{news} Sioux Tribal Leader to Keynote "Better Motors, Better Batteries" Symposium

[David Bedell]

Contacts:

Remy Chevalier                     Marshall Houston
Symposium Director               Technical Consultant
remyc@ bmbb.biz                  marshall@ bmbb.biz
203-227-2065

PRESS RELEASE - MARCH 1, 2005 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sioux Tribal Leader to Keynote "Better Motors, Better Batteries" Symposium 
at Pequot Museum


MASHANTUCKET, CT  -- This Saturday, Native American environmental leader and 
former Green Party Senate candidate Ed "Eagle Man" McGaa will speak at the 
Mashantucket Pequot Museum during the "Better Motors, Better Batteries" 
Symposium.  The event will bring together alternative energy professionals 
and innovative research with Tribal interest in the region.

Mixing natural spirituality, a belief that humanity is rooted in a living,  
feeling earth, and an awareness of scientific ecological principles, Eagle 
Man draws on centuries of Native American wisdom to offer practices and 
ceremonies that reestablish a nurturing relationship with nature.  He is the 
author of  several books linking native wisdom to modern ecological problems 
(Nature's Way; Mother Earth Spirituality; Rainbow Tribe).

Ed McGaa is a registered tribal member of the Oglala Sioux and was born on 
the Pine Ridge reservation. He received his Bachelor's degree from St. 
John's University, earned a law degree from the University of South Dakota, 
and has studied under Chief Eagle Feather and Chief Fool's Crow, Sioux holy 
men. He is honored by the Sioux for having participated six times in the Sun 
Dance ceremony.

He also served as a fighter pilot in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, flying 110 
combat missions, receiving 8 air medals and 2 Crosses of Gallantry, and was 
recommended for a Distinguished Flying Cross.

McGaa drew national attention in 2002 when he went up against Democrat Paul 
Wellstone and Republican Norm Coleman for a hotly contested U.S. Senate seat 
from Minnesota, but was defeated in a Green Party primary challenge.

Connecticut is referred to in energy circles as the "fuel cell" state, 
because for 30 years it was in this state that all fuel cells for space and 
military applications were being made. But once civilian uses of fuel cells 
became attractive for both economic and environmental reasons, the cutting 
edge technologies that Connecticut once helped develop quickly began to 
spread around the world, to Japan, and now China.

Following Ed's talk, those attending the technical portion of the program 
will be invited to participate in a networking brainstorming session, 
moderated by Remy Chevalier of Electrifying Times magazine, assisted by 
members of the CT Technology Council. Come prepared with press kits, 
business cards, and any additional media materials you wish to share with 
all participants.

The BMBB symposium will aim to restore a sense of balance between energy 
technology trade overseas and the need to preserve factory floor "hands-on" 
experience in the state.

Connecticut is now faced with the hemorrhaging of state-of-the-art energy 
conversion technologies away from their birthplace. This could have vast 
negative financial and strategic consequences for future generations of 
Americans.

Connecticut is home to General Electric, our nation's number one defense 
contractor, and makers of many electric motors used commercially today. GE 
recently inaugurated its new wind power division. One of the world's largest 
suppliers of consumer batteries, Duracell has their headquarters in the 
state.  Rayovac also has facilities in Connecticut. Their subsidiary Varta 
introduced Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries to the consumer market. Then in 
2004, in partnership with RadioShack, Rayovac pioneered and commercialized 
15-minute rechargeables.

Major attention to fuel cells has diverted commercial focus away from 
improving the efficiency of pure 100% electrical battery storage (the 
buzzwords of the moment are nanotech and aerogel) as well as improving on 
motor efficiency (most commercial motors today are still copper wound) which 
would enable the mass production of a truly revolutionary new generation of 
drive trains for electric vehicles. This critical gap in R&D could give 
Connecticut, and more specifically Indian lands in Connecticut, amazing new 
high tech business opportunities.

The Better Motors - Better Batteries (BMBB) symposium, co-sponsored by the 
Weston-based think tank Environmental Library Fund (ELF) and its partner 
electric vehicle publication Electrifying Times, will give Connecticut 
companies and their representatives, as well as engineers and academics from 
surrounding schools, a chance to preserve energy technology innovation in 
our great state, while reviving all aspects of energy components R&D and 
manufacture.

Saturday's symposium will begin at 1:00 PM and is open to the public.  Visit 
www.bmbb.biz for more information.


#end of release#

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