diff --git a/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor b/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
index b6304cabc..60648ad7e 100644
--- a/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
+++ b/include/osgUtil/CullVisitor
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ class OSGUTIL_EXPORT CullVisitor : public osg::NodeVisitor
             return _cvs->_eyePoint;
         }
 
+        inline const osg::Vec3& getUpLocal() const
+        {
+            return _cvs->_upVector;
+        }
 
         inline const osg::Vec3& getCenterLocal() const
         {
diff --git a/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp b/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
index f7753643b..c571a24fa 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/ReadFile.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Node* osgDB::readNodeFiles(std::vector<std::string>& commandLine)
     }
     else  // size >1
     {
-        osg::Group* group = new osg::Group();
+        osg::Group* group = new osg::Group;
         for(NodeList::iterator itr=nodeList.begin();
             itr!=nodeList.end();
             ++itr)
diff --git a/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp b/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
index 31f2249a8..23827f4ad 100644
--- a/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
+++ b/src/osgDB/Registry.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ Registry::~Registry()
 
 Registry* Registry::instance()
 {
-    static RegistryPtr s_nodeFactory = new Registry();
+    static RegistryPtr s_nodeFactory = new Registry;
     return s_nodeFactory.get();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp b/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
index 509ea7460..84d31fa58 100644
--- a/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
+++ b/src/osgUtil/CullVisitor.cpp
@@ -924,7 +924,8 @@ void CullVisitor::apply(Billboard& node)
     StateSet* node_state = node.getStateSet();
     if (node_state) pushStateSet(node_state);
 
-    Vec3 eye_local = getEyeLocal();
+    const Vec3& eye_local = getEyeLocal();
+    const Vec3& up_local = getUpLocal();
     Matrix* matrix = getCurrentMatrix();
 
     for(int i=0;i<node.getNumDrawables();++i)
@@ -950,7 +951,7 @@ void CullVisitor::apply(Billboard& node)
         */
 
         Matrix* billboard_matrix = createOrReuseMatrix();
-        node.calcTransform(eye_local,pos,*billboard_matrix);
+        node.calcTransform(eye_local,up_local,pos,*billboard_matrix);
 
         StateSet* stateset = drawable->getStateSet();
         
diff --git a/src/osgUtil/IntersectVisitor.cpp b/src/osgUtil/IntersectVisitor.cpp
index bdddc9b6e..6bda2c1eb 100644
--- a/src/osgUtil/IntersectVisitor.cpp
+++ b/src/osgUtil/IntersectVisitor.cpp
@@ -536,33 +536,7 @@ void IntersectVisitor::apply(Geode& geode)
 void IntersectVisitor::apply(Billboard& node)
 {
     if (!enterNode(node)) return;
-    //     Vec3 eye_local = getEyeLocal();
-    //     for(int i=0;i<node.getNumGeosets();++i)
-    //     {
-    //         Vec3 pos;
-    //         node.getPos(i,pos);
-    //
-    //         GeoSet* gset = node.getGeoSet(i);
-    //
-    //         Matrix local_mat;
-    //         node.calcTransform(eye_local,pos,local_mat);
-    //
-    //         Matrix* matrix = NULL;
-    //         Matrix* currMatrix = getCurrentMatrix();
-    //         if (currMatrix)
-    //         {
-    //             matrix = new Matrix();
-    //             matrix->mult(local_mat,*(currMatrix));
-    //         }
-    //         else
-    //         {
-    //             matrix = new Matrix(local_mat);
-    //         }
-    //
-    //         matrix->ref();
-    //         matrix->unref();
-    //
-    //     }
+
     leaveNode();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/osgUtil/SceneView.cpp b/src/osgUtil/SceneView.cpp
index bc28e03a8..9f656b44c 100644
--- a/src/osgUtil/SceneView.cpp
+++ b/src/osgUtil/SceneView.cpp
@@ -82,12 +82,12 @@ void SceneView::setDefaults()
     _globalState->setMode(GL_DEPTH_TEST, osg::StateAttribute::ON);
 
     // set up an alphafunc by default to speed up blending operations.
-    osg::AlphaFunc* alphafunc = new osg::AlphaFunc();
+    osg::AlphaFunc* alphafunc = new osg::AlphaFunc;
     alphafunc->setFunction(osg::AlphaFunc::GREATER,0.0f);
     _globalState->setAttributeAndModes(alphafunc, osg::StateAttribute::ON);
 
     // set up an alphafunc by default to speed up blending operations.
-    osg::TexEnv* texenv = new osg::TexEnv();
+    osg::TexEnv* texenv = new osg::TexEnv;
     texenv->setMode(osg::TexEnv::MODULATE);
     _globalState->setAttributeAndModes(texenv, osg::StateAttribute::ON);