© US Naval Research LaboratoryIn an effort to reduce the energy supply needs and lessen the risks of U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) forward deployed forces, researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have prototyped and are field-testing one solution: A mobile solar power pack, with high efficiency, flexible solar cells coupled to a high capacity rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack."One of the most significant challenges currently facing the Marine Corps is the need to supply sufficient electricity to individual Marines in forward operating bases. Mobile photovoltaics are a technology that can address these needs by leveraging emerging, flexible, high efficiency photovoltaic technology." - Robert Walters, NRL Solid State Devices BranchThe MSP prototype uses an array of single-junction solar cells, along with a power conditioning circuit ... Continue reading →

Senate Democrats, led by five female Senators, began a renewed push this week to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that protects women who sue over being paid less than their male counterparts. But, as with much of the recent pro-woman legislation, the measure will spark a partisan fight. On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) began efforts to prevent the vote from being filibustered. “Republicans deny they’re waging a war on women,” Reid said on the floor Thursday morning, “yet they’ve launched a series of attacks on women’s access to health care and contraception this year. Now they have an opportunity to back up their excuses with action.” Here are five things you need to know about the Paycheck Fairness Act: 1. ... Continue reading →

I haven’t written anything amid the whole post-Facebook IPO debacle for one main reason: I’m just watching it agog trying to figure out how the most meticulously over-planned IPO in Valley history turned into such a complete and utter mess. A month or so before, I was at an Wealthfront event on why more companies should go public and not just focus on an easy flip. Frank Quattrone was the opening speaker and he emphasized just how much was at stake for the whole Valley in this IPO. How it was absolutely essential that it go well. And a later panel said that really going public wasn’t that hard. You had to get buy-and-hold big institutions on board and the rest would take care of ... Continue reading →

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found 53 percent of U.S. voters believe gay marriage should be legal, a record shift in public opinion from just six years ago when support was at 36 percent. The poll also found people of color are more likely to support gay marriage than whites with black support at record high. The Washington Post explains the the findings: The poll also finds that 59 percent of African Americans say they support same-sex marriage, up from an average of 41 percent in polls leading up to Obama’s announcement of his new position on the matter. Though statistically significant, it is a tentative result because of the relatively small sample of black voters in the poll. The poll comes two weeks ... Continue reading →