Solar powered battery charger

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

I saw this diagram for a project and dont understand how it works or what some of the symbols stand for. The circuit was for a project that required a battery powered arduino which could be recharged (as needed) using a solar panel.

diagram:ArduinoSolarChargerSchematic.png (image)
project page:effluvia of a scattered mind: September 2009

2

Hi, the circuit:

...is a little unusual, especially switching the negative/ground side of the Arduino.

The article doesn't exactly say this WORKS...

Anyone tried this one??