Jay Peak bombshell

[thetrailboss]

I didn't know that was a 21st century thing.

What would you ballpark the odds are of a fairly smart guy/gal spending a few thousand dollars on books, investing some time, and passing the bar DIY-style; pretty low?

A relatively small number of folks do it, but they generally pass. That is because these folks generally do one year of law school then go on to do an apprenticeship with a lawyer in order to cover the areas that are tested. There was a recent Vermont Supreme Court Justice who was admitted this way. The big problem: the license is not really transferrable to another state because the wide majority of states (48 I think) require a J.D. to take the bar or be admitted.

That aside, a special prosecutor would be a good idea but you are correct that I don't know if there has been one before or they know what to do. There is a new AG which is good because the last one left much to be desired. The Governor is spot on: Vermont's credibility is completely shot.

 

[VTKilarney]

We are getting far astray here, but I just wanted to point out that a law office study bar license is portable to NH and ME. Those states have special reciprocity agreements with VT.

 

[BenedictGomez]

That aside, a special prosecutor would be a good idea but you are correct that I don't know if there has been one before or they know what to do. There is a new AG which is good because the last one left much to be desired. The Governor is spot on: Vermont's credibility is completely shot.

Wasn't it already though? I think IL, NJ, CA, and VT are understood to be some of the most corrupt states in America.

This Jay Peak EB-5 situation is become such a widely understood joke that I think they 100% need a special prosecutor. When even the typical dumb, fat, happy, uninformed resident has learned what's going on, government has a "problem", and typically the only time government really cares about something, is when it's the government itself that has said problem. So it wouldn't shock me if an independent investigation gets underway.

My question then would be, in a place like Vermont, would the independent investigation really be honest and independent, or a shill for Vermont's government?

 

[mbedle]

Wasn't it already though? I think IL, NJ, CA, and VT are understood to be some of the most corrupt states in America.

This Jay Peak EB-5 situation is become such a widely understood joke that I think they 100% need a special prosecutor. When even the typical dumb, fat, happy, uninformed resident has learned what's going on, government has a "problem", and typically the only time government really cares about something, is when it's the government itself that has said problem. So it wouldn't shock me if an independent investigation gets underway.

My question then would be, in a place like Vermont, would the independent investigation really be honest and independent, or a shill for Vermont's government?

You got IL right, but based on convictions of public officials from 1976 - 2008, NJ, CA and VT are not in the top 10 most corrupt states. In fact, VT falls in the bottom 8. That was based on a Forbes' article. A couple of other studies also place VT pretty low on the list.

Based on what Sethi got for his $160 million EB-5 fraud case, it doesn't look like Quiros is going to be sent to jail for a really long time. Sethi was convicted back in May to only 3 years in prison, 9 million in restitution.

 

[VTKilarney]

Does the Forbes article use a per capita rating?

 

[mbedle]

Does the Forbes article use a per capita rating?

On a per capital bases, Vermont ranks No. 42, still in the lowest 10.

 

[BenedictGomez]

You got IL right, but based on convictions of public officials from 1976 - 2008, NJ, CA and VT are not in the top 10 most corrupt states. In fact, VT falls in the bottom 8. That was based on a Forbes' article. A couple of other studies also place VT pretty low on the list.

I don't consider "convictions of public officials" to be a good basis of state corruption. In fact, intuitively I would think that would be quite the opposite. God knows we are teeming with politicians who should be in jail, yet somehow never seem to make it there. We'll see if Senator Menendez goes to jail. Caught red-handed, I bet he either gets off or gets some light 2-year sentence in a country club.

 

[benski]

I don't consider "convictions of public officials" to be a good basis of state corruption. In fact, intuitively I would think that would be quite the opposite. God knows we are teeming with politicians who should be in jail, yet somehow never seem to make it there. We'll see if Senator Menendez goes to jail. Caught red-handed, I bet he either gets off or gets some light 2-year sentence in a country club.

What do you want to use? how much you disagree with there political idea.

 

[mbedle]

What do you want to use? how much you disagree with there political idea.

LOL - that was good one...

 

[JPTracker]

Was up at Jay this weekend and noticed a few improvements going on:

They are in the process of taking the communication lines for the Flyer off the towers and putting them underground to make the Flyer more reliable. This is a significant project since it requires burying a conduit the entire length of the flyer.

The lower bullwhell is missing off the Jet. Presumably to have the main bearing replaced.

The have added snow-making to the trail that cuts across from lower angles wiggle to the jet. This should eliminate the mud walk for late season skiing.

I guess the receiver is trying to get Jay in top shape for a sale.

 

[fbrissette]

Have also heard that they want to be more agressive with opening and closing dates.

 

[Jully]

Have also heard that they want to be more agressive with opening and closing dates.

Closing dates you say? That could be interesting!

 

[Jcb890]

Have also heard that they want to be more agressive with opening and closing dates.

How about being more aggressive with actually running the lifts on a daily basis? It doesn't matter if they're open 365 days a year and not spinning the lifts.

 

[BenedictGomez]

What do you want to use? how much you disagree with there political idea.

Nothing. I don't see how or why you'd quantify or need to quantify something like that.

I think people have a general sense of whether a state is corrupt or not. Unless you want to make the statement that government in itself is inherently corrupt, which is fine, but there are different levels of that. But with whatever metrics you do or do not use, I can assure people, that any "survey" or "list" that doesn't place New Jersey high on the political corruption list is even less valid than ski lists that rank Holiday Valley a top-5 ski destination.

 

[BenedictGomez]

How about being more aggressive with actually running the lifts on a daily basis? It doesn't matter if they're open 365 days a year and not spinning the lifts.

LOL. There's some anger in that zinger. Sounds like someone's annoyed by phantom wind holds.

 

[thetrailboss]

LOL. There's some anger in that zinger. Sounds like someone's annoyed by phantom wind holds.

Those money, err, wind holds are still an issue? No surprise at all.

 

[dlague]

Well they already have season pass holders money, then on the weekdays not many lift ticket purchasers equals wind hold.

 

[the_awesome]

Well they already have season pass holders money, then on the weekdays not many lift ticket purchasers equals wind hold.

This ends up driving away guests in the long run, especially as word gets spread. I take a 1 or 2 VT (northern) trips a season with a group of friends midweek and usually stay near/in the NEK to hit Jay, then the bush and smuggs (WM coupons)...the last 2 years the tram never ran once and the flyer was closed 90+% of the time, it's both frustrating and ridiculous...will skip it for Stowe this year.

 

[thetrailboss]

This ends up driving away guests in the long run, especially as word gets spread. I take a 1 or 2 VT (northern) trips a season with a group of friends midweek and usually stay near/in the NEK to hit Jay, then the bush and smuggs (WM coupons)...the last 2 years the tram never ran once and the flyer was closed 90+% of the time, it's both frustrating and ridiculous...will skip it for Stowe this year.

Funny. They have been doing those windholds for years. Granted, Jay gets A LOT of bad weather and wind. And FWIW Sugarbush had a tendency to have a lot of windholds as well.

 

[Jcb890]

LOL. There's some anger in that zinger. Sounds like someone's annoyed by phantom wind holds.

I'm pretty much done going to Jay unless they change the way they operate. I understand not running lifts when it isn't safe and I understand why mountains don't run lifts sometimes... but Jay seems to be the one place that will decide to operate the Tram or not based on visitors and money. It is a shame because they have great terrain and some of the best snow conditions in New England usually.

Those money, err, wind holds are still an issue? No surprise at all.

Sadly, yes.

Well they already have season pass holders money, then on the weekdays not many lift ticket purchasers equals wind hold.

Unfortunately this seems to be true.

This ends up driving away guests in the long run, especially as word gets spread. I take a 1 or 2 VT (northern) trips a season with a group of friends midweek and usually stay near/in the NEK to hit Jay, then the bush and smuggs (WM coupons)...the last 2 years the tram never ran once and the flyer was closed 90+% of the time, it's both frustrating and ridiculous...will skip it for Stowe this year.

Well, there's you and your group of friends and me in just this thread. I have a group of 2 friends I normally meet for a long weekend up at Jay also... I pushed them to do Sugarloaf this past season and this season I think Jay will be off the list. One of them drives up all the way from Virginia and will spend the week up at Jay, but even he cut his trip short last year leaving a day early. I only wound up going up for 2 days, but they were up at Jay the whole week leading up to Christmas and the Tram was still broken from the off-season or whatever. It was supposed to be fixed the week prior, then every day they'd ask someone at Jay when it would be done and hear "hopefully tomorrow" until finally on Wednesday someone told the truth, that they were aiming to have the Tram fixed and running for the weekend and Christmas crowd.

I would have to imagine we aren't the only ones who feel this way. When we were there they also refused to run Flyer last year. For what? If the Tram isn't going to run, the Flyer should run. If Jay was like 30 minutes or an hour away, I could see going and being content riding the terrain off The Jet all day. But, for a 4 or 4.5 hour drive each way which often involves a hotel room as well? Not a chance.