"Excuses for not living fully are the currency of timid souls..."
My name is James Craig Green. I was born in the year of the bomb (1945) in Dallas, Texas. I grew up in New Mexico and have spent the last three decades in my chosen state of Colorado, USA.
I am an engineer, writer, publisher, businessman, dog trainer and philosopher. I seek a better understanding of the universe from which I came and to which I will have to return someday. I have been an Air Force Officer (top secret clearance), orbital analyst, consulting engineer, expert witness, businessman, political candidate, professional banjo player and will always be a student of life.
Orbital Mechanics
As a space systems analyst in the Air Force (1969-1973), I predicted the future position of earth-orbiting satellites. The Links page on this website has an orbital mechanics section, including a dynamic, 3-dimensional picture of satellites currently in orbit.
Personal Activities
I enjoy riding motorcycles (see Sturgis link below), pistol shooting, scuba diving, hiking in the Colorado mountains and thrill rides (roller coasters, etc.). I also enjoy reading philosophy and other non fiction, though I assume 90 percent of knowledge in most fields (including science and medicine) is crap. Finding that really good, useful 10 percent is a burden, but worth the effort.
Picture of me at Sturgis in 2002
Independence Institute
I am a senior fellow in water policy at the Independence Institute, a Colorado free market think tank. You can see my 2002 issue paper about Colorado water rights on the institute's website (http://i2i.org). For a direct link to the 2002 paper, "Use It or Lose It,"
Click Here.
To see my newest paper, "Let Colorado Water Markets Work,"
Click Here.
You will need Adobe Acrobat reader to view the papers.
General
I prefer to be called by my middle name (Craig), and sometimes write provocative political philosophy under the pen name, "Paine's Torch." This stems from my deep admiration of Thomas Paine, an offensive, arrogant firebrand who almost single-handedly changed a tax revolt into the most important social revolution of mankind:
"These are the times that try men's souls..."
Thomas Paine's life and major accomplishments
"Grateful Slave" - a provocative freedom poem by Paine's Torch
Additional links to the life and writings of Thomas Paine may be found on the Links page.
I admire Epictetus, Zeno, Scipio Africanus, Baruch Spinoza, John Locke, Isaac Newton, Thomas Paine, Frederick Douglass, Nikola Tesla, Lysander Spooner, Rose Wilder Lane, Bruce Lee, Phil Zimmerman (inventor of PGP encryption software) and other honest, productive and courageous souls who didn't compromise their individuality for the comfortable stupor of mass conformity and obedience.
The traits I admire most in people are courage and independent thinking.
