. David Bowie- I'm Deranged
9. Jack White - Fear of the Dawn
10. Johnny Cash - Cocaine Blues

1. The Homogeny of the Character Designs: As far as I can tell, characters are only distinguished by hair and stockins if they're female, and just hair if they're male, with a few exceptions being the student council and delinquents. This makes finding myself a certain student difficult. In mission mode, I often find myself only picking targets with long, distinct hair such as as Midori Gurin or Osana, or club leaders where finding them at their club eventually is a given. I find distinguishing between student with short hair difficult when I'm meant to be stalking them from behind. Yandere Vision helps a little but it feels rather janky and immersion breaking. One thing I will applaud is the SC wearing white, I can distinguish them easily, as well as the science club member's labcoats. This is also why I usually play with one of the non default uniforms, so the white is more easily contrasted. I think more height differences and back accessories like backpacks would help me pick out students better. Or if your target could be highlighted even in normal vision.
   
2. School Atmosphere: When school atmosphere gets lower and the colors get desaturated, I struggle. It's made me realize how much I rely on color and value to distinguish things from one another (along with other points mentioned like the SC being easiest for me to spot). It's currently difficult to not lower the atmosphere if you want to engage with the gameplay systems we have. If there's some setting to get rid of the desaturation+shadows some soul please let me know, as I find myself straining to play on the slightest school atmosphere decrease, let alone the more drastic ones.
   
3. The Graphics Settings Resetting: When I play, I need to turn off bloom every single time. I need a very specific level of brightness when I do anything, too bright and I can't distinguish well, too dim and I also can't. I also usually turn off depth of field if my laptop is being nice and deciding to render things decently. The thing is, every time I load a new mission or reload a save, the settings reset. Needing to put my preferred settings back every time is really tedious! I hope there is eventually some sort of lock put in place so I don't need to keep doing this.