I'm a voluntaryist, originally from Mass, now living in Colorado. I love the idea of the FSP, I haven't signed up yet, but I'm totally on board to move. It's really only a matter of getting my lady on board with me. I'm thinking of moving to Nashua for the geographical convenience of roughly equal proximity to Boston (where all my old friends and family are), and Keene (where I hope some of you wonderful people will become my new liberty-friends 
).
So I'm wondering what yalls' opinion of Nashua is. Is there reasonably priced housing? Is there a good liberty-minded crowd there? Is there a decent job market (I don't mind commuting)? Are people there nice? Are there decent skateparks in the area? Anything else I should know?
On freekeene.com, I noticed this in the '130 reasons' list:
"Keene cops not as nasty as bigger cities like Manchester. They are more tolerant of cameras, and typically easier-going than their their thin-blue-line brethren in other cities. Some, like Shane Maxfield are openly friendly to liberty ideas, while still doing wrong and enforcing bad laws. It’s not police utopia, but it could be a lot worse, like it is in Nashua."
I can't imagine they're any worse than the Denver cops I'm used to now, so I'm not all that concerned. Nevertheless, it sounds kinda scary, is this a serious problem that I should worry about?
I realize I have a lot of questions, and I truly appreciate any feedback you can offer.
Hope to see you guys in the not-too-distant future!
Edit: I almost forgot to mention that I learned of freekeene.com via FTL. Hi FTL people, I love your show!
I lived in Nashua for six months. It is typical suburbia. When I lived there I didn't know any other activists in the area but that was two years ago. I have heard of some liberty people in Nashua but I don't know if they're organized at all. If you want to live there I would recommend having a car. Let me know if you have specific questions.
Hello and welcome.
No, the cops in Nashua are probably not as bad as Denver, but they are worse than Keene.
I do not know of many activists in the Nashua area. FreeNashua.com has not been updated since October. It is definitely closer to Boston though, if that is important to you, and the population is three times the size of Keene, so there are probably more opportunities for work there. I have no idea what the market for jobs or houses is actually like. There is no Nashua forum where you can ask these questions, so maybe post to the FSP forum to get better responses?
Wherever you end up, congrats on your decision - I hope the lady sees the value in the move. You may want to bring her to Porcfest to see if interacting with the community here helps her decision.
Welcome! We should put you in touch with Cooper, especially if you're in Denver. He moved here along with his dad and brother but went back to CO for school. He's planning to return here when he finishes. I'll give him your contact info if you feel comfortable PMing it to me. I understand if you don't.
[quote author=Dalebert link=topic=4659.msg49218#msg49218 date=1295098972]
Welcome! We should put you in touch with Cooper, especially if you're in Denver. He moved here along with his dad and brother but went back to CO for school. He's planning to return here when he finishes.
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He's also a cool young dude who really "gets it", not to mention one helluva drummer.
Nashua? Probably the worst place in the whole state. It's almost literally a suburb of Massachusetts, with all the problems that brings. Hell, Lowell, Massachusetts buses people in to go shopping in Nashua. It's got a nice nickname, though: "Trashua." You can guess why. As for the Nashua cops, I'm quite sure they draw their inspiration from abuses in larger cities like Denver, and secretly pray for the opportunity to bash some skulls in.
Manchester probably isn't that much better, but I've never seen a cop here whose first impulse was to bash some skulls in. (I'm sure there is at least one, just based on sheer numbers, but I haven't met him.) Now I live in Manchester and I like it overall.
Of course, what you probably really want to do is live in one of the surrounding towns, where you're 10 minutes from anything, but within spitting distance of the middle of nowhere.
There are liberty events every week in Nashua but the events in Manchester (just 2 towns north) and Keene are better attended. Housing prices in Nashua used to be pretty high but they have fallen for years and are now in reach for the average American as long as you have great credit and a job. The job market in Nashua is really good, especially if you don't mind commuting 1-2 towns away in any direction. Nashua is part of the Boston MSA along with several other places in NH. Though, if you do cross the MA border for work that likely means you have to pay MA income taxes. Nashua does have the worst traffic in NH so be aware of that.
Salem is even closer to Boston, though there is no reason to look for a job in Boston as there are lots of jobs in all directions of Nashua or Salem.
Manchester feels more like a city, has less bad cops, less traffic issues and is less expensive to live in. Though, there are slightly less jobs in the Manchester area.
I was arrested in Nashua for allegedly giving an undercover officer a joint which weighed 0.46 grams.
They charged me with felony dispensing, and I'm currently facing 15 YEARS in prison
(plus a few months to a year for the additional possession charge they tacked on later when I refused a plea deal)
The cops definitely wish they were big city police. The asst DA is, typical I suppose. I like the judges.
My trial should be around July.
Nashua sucks. If you have to live there, live below your means and save up money b/c you will want to GTFO.