The 130+ Reasons to Move to Keene official discussion thread is now on the Free Keene Forum: http://forum.freekeene.com/index.php?topic=730.0 (http://forum.freekeene.com/index.php?topic=730.0)
Please visit the Free Keene Forum for an entire forum dedicated to Keene-area liberty activism!
http://forum.freekeene.com (http://forum.freekeene.com)
Discussion of the 130+ Reasons to Move to Keene appears below:
Armadillos Burritos has the best burritos I've ever had the opportunity to bite into!
Not only that, they have an NHFree.com poster in the men's room :)
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#27 -- "Vibrant" is my fav word to describe downtown Keene.
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#37 perhaps should include Brewbakers Coffee shop -- a quaint, freedom-friendly place with its own free wi-fi
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Free wi-fi all over downtown Keene
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Don't forget Blueberry Fields, for the natural/organic crowd
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Keene has an awesome Farmer's Market that is open twice a week, during three seasons.
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#57 -- Don't forget the Hemporium! Not exactly a smokeshop, but it's a really cool hemp shop.
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Folks in Keene are friendly and down-to-earth! :)
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For book lovers, Toadstools book store is awesome! It is very large and well-stocked. Keene also has two used book stores, Eagle Books and Hannah's Used Books.
Quote from: srqrebel on December 18, 2007, 11:02 AM NHFT
For book lovers, Toadstools book store is awesome! It is very large and well-stocked. Keene also has two used book stores, Eagle Books and Hannah's Used Books.
There is also a Borders Books.
"Challenges-
Close proximity to both Massachusetts and Vermont + college town = lots of socialists"
Many believe that gov't should help people, but they are not as authoritarian.
"Lots of voter apathy"
I believe is a great thing.
"Liberty Advantages
Keene cops not as nasty as bigger cities like Manchester."
that is a good one.
"Liberty Advantages"
Despite the liberal politics, this is an activist friendly town, particularly for out of the system activists.
Do they have any gun shops?
gun ranges?
credit unions?
Can I use this for the Moving guide?
Kate
Many of your suggestions and questions have been researched and added. David and Menno please note, this has changed the numbering scheme. You should consider quoting the entries you want to reference, as your numbers will be continually thrown off as I update the list.
Quote from: porcupine kate on December 18, 2007, 10:38 PM NHFT
Do they have any gun shops?
gun ranges?
credit unions?
Gun shops in the area; there are gun ranges and credit unions. (all added)
Quote from: porcupine kate on December 18, 2007, 10:40 PM NHFT
Can I use this for the Moving guide?
Kate
Yes, but know this thread will continue to be updated. It may be useful to link here and/or continue updating your version. As the suggestions in this thread slow down, I will post the list to FreeKeene, and focus on promoting it.
Wow, everyone should do this for the town they live in. It's great to see this kind of information when you don't yet live in NH.
I like the voter apathy.
Franklin Pierce changed into a University this year.
Who is this list for?
Some might find it a bummer that there are so many chicks here. :)
Keene is very much a post-Christian city, like the rest of New England, which is disappointing to me.
Quote from: Russell Kanning on December 19, 2007, 05:44 AM NHFT
Keene is very much a post-Christian city, like the rest of New England, which is disappointing to me.
What do you mean by "post-Christian?"
Movie Headquarters in Keene is a great locally owned business.
They offer a huge selection of films and games. The independent films, documentary, and foreign films section is fantastic. Good prices and long rent times as well as weekly specials.
Quote from: RangerProbst on December 19, 2007, 01:30 AM NHFT
Wow, everyone should do this for the town they live in. It's great to see this kind of information when you don't yet live in NH.
That is quite a list. Kudos to Dawn for the original info, and for Ian for its revival.
Quote from: RangerProbst on December 19, 2007, 05:52 AM NHFT
Quote from: Russell Kanning on December 19, 2007, 05:44 AM NHFT
Keene is very much a post-Christian city, like the rest of New England, which is disappointing to me.
What do you mean by "post-Christian?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postchristianity
The Kitchen Store in The Colony Mill is a cook/chef's dream come true. They carry very high quality kitchen utensils, including Swiss and German made, much better than anything at Wal-Mart or Target.
I found some plastic bowl scrapers there that I have not found in other cooking utensil stores.
Quote from: srqrebel on December 20, 2007, 07:18 AM NHFT
The Kitchen Store in The Colony Mill is a cook/chef's dream come true. They carry very high quality kitchen utensils, including Swiss and German made, much better than anything at Wal-Mart or Target.
FYI: The owner, Dean, is a major statist. From what I understand, he was one of the people that was very condescending toward Julia when she was interviewed on the radio.
Quote from: Russell Kanning on December 19, 2007, 05:44 AM NHFT
I like the voter apathy.
Franklin Pierce changed into a University this year.
Noted.
QuoteWho is this list for?
Some might find it a bummer that there are so many chicks here. :)
Potential movers, who are of course most likely to be young single males.
well ... there are plenty of cute young women in Keene ... so they will be all set
Quote from: Russell Kanning on December 20, 2007, 05:37 AM NHFT
Quote from: RangerProbst on December 19, 2007, 05:52 AM NHFT
Quote from: Russell Kanning on December 19, 2007, 05:44 AM NHFT
Keene is very much a post-Christian city, like the rest of New England, which is disappointing to me.
What do you mean by "post-Christian?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postchristianity
I only read the first few paragraphs but I'm OK with it. Keene may be the place for us.
Quote from: FTL_Ian on December 20, 2007, 07:58 AM NHFT
Quote from: srqrebel on December 20, 2007, 07:18 AM NHFT
The Kitchen Store in The Colony Mill is a cook/chef's dream come true. They carry very high quality kitchen utensils, including Swiss and German made, much better than anything at Wal-Mart or Target.
FYI: The owner, Dean, is a major statist. From what I understand, he was one of the people that was very condescending toward Julia when she was interviewed on the radio.
Oops!
The list has been published:
http://move.freekeene.com/
I don't want to rain on your parade but as a local citizen born in Keene I would like to have seen these reasons have a better reflection in reality.
1. "Keene is the economic hub of southwestern NH". This is misleading, Keene is not the economic hub but just the largest town in Cheshire County. The median household income for NH is $53,377. For Cheshire county it's $46,428 with per capita income at $26,074. In Keene the per capita is $20,544 with $21,587 for U.S. as a whole (U.S. census bureau).
"Downtown Keene - Widest Main Street in America - easy parking!"
This was a slogan used by the Keene Chamber of Commerce and locals to attract tourists. It never had any basis in fact. And the parking thing is dangerous to pedestrians and bikers and was never designed to be easy. It was designed to generate revenue not ease of use. No where in NH will you find as many parking meters as Keene.
what a way to start your posting career on this forum
Quote from: sheltercrow on January 31, 2008, 08:10 AM NHFT
I don't want to rain on your parade but as a local citizen born in Keene I would like to have seen these reasons have a better reflection in reality.
1. "Keene is the economic hub of southwestern NH". This is misleading, Keene is not the economic hub but just the largest town in Cheshire County. The median household income for NH is $53,377. For Cheshire county it's $46,428 with per capita income at $26,074. In Keene the per capita is $20,544 with $21,587 for U.S. as a whole (U.S. census bureau).
Keene is the economic hub, because that's where all the business is.
Quote from: sheltercrow on January 31, 2008, 08:27 AM NHFT
"Downtown Keene - Widest Main Street in America - easy parking!"
This was a slogan used by the Keene Chamber of Commerce and locals to attract tourists. It never had any basis in fact. And the parking thing is dangerous to pedestrians and bikers and was never designed to be easy. It was designed to generate revenue not ease of use. No where in NH will you find as many parking meters as Keene.
Parking meters are a problem in Keene, but I'm don't see how angled parking is in any way dangerous to pedestrians and bikers.
Quote from: sheltercrow on January 31, 2008, 08:27 AM NHFT
"Downtown Keene - Widest Main Street in America - easy parking!"
This was a slogan used by the Keene Chamber of Commerce and locals to attract tourists. It never had any basis in fact. And the parking thing is dangerous to pedestrians and bikers and was never designed to be easy. It was designed to generate revenue not ease of use. No where in NH will you find as many parking meters as Keene.
You can find me in a downtown coffee shop virtually every day... and I find the parking both cheap and convenient. It didn't take me long to find the way cheaper (20 cents/hr.) metered parking lot between Gilbo and Emerald streets, just a few quick steps from Main Street.
It grates me to deposit money into a government-run parking meter, and I only do it because their parking space service meets the necessary three criteria: 1) It serves my needs better than any alternative, 2) It is provided on a 100% voluntary fee basis, and 3) As far as I can tell, parking space service is wide open to competition (if downtown landowners wish to make their own parking areas available to the public, they are free to do so).
If all government operated in that manner, everything would be chill :)
I had no idea the meters were at different rates! :o
Quote from: srqrebel on January 31, 2008, 11:23 AM NHFT
It grates me to deposit money into a government-run parking meter, and I only do it because their parking space service meets the necessary three criteria: 1) It serves my needs better than any alternative, 2) It is provided on a 100% voluntary fee basis, and 3) As far as I can tell, parking space service is wide open to competition (if downtown landowners wish to make their own parking areas available to the public, they are free to do so).
If all government operated in that manner, everything would be chill :)
It wouldn't be government anymore. ;)
I used to have a similar attitude about the tolls on the highways here, since toll roads are one of the most likely ways a private road would be paid for. Then I learned about how
half the tolls collected go toward administrative overhead. No private business would tolerate such inefficiency within itself. And, they raised the tolls recently so they could replace the automated booths with paid employees—unionized state employees, of course. Most private businesses nowadays are going in the
other direction, replacing human labor with automation, in order to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
I wonder where that 20¢/hr is
really going...
Quote from: J'raxis 270145 on January 31, 2008, 11:47 AM NHFT
I wonder where that 20¢/hr is really going...
Yup... and I also can't help but wonder if it is being subsidized through taxes.
If that turns out to be the case, I'm afraid I will have to refrain from using city operated parking spaces. There
are private parking alternatives in downtown Keene, just less convenient.
Parking meters are a problem in Keene, but I'm don't see how angled parking is in any way dangerous to pedestrians and bikers.
There are simply too many of them. You must have walked across main before the renovation to understand. It's like a vortex now. It was quite wide before. I have almost been hit quite a number of times on foot. I have been hit a number of times on a bike. Not one of the cars involved stopped of course. Lets talk freedom from injury here.
Keene is the economic hub, because that's where all the business is.
The vast majority of the businesses in Keene are service oriented and pay quite low wages. The town council members are mostly owners of these businesses and have no interest in any effort to attract industry. Ask them they will tell you. I have. The rest of their concerns are how to extract the maximun amount from their tenants, mostly KSC; witness the contracts that individual tenants have to sign now. I went to KSC and lived with 4 other around '72 before the contracts. Lets talk freedom from exploitation.
Keene is one of the loveliest places in NH no doubt. Bit it could do with some changes. A local council that has both KSC students and townspeople for one.
If you want to know what happens in Keene.
http://www.ci.keene.nh.us/onlineservices/minutes_and_agendas.htm
Minutes to the town council. Oh, and by the way, Keene has twice the national rate for cops per capita. Protection is good but too much protection is expensive.
Quote from: sheltercrow on February 02, 2008, 12:01 AM NHFT
Keene is one of the loveliest places in NH no doubt. Bit it could do with some changes. A local council that has both KSC students and townspeople for one.
In case you hadn't figured it out, we are coming there to help changes happen. Though, I think we'd be better off dismantling/ignoring the city government altogether.
Quote from: sheltercrow on February 02, 2008, 12:01 AM NHFT
The town council members are mostly owners of these businesses and have no interest in any effort to attract industry.
Most likely a good thing. "Attract[ing] industry" by the government usually means legal and fiscal favoritism for corporations and business owners, to everyone else's detriment. A tax break to attract a power plant or a Walmart means
you get screwed harder by government.
Quote from: J'raxis 270145 on February 02, 2008, 08:56 PM NHFT
...power plant or a Walmart means you ...
We don't have to worry about the Wal-Mart. The ass-hats actively deny Wal-Mart from building a better store here.
Quote from: sheltercrow on February 02, 2008, 12:01 AM NHFT
Parking meters are a problem in Keene, but I'm don't see how angled parking is in any way dangerous to pedestrians and bikers.
There are simply too many of them. You must have walked across main before the renovation to understand. It's like a vortex now. It was quite wide before. I have almost been hit quite a number of times on foot. I have been hit a number of times on a bike. Not one of the cars involved stopped of course. Lets talk freedom from injury here.
Speaking as a frequent pedestrian on Main Street, Keene: It is incumbent on the pedestrian to
always make eye contact with drivers, and make sure they are slowing down
before stepping out in their path.
My experience has always been a safe one, and I find that most drivers do have the courtesy to stop, if they see you standing there waiting and looking in their direction.
Of course, when I am driving, I always try to pay close attention to what is going on around me, and be prepared for pedestrians who do not observe good safety habits. What I do is my responsibility. What others do is neither my responsibility, nor do I have any business substituting my judgement for theirs. That is strictly their business.
Quote from: Puke on February 03, 2008, 07:52 AM NHFT
Quote from: J'raxis 270145 on February 02, 2008, 08:56 PM NHFT
...power plant or a Walmart means you ...
We don't have to worry about the Wal-Mart. The ass-hats actively deny Wal-Mart from building a better store here.
Town refusing to allow Walmart to build in the vicinity? (In other words, the
other side is using government force to benefit itself. Color me surprised.)
Quote from: Puke on February 03, 2008, 07:52 AM NHFT
Quote from: J'raxis 270145 on February 02, 2008, 08:56 PM NHFT
...power plant or a Walmart means you ...
We don't have to worry about the Wal-Mart. The ass-hats actively deny Wal-Mart from building a better store here.
That's a shame, but the Keene Wal-Mart is the nicest non-Supercenter one I been to. Plus, it's the only one where I've crossed paths with an FTL host. 8)
FTL_Ian:
"In case you hadn't figured it out, we are coming there to help changes happen. Though, I think we'd be better off dismantling/ignoring the city government altogether."
You can save yourself the expense and not. A change in the local government will not happen without the town council. Learn how it functions and warps the local economy to it's advantage. Otherwise you will just be another mooching flatlander and get nowhere.
J'raxis 270145:
"Most likely a good thing. "Attract[ing] industry" by the government usually means legal and fiscal favoritism for corporations and business owners, to everyone else's detriment. A tax break to attract a power plant or a Walmart means you get screwed harder by government."
Not attracting industry created the situation where "The vast majority of the businesses in Keene are service oriented and pay quite low wages."
If you are looking for a decent paying job had better look elsewhere. There simply is very little industry here.
Quote from: sheltercrow on March 10, 2008, 01:39 PM NHFT
You can save yourself the expense and not. A change in the local government will not happen without the town council. Learn how it functions and warps the local economy to it's advantage. Otherwise you will just be another mooching flatlander and get nowhere.
Thanks, but I know exactly how it functions. It steals people's money. I'm not a mooch, but they are.
QuoteNot attracting industry created the situation where "The vast majority of the businesses in Keene are service oriented and pay quite low wages."
If you are looking for a decent paying job had better look elsewhere. There simply is very little industry here.
I trust that the people reading this thread will easily see beyond your negativity and research the situation for themselves. No doubt they are all looking for something different. I imagine their definition of "decent" might be different from yours. The activists that have moved here so far have been able to find work. There are already plenty of opportunities here and as the area continues to grow, there will only be more.
Quote from: sheltercrow on March 10, 2008, 01:39 PM NHFT
If you are looking for a decent paying job had better look elsewhere. There simply is very little industry here.
what does "industry" mean? Is it necessary for people to be able to make money?
Industry is, pretty much, when money is exchanged and government is not involved. He probably means factories.
some people hate factories
some people might move to Keene ... to retire
Quote from: FTL_Ian on March 10, 2008, 04:19 PM NHFT
I trust that the people reading this thread will easily see beyond your negativity and research the situation for themselves. No doubt they are all looking for something different. I imagine their definition of "decent" might be different from yours. The activists that have moved here so far have been able to find work. There are already plenty of opportunities here and as the area continues to grow, there will only be more.
As an an activist who moved here from a wealthy town on the Florida coast, and had no problem finding work in Keene with what I consider decent pay, I can heartily vouch for this entire statement.
I added my two cents on Keene and the Monadnock region here: http://atonalmuse.com/monadnock (http://atonalmuse.com/monadnock)
For the record, both jobs I interviewed with in Keene and Dublin were competitive with the West with regards to tech/web.
Awesome blog, Lou! :)
i dunno. sometimes i think we should move to keene, but i think portsmouth has spoiled me with all the bars, music, etc. i guess i want the best of both worlds.
Quote from: Jared on October 01, 2008, 08:19 PM NHFT
i dunno. sometimes i think we should move to keene, but i think portsmouth has spoiled me with all the bars, music, etc. i guess i want the best of both worlds.
You should talk to Dale about Keene.
Manchester has Millys which offers $1 beers for part of the day.
Anyway, I think there are several towns (Manchester, Keene, where Lou and Matt play near Keene) other than Portsmouth which offer free live music in bars.
Quote from: Radical and Stuff on October 01, 2008, 10:51 PM NHFT
Quote from: Jared on October 01, 2008, 08:19 PM NHFT
i dunno. sometimes i think we should move to keene, but i think portsmouth has spoiled me with all the bars, music, etc. i guess i want the best of both worlds.
You should talk to Dale about Keene.
Manchester has Millys which offers $1 beers for part of the day.
Anyway, I think there are several towns (Manchester, Keene, where Lou and Matt play near Keene) other than Portsmouth which offer free live music in bars.
yeah, but portsmouth has a really great scene (considering its size) for the kind of music i play...not that i really get out to gig much these days :P
If the scene you want isn't here, you could always start one.
Quote from: Jared on October 01, 2008, 10:53 PM NHFT
Quote from: Radical and Stuff on October 01, 2008, 10:51 PM NHFT
Quote from: Jared on October 01, 2008, 08:19 PM NHFT
i dunno. sometimes i think we should move to keene, but i think portsmouth has spoiled me with all the bars, music, etc. i guess i want the best of both worlds.
You should talk to Dale about Keene.
Manchester has Millys which offers $1 beers for part of the day.
Anyway, I think there are several towns (Manchester, Keene, where Lou and Matt play near Keene) other than Portsmouth which offer free live music in bars.
yeah, but portsmouth has a really great scene (considering its size) for the kind of music i play...not that i really get out to gig much these days :P
What style and what instrument do you play?
Quote from: shyfrog on October 02, 2008, 08:46 AM NHFT
Quote from: Jared on October 01, 2008, 10:53 PM NHFT
Quote from: Radical and Stuff on October 01, 2008, 10:51 PM NHFT
Quote from: Jared on October 01, 2008, 08:19 PM NHFT
i dunno. sometimes i think we should move to keene, but i think portsmouth has spoiled me with all the bars, music, etc. i guess i want the best of both worlds.
You should talk to Dale about Keene.
Manchester has Millys which offers $1 beers for part of the day.
Anyway, I think there are several towns (Manchester, Keene, where Lou and Matt play near Keene) other than Portsmouth which offer free live music in bars.
yeah, but portsmouth has a really great scene (considering its size) for the kind of music i play...not that i really get out to gig much these days :P
What style and what instrument do you play?
http://www.myspace.com/thecolonialsmusic
Quote from: FreeKeene.com's Ian on March 10, 2008, 04:19 PM NHFT
Quote from: sheltercrow on March 10, 2008, 01:39 PM NHFT
You can save yourself the expense and not. A change in the local government will not happen without the town council. Learn how it functions and warps the local economy to it's advantage. Otherwise you will just be another mooching flatlander and get nowhere.
Not attracting industry created the situation where "The vast majority of the businesses in Keene are service oriented and pay quite low wages."
If you are looking for a decent paying job had better look elsewhere. There simply is very little industry here.
I trust that the people reading this thread will easily see beyond your negativity and research the situation for themselves. No doubt they are all looking for something different. I imagine their definition of "decent" might be different from yours. The activists that have moved here so far have been able to find work. There are already plenty of opportunities here and as the area continues to grow, there will only be more.
Wow, this seems pretty dated. The "new wave" haven't had much luck.
Some people just don't want to work - those people seem to end up leaving. Just as proof that it's them and not the job market - Julia found a job in under a week recently.
Quote from: FreeKeene.com's Ian on December 13, 2010, 12:35 AM NHFT
Some people just don't want to work - those people seem to end up leaving. Just as proof that it's them and not the job market - Julia found a job in under a week recently.
It depends on what kind of resume/experience you have. If you're young (say 18), don't have much experience, don't have much to put on your resume, and don't understand social norms, you should expect to move back to where you came from.
Quote from: zaphar on December 31, 2010, 05:00 PM NHFT
Quote from: FreeKeene.com's Ian on December 13, 2010, 12:35 AM NHFT
Some people just don't want to work - those people seem to end up leaving. Just as proof that it's them and not the job market - Julia found a job in under a week recently.
It depends on what kind of resume/experience you have. If you're young (say 18), don't have much experience, don't have much to put on your resume, and don't understand social norms, you should expect to move back to where you came from.
Though, even with those qualifications you should be able to find a job in Manchester, for what it's worth.