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[typeform_embed type="popup" url="https://relevantlab.typeform.com/to/NjV9Qd" button_text="Find my solution (Self Test)"]
Dr. Bindi was born and raised in San Jose, California. Since 2000, he has been the Owner, Medical Director, and surgical ophthalmologist at the Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley in San Jose, CA, and the Laser Eye Center of the East Bay in Pleasanton, CA.
• Over 50,000 refractive surgical procedures (Ranked 99th percentile among US eye doctors)
• Expert in the field of vision correction surgery
• Team ophthalmologist & sideline physician for the Oakland Raiders
• LASIK Surgeon for the Oakland Raiders
• Became a Board Certified Ophthalmologist in 2002 by the American Board of Ophthalmology
• Licensed to practice surgery and medicine in California.
• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
• American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
• International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS).
Owner, Medical Director, and Ophthalmic Surgeon (2000-present)
• Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley in San Jose, California
• Laser Eye Center of the East Bay in Pleasanton, California
Graduated from the University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology.
Completed an additional one-year academic post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona School of Medicine, studying and researching refractive surgery and corneal physiology. Completed a General Surgery & Medicine internship in Tucson, Arizona.
Graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose and has degrees from St. Mary's & Creighton University in the Midwest.


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subset: commoncrawl


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During a visit last week to Dachau, the former concentration camp near Munich, German Chancellor Angela Merkel laid a wreath in memory of the tens of thousands the Nazis murdered there. The memory of their fate, she said, "fills me with deep sadness and shame."
Dachau — the original concentration camp, established in March 1933 — radiates a constant reminder about the bottomless human capacity to commit evil, or to look away when evil is committed. "How could Germans go so far as to deny people human dignity and the right to live?" Merkel asked. "Places such as this warn each one of us to help ensure that such things never happen again."
As Merkel spoke, Copts and other Christians in Egypt were reeling from a wave of attacks more savage than any in modern Egyptian history. Islamist mobs across the country torched scores of churches — some more than 1,000 years old — along with convents, monasteries, and Christian-owned homes and businesses. A Franciscan school near Cairo was looted and burned, said Sister Manal, the principal; then she and other nuns were paraded through the streets "like prisoners of war" to the jeers and abuse of the mob.
Merkel's speech also coincided with the latest evidence of a chemical-weapons attack by the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. Graphic video clips posted online by anti-Assad rebels east of Damascus showed rows of corpses, including those of women, children, and babies. Hospitals in the area described a sudden influx of patients gasping for breath and suffering from convulsions, nausea, and vomiting — symptoms consistent with chemical-weapons poisoning. The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders put the death toll at 355; other estimates ranged far higher. The massacre took place one year to the week after President Obama's warning that any use of chemical weapons by Assad would be a red line. In fact, as even the Obama administration has conceded, Assad crossed that line months ago. Last week's attack was not the first, only the most brazen.
While Merkel was recalling the lessons of history in Dachau, a United Nations commission of inquiry was holding hearings on human rights abuses in North Korea. Survivors of Pyongyang's ghastly network of slave-labor camps recounted the horrors that take place there: starvation, torture, rape, public executions. There is nothing secret about the camps' existence or location; detailed satellite images have long been available in the West. So have accounts of the unspeakable atrocities the North Korean regime inflicts on its victims. Among those testifying before the UN panel was Shin Dong-hyuk, who spent the first 22 years of his life in North Korea's notorious Camp 14 before a miraculous escape in 2005. Shin told the harrowing story of a 6-year-old girl, a classmate, who was publicly beaten to death by her teacher for stealing five kernels of corn. Other witnesses testified to other savageries, from forced abortions to medical experiments performed on dwarfs.
Shades of Auschwitz. Shades of the gulag. Shades of the Cambodian killing fields.
"Can this really be happening? In the 21st century?" exclaimed the Israeli columnist Ari Shavit as news broke last week of the latest chemical-weapons attack in Syria. "No decent person can ignore what's happening."
That's what we always tell ourselves when "never again" turns into "yet again." But man's inhumanity to man is no more unthinkable in the 21st century than it was in the 20th. Decent people can and usually will ignore what's happening, and the indecent count on their apathy. "Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?" Adolf Hitler is said to have remarked in 1939.
There are always reasons not to act in the face of a growing evil. There are always reasons to believe that atrocities are being overstated, or that tyrants can be persuaded to reform, or that common sense will prevail, or that meddling in the "internal affairs" of others will only make things worse. Then we are shocked to find we have enabled monsters.
The burning of houses of worship didn't end with Kristallnacht, nor the gassing of civilians with Halabja, nor concentration-camp butchery with Dachau. And we aren't finished building memorials to the dead, and solemnly declaring, as we lay our wreaths, that next time we won't forget the lessons of history.
Jeff Jacoby can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeff_jacoby.


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Network: CBS
Episodes: 18 (half-hour)
Seasons: One
TV show dates: September 23, 2010 — February 17, 2011
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: William Shatner, Jonathan Sadowski, Will Sasso, Nicole Sullivan, and Stephanie Lemelin.
TV show description:
This sitcom is based on the popular Twitter feed by Justin Halpern and revolves around a father who thinks nothing of expressing his wildly politically-incorrect opinions at the drop of a hat.
Henry Goodson (Jonathan Sadowski) is a young struggling writer-turned-unpaid blogger. His older brother is Vince (Will Sasso), the meek half of a husband/wife real estate team. There's no question that his aggressive wife Bonnie (Nicole Sullivan) truly wears the pants in the family.
Henry and Vince's father is Ed Goodson (William Shatner), a forthright and opinionated man who will always tell you exactly what he thinks, especially if you didn't ask.
When Henry finds that he can no longer afford to pay rent, Ed temporarily softens and invites his son to move in with him. Having no other choice, Henry agrees but knows that he won't be able to escape his father's verbal assaults.
Episode 18 — Who's Your Daddy
Henry meets a beautiful girl named Laura on the internet and senses a strange connection to her. Things get weird when she seems to know a little too much about Ed. Worried that she might be his long-lost daughter, Ed attempts to discover the truth, even though he's not ready for it.
Vince and Bonnie, sad that their attempts at artificial insemination (in the previous episode) didn't seem to work, throw themselves into their work and end up as real estate agents on The Real Housewives of San Diego. Camille (Camille Donatacci Grammer), a divorcee and reality series star, goes house hunting with them. Their shoot is disrupted when Bonnie throws up on camera. She's pregnant.
After doing a secret DNA test, it turns out that Laura is not Ed's child. She comes to the house and confesses that she's in love with his son — but it's not Henry or Vince. It turns out Ed has another son that he's never met who had been scared to meet him. Laura opens the front door to reveal him. We can't see who he is but hear a young voice say "Hi, dad." The family all stare out the door and Ed exclaims, "Holy Bleep!"
First aired: March 15, 2011.
Behind the Scenes
The network contends that the show title should be pronounced "Bleep My Dad Says".
Image courtesy CBS.


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Hard-serving Ivo Karlovic upset veteran Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7) in the third round of the 2010 Australian Open. Up next is Rafa Nadal, who lost the third set in his match against Philipp Kohlschreiber. (Draw: Men's singles.)
Li Ning put him in the same multi-patterned mishmash polo (this time in a light seafoam green) to start out 2010. With all the sartorial switcheroos so far, it's refreshing to see that Ivan and Li Ning have stuck together.
TSF spoke to Ljubicic back at the 2009 U.S. Open, and he told us all about how he's worked closely with Li Ning to tweak and develop their tennis sneaks; he was their guinea pig. We look forward to what's in store for Ljubicic in 2010. (Further reading: Ad Age named Li Ning their Marketer of the Year for 2009.)
More: See more pics of Ivan after the cut…
(images via Getty Images)


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DOCTOR WHO Season 9 Episode 12 : Hell Bent (2)
If you took everything from him, betrayed him, trapped him, and broke both his hearts...how far might the Doctor go? Returning to Gallifrey, the Doctor faces the Time Lords in a struggle that will take him to the end of time itself. Who is the Hybrid? And what is the Doctor's confession?
Episode Guide
Season 01
Season 02
Season 03
Season 04
Season 05
Season 06
Season 07
Season 08
Season 09
Season 10
Season 11
Season 12


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This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.
At the end of December, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius said that more than two million people had signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, but she didn't reveal information about their ethnicity. Supporters of the law say that Latino enrollment is vital to its success. Latinos are the most uninsured racial or ethnic group in the country and the obstacles to their enrollment remain high.
As NPR's Cheryl Corley reports from Chicago, the battle to get Latinos on board is heating up.
CHERYL CORLEY, BYLINE: Early in the morning there is a steady stream of people coming into the Erie Family Health Center on Chicago's West side.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: (Foreign language spoken) Obamacare?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: (Foreign language spoken)
CORLEY: Two Saturdays a month, the health center runs an Obamacare health fair at one of its 12 community-based clinics in the Chicago region.
ILIANA MORA: At the very beginning, people were just trying to wrap their brains around and understand everything around the health coverage.
CORLEY: Iliana Mora is Erie's chief operating officer.
MORA: Now we have really been very busy enrolling folks in the marketplace or Medicaid expansion.
CORLEY: More than 10 million uninsured Latinos, citizens and legal residents, are eligible for health coverage. Myra Alvarez, who heads the federal government's Office of Minority Health, says some may be reluctant to sign up for Obamacare if they are related to someone who is undocumented.
MYRA ALVAREZ: Immigration and Customs Enforcement put out an official statement on this, that people who put forth their information on Healthcare.gov that that information will not be used for immigration enforcement purposes.
CORLEY: For those who speak little or no English, language is one of the biggest barriers. And states like Illinois have released ads in Spanish urging people to enroll.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #3: (Foreign language spoken)
CORLEY: All Illinois residents, the ad says, now have equal access to health care.
The biggest push however comes at outreach events promoting Obamacare. Dr. Lee Francis, the CEO of Erie Health Center, says it's important for organizations that people trust to provide information in languages they understand. Francis says that's why navigators - the people trained to help individuals walk through the enrollment process - are so critical.
DR. LEE FRANCIS: This is not go online, buy a pair of shoes and it comes to your house. It's personal information. It's complicated and it requires a personal touch.
CORLEY: At the health fair, workers quickly prescreen applicants so they can meet with a navigator.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #4: (Foreign language spoken)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Foreign language spoken) No.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #4: No?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: No.
CORLEY: Many here say they came to the health fair because they knew they'd get information in Spanish. And even fluent English speakers, like Alexandra Gonzalez, say the navigators are key.
ALEXANDRA GONZALEZ: The marketplace is just so mind-boggling that, honestly I'd rather have like Miguel, right now, do the work for me. At least I feel he knows what he's doing.
CORLEY: Gonzalez said she did try to go on the healthcare website herself.
GONZALEZ: I did. What a joke.
CORLEY: She says the technical problems that affected everyone left her frustrated, too. The Spanish-language version of the website launched last month after a delay and critics say it's full of glitches, too. They cite clunky translations and grammatical errors. However, Myra Alvarez says the website is working and people are using it.
ALVAREZ: But I will admit that sometimes, as with any website or any product, there are - there may be typos, there may be errors. And when we become aware of them, and we make sure that they are errors, we work as quickly as possible to get them corrected.
CORLEY: Muddying the water in the effort to recruit Latinos are advocacy groups. Conservatives who want the Affordable Care Act to fail are targeting it with ads like this one in Florida that features a Latino physician.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #5: This law does not put patients first. My patients ask if I will continue to provide care for them. And it pains me to say I don't have an answer...
CORLEY: The ad also asks Democratic Florida Congressman Joe Garcia why he supports Obamacare. It's a product of the LIBRE Initiative. Executive Director Daniel Garza says the ad is a way to drive a conversation in the Hispanic community, about what he says is the negative impacts of the law. And...
DANIEL GARZA: Basically holding elected leaders who are still in support of this law accountable and say, you know, when you're propping up here is a bad system that gives bureaucrats more power; that it actually lessens the quality of care.
CORLEY: Luis Torres, with the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, says his organization is aggressively working to enroll people. Torres says lots of misinformation about the coverage makes it difficult to engage people and to get them signed up.
LUIS TORRES: And I want to just frame the conversation in terms of the actual problem, which is that we have 10.2 million Latinos who are not covered, who do not have any type of health insurance, who are one medical emergency away from being bankrupt.
CORLEY: That's an argument LULAC and other supporters will continue to push until March 31st, the deadline to obtain health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
Cheryl Corley, NPR News, Chicago.
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United Nations Office at Geneva: Audit of Overtime at UNOG (AE2005-311-04), 30 Jun 2005
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United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (UN OIOS) 30 Jun 2005 report titled "Audit of Overtime at UNOG [AE2005-311-04]" relating to the United Nations Office at Geneva. The report runs to 17 printed pages.
Further information
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UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM MEMORANDUM INTERIEUR AUD II-7-30 (00464/05) 30 June 2005 TO: Mr. Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director-General United Nations Office at Geneva FROM: Egbert C. Kaltenbach, Director Internal Audit Division II Office of Internal Oversight Services SUBJECT: Audit of Overtime at UNOG (AE2005/311/04) 1. I am pleased to submit the final report on the audit of Overtime at the United Nations Office at Geneva, which was conducted in between January and April 2005 in Geneva by Mr. Raja Arumugham and Mr. Girma Gina. 2. A draft of the report was shared with the Officer-in-Charge, Division of Administration, UNOG and the Chief, Human Resources Policy Service, Division for Organizational Development, OHRM in June 2005. Their comments are reflected in this final report. 3. I am pleased to note that the audit recommendations contained in the final Audit Report have been accepted and that UNOG has initiated their implementation. The table in paragraph 34 of the report identifies those recommendations, which require further action to be closed. I wish to draw your attention to recommendations 01, 02, 03 and 05, which OIOS considers to be of critical importance. 4. I would appreciate if you could provide me with an update on the status of implementation of the audit recommendations not later than 30 November 2005. This will facilitate the preparation of the twice-yearly report to the Secretary-General on the implementation of recommendations, required by General Assembly resolution 48/218B. 5. Please note that OIOS is assessing the overall quality of its audit process. I therefore kindly request that you consult with your managers who dealt directly with the auditors, complete the attached client satisfaction survey form and return it to me under confidential cover. 6. Thank you for your cooperation. Attachment: Client Satisfaction Survey cc: Mr. C. Bancroft-Burnham, Under-Secretary-General for Management (by e-mail) Mr. D. Veness, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security (by e-mail) Mr. S. Goolsarran, Executive Secretary, UN Board of Auditors ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. T. Rajaobelina, Deputy Director of External Audit (by e-mail) Mr. H. Abdel-Aziz, Officer-in-Charge, Division of Administration, UNOG (by e-mail) Ms. G. Miller, Chief, HRPS, DOD, OHRM (by e-mail) Mr. M. Tapio, Programme Officer, OUSG, OIOS (by e-mail) Ms. C. Chavez, Chief, Geneva Audit Section, IAD II, OIOS (by e-mail) Mr. R. Arumugham, Auditor-in-Charge, IAD II, OIOS (by e-mail) Mr. D. Ti�ana, Auditing Assistant, IAD II, OIOS (by e-mail) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services Internal Audit Division II Audit Report Audit of Overtime at UNOG (AE2005/311/04) Audit Report No. E05/R10 Report date: 30 June 2005 Auditors: Raja Arumugham Girma Gina ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES Office of Internal Oversight Services Internal Audit Division II AUDIT OF OVERTIME AT UNOG (AE2005/311/04) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY From January to April 2005, OIOS conducted an audit of overtime at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). The audit covered compensation for overtime and night differential for the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 with expenditure totalling some $4.64 million. UNOG accepted all the audit recommendations and have either implemented or are in the process of implementing most of them. Overtime policies and guidelines � The conditions governing compensation for overtime and night differential, as contained in Appendix B to the Staff Rules applicable to UNOG, have remained unchanged for almost 40 years. The significant differences in the conditions applied at UN Headquarters and at UNOG have substantial financial implications. While many of these differences could be attributed to differences in the local conditions prevailing in Geneva and New York, as pointed out by both UNOG and OHRM, other differences may no longer be justified. � In Geneva, double rate for overtime work applies on weekdays from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next day, on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to midnight and on Sundays and official holidays. In New York, double rate is applicable only for Sundays, or the seventh day of the scheduled workweek or official holidays. On the other hand, regular working hours per week are 40 in Geneva, while only 35/37.5 in New York. � In Geneva, staff in the Professional and General Service categories are paid 10 and 25 per cent respectively of the hourly gross salary at the staff member's grade and step as night differential. In New York, only one rate, 10 per cent, is paid for all staff members. During the three years (2002-2004), the net night differential, at the 25 per cent rate, paid to UNOG security staff and drivers amounted to some $821,000. Had UNOG applied the 10 per cent rate, the cost would have been only some $330,000. � In Geneva, as compensation for normal overtime, the staff takes CTO for the first eight hours and the rest is paid in cash. In New York, after a review conducted three times a year, the staff is compensated by CTO for the first 40 hours and the rest is paid in cash. � In the view of OIOS, a comprehensive review is overdue to determine whether the 1966 Appendix B still reflects the current local conditions and whether the significant variations between different duty stations are still justified. UNOG concurred that there is a need to review and update Appendix B, but felt that the review should be undertaken as part of the system-wide review initiated by OHRM, although a step-by-step approach could be considered. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- � In most cases, overtime and night differential were not authorized in advance. The form used by UNOG Finance Section bears a prior authorization signature, but OIOS ascertained that these forms were signed post facto and only served the purpose of certification by the Section Chief. � The analysis of the pattern of overtime paid indicated that authorizing work on overtime is an established practice in many sections and the total overtime paid in these sections continued to increase each year. In some sections, staff members regularly worked more than 40 hours overtime in a month, in contravention of the conditions. � In the Security Service, a few security staff members, who regularly were paid overtime, night differential and weekend premium, accounted for about 41 per cent of the total amount paid from 2002 to 2004. At the Travel and Transportation Unit, the overtime and night differential paid to certain drivers doubled from $93,400 in 2002 to $185,500. This was attributable to the full time assignment of two drivers to the DG starting January 2003, as well as a significant increase in the usage of drivers after office hours and during weekends. � For the three main users of UNOG vehicles, there was a significant increase in usage over the last years: � At UNOG, overtime averaged 600 hours a year from 1998 to 2001. The annual average from 2002 to 2004 increased to 1,300 or more than double. Moreover, the cumulative overtime accrued during the weekends and official holidays increased fourfold, from an average of 200 hours in the last four years to some 800 hours in 2004. Despite the recruitment of an additional driver, drivers' overtime alone amounted to some 500 hours per year in 2003 and 2004. � For a significant amount of overtime accrued by the drivers, the official purpose of the use of the vehicle was not obvious. OIOS is further looking into the issue. � At OHCHR, overtime fluctuated over the last six years, ranging from a low of 386 hours in 2000 to a peak of 883 hours in 2004. At ECE, overtime increased steadily from 182 in 2002 to almost 400 hours in 2004. � According to the policy of the provision and use of official cars (ST/AI/337 dated 15 October 1986), the official cars should be used only for official business within working hours, but not for transportation to and from work. OIOS noted that the pattern of usage by the high-ranking officials was not in compliance with this policy. The Division of Administration, UNOG has reminded the users concerned of the official policy. OHRM has confirmed that the policy outlined in ST/AI/337 is still valid, but wanted to bring the issues raised to the attention of DM/OCSS to review the policy and determine a need for modification, if any. June 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER Paragraphs I. INTRODUCTION 1-5 II. AUDIT OBJECTIVES 6 III. AUDIT SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY 7-8 IV. AUDIT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Overtime policies and guidelines 9 -13 B. Compliance with conditions and policies 14 � 33 V. FURTHER ACTIONS REQUIRED ON RECOMMENDATIONS 34 V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 35 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION 1. From January to April 2005, OIOS conducted an audit of overtime at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). The audit was conducted in accordance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing. 2. Overtime means time worked in excess of the scheduled workday or in excess of the scheduled workweek or time worked on official holidays. The compensation for the excess work shall take form of an equal amount of compensatory time off (CTO) or additional payment (overtime). Staff members in the General Service category or in the Trades and Crafts category are eligible for CTO or payment of overtime. The proper authority should authorize the excess work. Night differential is a compensation payable for any regular work undertaken by staff members between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. where at least four of such hours have been worked during the week. 3. UNOG Division of Administration establishes the policy and guidelines for overtime and night differential and administers overtime for the various Divisions in UNOG. From 2002 to 2004, UNOG paid some $4.66 million (CHF 6.35 Million) as overtime, night differential and weekend premium. The table below provides the breakdown for each year. Year 2002 2003 2004 Total US$ in million 1.133 1.669 1.861 4.663 Swiss Francs in 1.777 2.246 2.329 6.352 million 4. This is the first audit conducted by OIOS on the administration of overtime in UNOG. There was no audit by the Board of Auditors on this subject in UNOG. However, the Central Support Services of UNOG Division of Administration undertook an internal review of its current practices in June 2004. 5. The findings and recommendations contained in this report have been discussed during the Exit Conference held on 27 May 2005 with the former Director, Division of Administration, UNOG and other officials concerned. A draft of this report was shared with the Director, Division of Administration and the Chief, Human Resources Policy Service, Division for Organizational Development, OHRM on 1 and 2 June 2005 respectively. Their comments have been reflected in the report in italics. UNOG has accepted most of the recommendations made and is in the process of implementing them. II. AUDIT OBJECTIVES 6. The main objectives of the audit were to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of (i) Overtime policies and guidelines established in UNOG; and (ii) Implementation of the policies and guidelines with regard to authorization, recording, and payment of overtime and night differential. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 III. AUDIT SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY 7. The audit scope included the overtime and night differential paid during the period January 2002 to December 2004. The review focused on the various sections in UNOG, in particular the Central Support Service, which authorized more than 50 percent of the overtime paid during the review period. The audit focused on the policies and guidelines established by UNOG, the procedures adopted by various sections in authorizing, recording and monitoring and payment of overtime and night differential. 8. OIOS reviewed the existing policies and guidelines and the available documents relating to overtime and night differential. The audit team reviewed and analysed the information relating to the overtime and night differential paid during the review period. The audit team also selectively reviewed few cases of substantial overtime payment to determine whether the total overtime hour worked was justified. The team assessed the procedures in place relating to prior authorization, approval and review of overtime documents before they are paid. The audit team met and discussed with the responsible staff members in the Central Support Service (CSS), Financial Resources Management Service (FRMS) and Human Resources Management Service (HRMS). The audit team also compared the overtime policies and procedures established at UN Headquarters in New York (UNHQ) and at the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV). IV. AUDIT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Overtime policies and guidelines Existing UNOG policy needs to be reviewed 9. According to Staff Rule 103.12 staff members serving at established offices in the Trades and Crafts category, in the General Service category or in the Field Service who are required to work in excess of the working week established shall be given compensatory time off or may receive additional payment, under conditions established by the Secretary-General. These conditions shall be set forth in the Appendix B to the Staff Rules applicable to the duty station. According to Staff Rule 103.13 staff members who are assigned to night time tours of duty shall receive a night differential at a rate and under conditions set forth in Appendix B to the Staff Rules applicable to the duty station. The Secretary-General in his bulletin ST/SGB/2002/1 promulgated the latest version of the Staff Rules on 1 January 2002, with Appendix B containing the conditions governing compensation for overtime and night differential at Headquarters. 10. For UNOG, the conditions governing compensation for overtime and night differential (Appendix B) were issued on 1 September 1966. These conditions have remained unchanged for almost 40 years and are still applied. OIOS noted that UNOG reviewed these conditions in January 1998, but decided not to formally propose revisions. Reasons for this decision were not clear on the files. According to the Flemming principle, the conditions shall be determined by reference to the best prevailing local conditions at the duty station. Since local conditions have not stagnated over the last 40 years, OIOS sees an urgent need to review and revise the conditions contained in Appendix B. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 11. OIOS noted significant differences in the conditions governing compensation for overtime and night differential between UN Headquarters and UNOG: At UNOG, the overtime shall be compensated as special (twice the rate) if a staff member worked on weekdays from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. next day, on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to mid night and on Sundays and official holidays. In New York, the special rate is applicable only for Sundays, or the seventh day of the scheduled workweek or official holidays. On the other hand, staff members in Geneva have 40 regular working hours per week, while staff in New York has only 35/37.5 hours. Furthermore, UNOG pointed out that the staff member concerned shall receive no less than four hours of overtime compensation for time worked on the sixth or seventh day of the week or on official holiday. Regarding night differential, the Geneva conditions differentiate between Professional and General Service (GS) staff. The Professional category is authorized 10 per cent of the hourly gross salary at the staff member's grade and step as night differential, whereas the GS staff members receive 25 percent of the hourly rate. In New York, the rate of 10 percent of the hourly rate of the aggregate of the staff members' salary is paid for all professional and GS staff. These differences have substantial financial implications: During the three years (2002-2004) reviewed, UNOG paid net night differential (at the 25 per cent rate) to the security staff and the drivers totalling some $821,000. Had UNOG applied the 10 per cent rate, the cost would have been only some $330,000. As UNOG rightly pointed out, the applicable hours for night differential in New York are from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. versus 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. in Geneva. Therefore, the time for entitlement to night differential in Geneva covers 13 hours compared to 15.5 hours in New York. OIOS is aware that the different conditions do not allow a simple and straightforward comparison. Nevertheless, even taking into account the entitlement to more hours in New York, the application of the 10 per cent rate would have resulted in significant savings. OIOS is not convinced that local conditions alone can explain and justify such a significant difference. At UNOG, the first eight hours of ordinary overtime will be compensated by equal time of CTO and the balance hours are paid in cash. In New York, overtime shall be paid after a review conducted three times a year, and after ascertaining that a staff member had accumulated more than forty hours of CTO, which could not be authorized because of the exigencies of the service. The remaining entitlement of forty hours of CTO will be counted as part of the staff member's accumulated entitlement at the time of the next review. In Geneva, weekend premium is paid to staff members for whom the normal working week of 40 hours has been modified by the adoption of a shift system or roster system, also of 40 hours. The premium is payable at 50 per cent of the hourly rate of the staff member's salary, to those who have worked between 7.00 a.m. on Saturday and 7.00 a.m. on Monday. The premium is payable in addition to the night differential. No such premium is paid in New York. The practice of "stand by duty" or " on call duty", the time during which a staff member is not required to be present at work, but is expected to report to work as soon as requested to do so, needs to be clarified. In Geneva, 20 hours of "recuperation" are credited to staff members on stand by duty from Monday 9.00 p.m. to the following Monday 5.00 a.m. According to OHRM, on "call duty" has been authorized in New York for certain departments and may be incorporated into Appendix B for New York in future. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 OIOS also noted that UNOV, in 2004, prepared conditions governing compensation for overtime (Appendix B) at UNOV, reflecting the best prevailing local conditions and aimed at ensuring consistency among the UN agencies based at the Vienna International Centre. The revised draft has been pending with OHRM, who intended to conduct a review of all local Appendices B. 12. OIOS is fully aware that the conditions contained in Appendix B of each duty station are determined by reference to the best prevailing local conditions at the duty station and that many differences in the conditions applicable in Geneva and New York are a reflection of different local labour markets. Nevertheless, local labour markets are not stagnating, but develop over the years. OHRM and UNOG therefore need to ensure that the provisions of Appendix B still reflect the prevailing local conditions in Geneva. This requires a complete review and overhaul of Appendix B. OIOS also wishes to highlight that many of the variances between the conditions applicable in New York and Geneva cannot be explained by different local conditions in the US and in Europe. OIOS noted that the provisions applied at UNOG are relatively close to those applied at UNOV, whereas the conditions applied at ICTY are similar to those at UNHQ. OIOS is not convinced that the local labour market conditions in The Hague are closer to New York than to Geneva. UNOG should therefore initiate a comprehensive review of the conditions set forth in Appendix B, taking into account the prevailing local conditions, the conditions applied by other UN entities in Geneva and the conditions in other UN duty stations. OIOS is aware that a complete overhaul and revision of Appendix B may not be achievable within the near future. As a first step and as a matter of priority, those parts of Appendix B containing the conditions governing compensation for overtime and night differential should be reviewed and revised. Recommendation: UNOG Division of Administration, in consultation with OHRM and the Controller, should review and revise the provisions of the 1966 Appendix B governing compensation for overtime and night differential at UNOG, in order to ensure that they reflect today's prevailing local conditions in Geneva and that variances from the provisions applied at other duty stations are justified (Rec. 01). 13. UNOG acknowledged the need to review and, if necessary, update Appendix B for Geneva. However, UNOG felt that this might be a very lengthy exercise, given the sensitive nature of other issues dealt with in Appendix B, and proposed that the review be undertaken as part of the system-wide review initiated by OHRM, although a step-by-step approach could be considered. OHRM stated that they did not know whether the provisions of the 1966 Appendix B still reflected the best prevailing local conditions in Geneva and highlighted that any revision of Appendix B applicable to Geneva should be done by reference to local conditions. OIOS will record this recommendation as implemented upon receipt of the results of a review and revision of the conditions in Appendix B for Geneva governing compensation for overtime and night differential. B. Compliance to the conditions and policies Non existence of prior authorization 14. According to the UNOG conditions governing overtime and night differential, all overtime shall be authorized in advance and subsequently certified by the Chief of the ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Division or Service concerned. However, OIOS review of the overtime claim forms indicated that the overtime was not authorized in advance in almost all the cases. The form used by UNOG Finance Section bears a prior authorization signature, but OIOS ascertained that these forms were signed post facto and only served the purpose of certification by the Section Chief concerned. Therefore, OIOS could not ascertain the justification for the overtime claims. OIOS understood that in some sections like Security and Safety, prior authorization might not be practical at all the times due to the nature of the job. But OIOS noted that in most of the instances in which overtime had been authorized like major conferences, visits of VIPs and social events, it was possible to plan and authorize overtime in advance. OIOS believes that planning and authorizing overtime ahead of time would enable managers to control excessive and unjustified claims submitted by staff members. 15. OIOS recommended that the Division of Administration ensure that the requirement for prior authorisation of overtime is adhered to while processing the overtime claims, and advise all responsible certifying officials to comply with this requirement. UNOG accepted the recommendation and will establish a procedure to ensure that all requests for overtime are properly authorized beforehand. For the Central Support Services, UNOG has already put in place a proper mechanism. UNOG added that there would be exceptions where prior authorization was not practical due to the nature of the work. OIOS considers this recommendation as implemented, but expects UNOG to properly justify and document such exceptions. Recurrence of overtime 16. According to the conditions governing compensation for overtime, the need to incur overtime should always be of a transitory nature to meet urgent or unforeseen circumstances that make it imperative for staff to work beyond normal hours. Any incidence of recurring overtime will be brought to the attention of the Director of Administration. OIOS analysis of the pattern of overtime paid during the review period indicated that authorizing work on overtime is an established practice in sections focused in this review, like Security and Safety Section (SSS) and Procurement and Transportation Section (PTS), Building and Engineering Section (BES) and Text Processing Section (TPS). OIOS noted that the total overtime paid in these sections continued to increase each year. On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in overtime in the Financial Resources Management Service (FRMS) due to special factors (discontinuation of payroll services for UNHCR, and automation of certain reconciliation tasks using IMIS). It is only this decrease that prevented total expenditure for overtime in UNOG to continue to increase. For SSS and PTS, the trend remained to increase. The table below (figures provided by UNOG) indicates the pattern of payment during the review period in thousands of US dollars and Swiss Francs in italics, and the percentage of increase to the previous year in parentheses: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 2002 2003 2004 Section US$ CHF US$ CHF US$ CHF 232 354 376 495 465 577 Safety and Security (62%) (40%) (24%) (17%) Purchase and 97 151 117 156 188 233 Transportation (21%) (3%) (61%) (49%) 74 117 127 168 110 141 Text Processing (72%) (44%) (-13%) (-16%) Building and 91 142 85 113 109 135 Engineering (-7%) (-20%) (28%) (19%) 494 764 705 932 872 1,086 Sub-totals (43%) (22%) (24%) (17%) 131 206 142 191 38 47 Finance (8%) (-7%) (-73%) (-75%) 143 219 259 342 129 166 Miscellaneous (81%) (56%) (-50%) (-51%) 768 1,189 1,106 1,465 1,039 1,299 Totals (44%) (23%) (-6%) (-11%) Recommendation: UNOG Division of Administration, in order to minimize overtime expenditure, should, on a quarterly basis, review the pattern of overtime payments and advise the respective heads of offices through inter office memorandums (Rec. 02). 17. UNOG accepted this recommendation and added that it would seem to overlap with the regular review of expenditures carried out by budget and certifying officers. OIOS suggests that UNOG advise budget and certifying officers to take up with the respective heads of offices the results of the review of overtime. UNOG also explained that increase in overtime might be attributable to various reasons such as non-availability of general temporary assistance provisions to face peak workload periods and that the freeze on the recruitment might have a further impact on overtime costs. UNOG added that notwithstanding this situation, UNOG would ensure that it would ensure that regular monitoring is strengthened and any anomalies would be brought to the attention of managers concerned. OIOS will record this recommendation as implemented when it receives a copy of guidelines on the regular monitoring of overtime or a copy of memos to managers on the status of overtime in their respective programmes or activities. Non-observance of the 40-hour overtime limit 18. The conditions governing overtime stipulate that in the interest of the health of the staff member and the efficiency of the services, the supervisors would not require a staff ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 member to work more than 40 hours of overtime during any one month, except where unusual exigencies of service so require. OIOS noted that in some sections the staff members worked for more than 40 hours overtime in a month. In particular the drivers in the Transportation Section regularly worked for more than 40 hours. OIOS estimated that on average, every driver worked 67 hours of overtime per month in years 2003 and 2004. In some glaring cases, one of the drivers worked overtime for 108.5 hours in December 2003 and another driver rendered overtime work for 135.5 hours in August 2004. OIOS believes that this needs to be addressed and the service of staff members should not be required beyond 40 hours in addition to their normal working hours. As this is a pattern, it cannot be justified by unusual exigencies of the service. 19. Furthermore, OIOS review also indicated that some staff members were requested to work on overtime continuously for more than 12-20 hours without any break including lunch. OIOS is concerned that this practice would affect the health and efficiency and effectiveness of the staff member in carrying out his or her functions. This practice was common among drivers and security personnel. Recommendation: The UNOG Division of Administration, in the interest of the health of the staff members and of efficiency of the service, should enforce the limit of 40 hours of overtime. Should the need for it arise, UNOG should consider hiring temporary staff (Rec. 03). 20. UNOG accepted this recommendation and will enforce the 40-hours limit as from July 2005. Compliance would be monitored through continuous random checks. OIOS will close this recommendation as implemented upon receipt and verification of overtime statistics for the period July to October 2005. Non-observance of the CTO rule 21. According to the conditions governing overtime, the first eight hours of ordinary overtime in a month will be compensated by equal time off at the earliest possible date and will not be paid. However, in some instances the overtime was calculated and paid to staff members for all the time worked as overtime. This practice was prevalent in security services provided to other UN agencies on a cost reimbursable basis. OIOS also noted instances in which similar payments were made to staff members in the regular budget. In OIOS opinion, this practice should be stopped to minimize expenditure under overtime. Uneven distribution of overtime, night differential and weekend premium 22. OIOS review of the overtime paid in the Security and Safety Section indicated that there were a few security staff members who were regularly paid overtime, night differential and weekend premium. For example in the years 2002 to 2004, approximately 14 per cent of the security staff were paid about 41 per cent of the total overtime and night differential. The Security and Safety Section asserted that only these security staff members were willing to work overtime and in night shifts. Although OIOS was not able to verify this assertion, OIOS believes that UNOG should endeavour to achieve a more even distribution of work among staff members to avoid the perception of unequal treatment. Furthermore, OIOS noted cases where some drivers at the G-4 level and security officers at the G-4 to G-6 level received net remuneration, including their compensation for overtime, that exceeded the total net salary of a P-4 or P-5 staff member in 2004 and in some months that of a D-1 staff member. Such cases point to the need for UNOG to ensure that overtime is more evenly distributed among staff ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 members. Recommendation: UNOG Division of Administration should advise all offices concerned to adequately plan their work beyond normal office hours, so that it is evenly and fairly distributed to many staff members, taking into account the skills and availability of staff members (Rec. 04). 23. UNOG accepted this recommendation and will advise all offices concerned of the recommendation and request its swift implementation with the establishment of internal controls to avoid recurrence. UNOG added that since the Security and Safety Section is now part of the independent Department of Safety and Security, this recommendation could be addressed to that Department, which could consider it in its review of their administrative rules. OIOS will take up this issue in its present audit of the SSS. OIOS will record this recommendation as implemented upon receipt of UNOG's advice to all offices concerned and of statistics on compensation for overtime per staff member for the period July to October 2005. OIOS will follow-up on the above-mentioned cases. Need to minimize overtime of the drivers 24. As stated above, OIOS noticed that the overtime and night differential paid to the drivers increased significantly during the review period. OIOS undertook a critical review of the increase to determine whether the increase is adequately justified and to determine whether there is scope to minimize overtime to the drivers. OIOS relied on the internal memorandums and documents maintained in the Central Support Services, UNOG, and the relevant statistics maintained in the database. 25. According to ST/AI/387, all official vehicles will be considered as part of a pool, available for all operational functions of the office concerned. Accordingly, since October 1999, the drivers Sub-Unit, Transportation and Travel Unit, Purchase and Transportation Section, UNOG, had been organized as a pool, where all drivers were rotated morning and afternoon shifts and posts (shift system). The Sub-Unit is composed of five drivers and one supervisor and is equipped with three vehicles. The drivers are servicing mainly the Director- General of UNOG, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Executive Secretary of ECE and other high-ranking officials. The shift system allowed keeping the overtime under control as the drivers mutually covered one another. 26. In September 2002, an additional driver was recruited and the shift system was revised. Since January 2003, two drivers and one vehicle were exclusively assigned to the DG of UNOG on a full time basis, except when the Secretary-General visits Geneva. In addition to this, the threshold of 40 hours of overtime in a month was raised to unlimited levels in April 2001. OIOS noted that these measures impacted the accumulation of overtime by any one of the drivers, as it was no longer possible to balance the overtime hours. 27. According to ST/AI/337, the heads of the respective offices may be assigned a vehicle on a full-time basis at locations other than New York, Geneva and Vienna. The full-time assignment of a vehicle and two drivers to the DG, UNOG is therefore not in line with Organization's policy on the provision and use of official cars, and should be discontinued, unless the Secretary-General changes the Organization's policy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 28. According to the statistics available on the usage of drivers' services by UNOG, the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), OIOS noticed the following: o An average of 600 hours in a year was recorded under UNOG from 1998 to 2001. The annual total increased to 1,020 hours in 2002. Despite the recruitment of an additional driver, overtime further increased to 1,344 hours in 2003 and 1,544 hours in 2004. o During weekends and official holidays the cumulative overtime accrued by the two drivers exclusively assigned to the DG, UNOG had even increased fourfold from an average of 200 hours in the last four years to 805 hours in 2004. o According to the overtime records maintained by the drivers, a significant amount of overtime in 2003 and 2004 was accumulated in instances, where the official purpose was not obvious. OIOS is further looking into the issue. o At OHCHR overtime was fluctuating over the last six years, ranging from a low of 386 hours in 2000 to a peak of 883 hours in 2004. At ECE, overtime increased steadily from 182 in 2002 to 398 hours in 2004. 29. According to ST/AI/337, official cars may be used only for official business within working hours, but not for transportation to and from work. OIOS noted that vehicles were used frequently by heads of offices for transportation to and from work, which is not in compliance with the Organization's policy. OHRM has confirmed that the policy outlined in ST/AI/337 is still valid, but wanted to bring the issues raised to the attention of DM/OCSS to review the policy and determine a need for modification, if any. As recommended by OIOS, UNOG Division of Administration has reminded the heads of offices in Geneva, which are regular users of official cars, of the rules governing the use of official vehicles. Recommendations: UNOG Division of Administration should fully implement pooling of all official cars with a shift system for drivers in order to minimize overtime work, ensuring that vehicle normally used by the Director-General is made available for other official requirements, when not required by the DG for official purposes (Rec. 05). 30. UNOG stated that the recommendations had been implemented prior to the audit and that the Division of Administration and Office of the Director-General, UNOG, OHCHR and ECE and the drivers were informed in February 2005 of new procedures to exercise a better control of overtime. UNOG also drew attention to the specific security requirements ("defensive driving") and related aspects, which may arise from a too open use of vehicles assigned to VIPs. OIOS welcomes the steps already taken to make better use of the official vehicles and drivers and to minimize drivers' overtime. OIOS will close these recommendations upon receipt of documentation showing that all official vehicles and their drivers form part of a pool. Furthermore, UNOG should consider putting drivers on standby duty rather than paying overtime for periods when actual work requirements are not foreseeable. OIOS will follow-up on the actual usage at a later stage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 Inadequacies in the authentication of the overtime documents 31. As the overtime was not authorized in advance, OIOS verified the claims submitted to ensure that the overtime accrued was adequately authenticated by a responsible official immediately after the completion of the duty on a daily basis. In respect of the drivers, the overtime accrued has been authenticated by the responsible officials only in very few cases. In a number of cases, overtime was authenticated by the users' secretaries only. In most instances, however, the time of actual duty was not authenticated. As a result, OIOS could not verify whether the time accrued by the drivers as overtime was actual overtime accrued by them. 32. OIOS also noticed that staff members, who did not have the authority, authenticated the overtime. In the Security and Safety Section, a number of claims were authenticated and signed by non-designated persons. The Chief of Security and Safety Section has delegated to the supervisors of Units to authenticate overtime claims. However, OIOS noticed several claims that were authenticated and signed by Sergeants and Lieutenants. Moreover, in a few claims, the claimant himself authenticated his own overtime. In some cases, the claims were not authenticated, however they were processed and payments were made. OIOS also noted few instances in which the overtime figures were overwritten after authentication. The modifications were not countersigned. These inadequacies in the authentication had the risk of potential abuse and inappropriate claims of overtime, and need to be addressed as a matter of priority. At the time of the audit, Security and Safety Section was issuing an internal memo stipulating that authority lower than supervisors of Units should not authenticate OT claim. Recommendation: UNOG Division of Administration should strengthen the process of certification of the overtime claims so that the risks of abuse or inappropriate claims are managed effectively (Rec. 06). 33. UNOG accepted this recommendation. OIOS will consider this recommendation as implemented upon receipt and verification of the new certification procedures for overtime. V. FURTHER ACTIONS REQUIRED ON RECOMMENDATIONS 34. OIOS monitors the implementation of its audit recommendations for reporting to the Secretary-General and to the General Assembly. The responses received on the audit recommendations contained in the draft report have been recorded in our recommendations database. In order to record full implementation, the actions described in the following table are required: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Recommendation No. Action/document required to close the recommendation 1* Receipt of results of review and revision of provisions in Appendix B for Geneva governing compensation for overtime and night differential. 2* Receipt of guidelines on regular monitoring of overtime or a copy of memos to managers on the status of overtime in their respective programmes or activities. 3* Receipt and verification of overtime statistics for the period July to October 2005. 4 Receipt of UNOG's advice to all offices concerned and of statistics and payments for overtime per staff member for the period July to October 2005. 5* Receipt of documentation showing that all vehicles and drivers form part of a pool. 6 Receipt and verification of new certification procedures of overtime. * Critical recommendations V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 35. I wish to express my appreciation for the assistance and cooperation extended to the auditors by the staff of UNOG. Egbert C. Kaltenbach, Director Internal Audit Division II Office of Internal Oversight Services -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Rick Norsigian kept two boxes he bought at a garage sale under his pool table for four years before realizing they may be too valuable to store at home.
The Fresno, California, commercial painter learned this week that what was in those boxes he paid $45 dollars for a decade ago could be worth more than $200 million.
"When I heard that $200 million, I got a little weak," Norsigian said at a Beverly Hills art gallery Tuesday.
Art, forensic, handwriting and weather experts teamed up to conclude the 65 glass plates in the boxes were photographic negatives created more than 80 years ago by Ansel Adams, the iconic American photographer whose images of the West inspired the country.
Arnold Peter, the lawyer who led the effort to authenticate that the negatives were made by the man known as the father of American photography, said their approach was "to put these negatives on trial."
Experts, including a former FBI agent and a U.S. attorney, "came to the conclusion that, based on the evidence which was overwhelming, that no reasonable person would have any doubt that these, in fact, were the long-lost images of Ansel Adams," Arnold said.
The photographs were from the early career of the famed nature photographer, a period that is not well documented since a 1937 darkroom fire destroyed 5,000 of his plates, Arnold said.
"It truly is a missing link of Ansel Adams and history and his career," said Beverly Hills appraiser and art dealer David W. Streets.
The photographs were taken between 1919 and the early 1930s at locations familiar to Adams, mostly around Yosemite, California, Streets said.
"This is going to show the world the evolution of his eye, of his talent, of his skill, his gift, but also his legacy," Streets said.
"And it's a portion that we thought had been destroyed in the studio fire."
Norsigian, who scours garage sales for antiques, was looking for a barber chair when he spotted to two deteriorated boxes in the spring of 2000.
"When I pulled on of those glass negatives out, I seen Yosemite," he said. "As a young man, I worked at Yosemite quite a bit. So, right away I recognized it as Yosemite."
He bickered with the seller, finally negotiating down from $70 to $45 for the boxes. The owner said he bought them in the 1940s at a warehouse salvage in Los Angeles. He bickered the price down from $70 to $45.
It would be two years before he realized they photos may be from Adams, he said. After four years, he had done enough research to realize the plates could be valuable. He moved them from under his pool table and placed them in a bank vault.
How these 6.5 x 8.5 inch glass plate negatives of famous Yosemite landscapes and San Francisco landmarks -- some of them with fire damage -- made their way from Adams collection 70 years ago to a Southern California garage sale in 2000 can only be guessed.
Photography expert Patrick Alt, who helped confirm the authenticity of the negatives, suspects Adams carried them to use in a photography class he was teaching in Pasadena, California, in the early 1940s.
"It is my belief that he brought these negatives with him for teaching purposes and to show students how to not let their negatives be engulfed in a fire," Alt said. "I think this clearly explains the range of work in these negatives, from very early pictorialist boat pictures, to images not as successful, to images of the highest level of his work during this time period."
Alt said it is impossible to know why Adams would store them in Pasadena and never reclaim them.
The plates were individually wrapped in newspaper inside deteriorating manila envelopes. Notations on each envelope appeared to have been made by Virginia Adams, the photographer's wife, according to handwriting experts Michael Nattenberg and Marcel Matley. They compared them to samples provided by the Adams' grandson.
While most of the negatives appear never to have been printed, several are nearly identical to well-known Adams prints, the experts said.
Meteorologist George Wright studied clouds and snow cover in a Norsigian negative to conclude that it was taken at about the same time as a known Adams photo of a Yosemite tree.
In addition to Yosemite -- the California wilderness that Adams helped conserve -- the negatives depict California's Carmel Mission, views of a rocky point in Carmel, San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, a sailing yacht at sea and an image of sand dunes.
"The fact that these locations were well-known to Adams, and visited by him, further supports the proposition that all of the images in the collection were most probably created by Adams," said art expert Robert Moeller.
Moeller said that after six months of study, he concluded "with a high degree of probability, that the images under consideration were produced by Ansel Adams.
Silver tarnishing on the negatives also helped date the plates to around the 1920s, Alt said.
"I have sent people to prison for the rest of their lives for far less evidence than I have seen in this case," said evidence and burden of proof expert Manny Medrano, who was hired by Norsigian to help authenticate them. "In my view, those photographs were done by Ansel Adams."
Arnold, the lawyer, said they presented their evidence to descendants of Adams, but they've not heard back.
Norsigian, who is 64, still works for the Fresno school system, but he may retire this year.
It could be a while before he sees the profits from the sale of prints from the negatives, but Streets estimates over the next 25 years it could mean over $200 million for Norsigian.
For now, the photos will go on a tour of universities and museums, starting in October at Fresno State University, Norsigian said,
"I just hope everybody enjoys them," he said.
He's not spoken with the man who sold him the two boxes a decade ago.
"If he's still around, I'm afraid he may come looking for me," he said.


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Meet Berlin, MD, America's Coolest Small Town!
How does it feel to live in the Coolest Small Town in America? Ask the folks in Berlin, MD, the winner of Budget Travel's 9th annual America's Coolest Small Town contest!
Berlin's citizens—and fans from around the U.S. and beyond—helped get the town nominated last fall when Budget Travel solicited suggestions from tens of thousands of online readers. The editors tallied up the nominations, added a dash of editorial discretion for regional and cultural diversity, and came up with a list of 15 finalists—cool burghs from Upstate New York to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, from northern Colorado to the Everglades, and, of course, the Maryland shore.
Now, after more than a month of online voting, Berlin, MD (population 4,563), has earned the title of "Coolest."
Berlin not only has a dedicated citizenry and fan following (it grabbed more than 28 percent of the votes among the 15 finalists), but it's also a truly spectacular place to visit or put down roots. Like the beautiful backdrops in the films Tuck Everlasting and The Runaway Bride? Thank Berlin, where both movies were shot. Ready for a getaway that includes Maryland's awesome Ocean City beach and boardwalk and gorgeous Assateague Island? They're just a few miles from Berlin's downtown (a National Register Historic District), which plays host to fun events all year long, from the regular farmers market to one-of-a-kind bashes like the Berlin Fiddlers Convention, New Year's fireworks, Victorian Christmas (complete with horse-drawn carriages), and even bathtub races! Whether you're a beach lover, hiker, kayaker, bird watcher, or history aficionado, put Berlin on your list of small-town must-sees (in fact, put it at the top of your list—we just did!).
So, congrats to the people of Berlin, MD, and its mayor, William "Gee" WIlliams III (who just earned a growler of craft beer from second-place finisher Cazenovia's mayor, Kurt Wheeler). And let's join them in a rousing chorus of "Cool Berlin," by local songwriter Steve Frene, written especially to promote the town's campaign for the top spot.
Here are the top 10 towns in Budget Travel's 2014 America's Coolest Small Town contest. (Online voting among 15 finalists began in mid-January and ended at 12 a.m. Tuesday February 25. Total votes cast were 137,819, with the winner receiving 39,285 votes.) Each of these 10 towns will be honored in an upcoming feature on BudgetTravel.com and an upcoming story in Budget Travel's tablet edition:
1. Berlin, MD
2. Cazenovia, NY
3. Buckhannon, WV
4. Travelers Rest, SC
5. Mathews, VA
6. Nevada City, CA
7. Rockport, TX
8. Estes Park, CO
9. Galena, IL
10. Elkin, NC


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More U.S. women are attempting to have children using eggs donated by other women and taking home healthy babies as a result, a new study shows. Fertility clinics reported 18,306 procedures using fresh or frozen donated eggs in 2010, up from 10,801 in 2000, according to the study published online by the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, and presented Thursday in Boston at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the International Federation of Fertility Societies. Nearly one-quarter of the women who used donor eggs in 2010 ended up with what doctors consider an optimum outcome: a single baby, born after at least 37 weeks of pregnancy, weighing at least 5.5 pounds, the study found. That's up from 18.5% in 2000. "There's still room for improvement," but the trends are encouraging for couples increasingly looking for ways to extend child-bearing years, says lead author Jennifer Kawwass, a fellow in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta.
Donor eggs often are used by women who are older than 35 and having trouble becoming pregnant because their own viable eggs are in short supply. However, the study shows that traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures – in which women use their own eggs, with sperm from their partner or a donor – remain much more common, comprising 89% of procedures in 2010. Older women who use their own eggs are less likely to end up with a baby, but "for most people, the desire to have a child that is genetically from both parents is very strong," says Evan Myers, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C. "Donor eggs are still often seen as a last resort."
In an editorial accompanying the study, Myers says the fact that poor birth outcomes did not increase as the ages of egg recipients increased suggests that using donor eggs from younger women may help prevent pregnancy complications usually associated with a woman's age – something that should be further studied. Recipients had an average of age of 41 and donors an average age of 28 in 2010, about the same as in 2000, the study found. The study did not look at health effects on donors, who typically are paid $5,000 to $10,000 for undergoing a month of fertility drug treatments and an egg retrieval procedure. Myers says more study is needed, especially to learn how many donors suffer a complication known as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome – which can cause rapid weight gain, abdominal pain and other symptoms.
The study did have data on one important safety consideration for recipients and their babies: the number of embryos placed in each prospective mother's womb. Since risks increase with multiple fetuses, the reproductive medicine society recommends that patients and doctors use no more than two embryos and consider using a single embryo when the donor is under age 35. In 2000, single embryos were used less than 1% of the time; in 2010, they were used in 14.5% of cases, the study found.
The fact that most patients still got more than one embryo largely reflects patient preferences, says William Schlaff, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Jefferson University Hospitals, Philadelphia. Schlaff, who was not involved in the study, says many patients are willing to take the risk of having twins to raise their chances of having at least one baby and to decrease costs. Some, he says, are eager for twins: "They come in saying 'We only want to do this once.' " About 56% of couples who used fresh eggs in 2010 took home babies and two-thirds of those couples had just one baby, Kawwass says. About one third had twins and fewer than 1% had triplets. Two-thirds of the single babies, 25% of the twins and just 1% of triplets were born after 37 weeks and at a healthy weight, she says. The study did not look at similar outcomes for frozen eggs. Data for the study came from 443 clinics reporting to a registry maintained by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The clinics represent 93% of such facilities in the United States This story is from usatoday.com: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/17/donor-egg-pregnancy/2996959/


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The Wellbeing Budget focuses on ways to give Māori and Pacific peoples more scope to lift their own wellbeing. When Māori and Pacific peoples set their own wellbeing goals and aspirations and when we as a Government use our ability to change the system and help Māori and Pacific peoples achieve those aspirations – equality can start to be a reality.
- Hon Kelvin Davis
- Hon Nanaia Mahuta
- Hon Jenny Salesa
- Hon Peeni Henare
- Hon Willie Jackson
- Hon Aupito William Sio
- Corrections
- Education
- Employment
- Health
- Māori Development
- Pacific Peoples
- Whānau Ora
"This year's Budget delivers for Māori," Māori Ministers Kelvin Davis, Nanaia Mahuta, Peeni Henare, Meka Whaitiri and Willie Jackson said today.
- Hon Kelvin Davis
- Hon Nanaia Mahuta
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text:
Notice: this Wiki will be going read only early in 2024 and edits will no longer be possible. Please see: https://gitlab.eclipse.org/eclipsefdn/helpdesk/-/wikis/Wiki-shutdown-plan for the plan.
This is the Expressions and Variables Views Technology Sub-group
Lead: Ken Ryall (Nokia)
Members: Ted Williams (WR), Pete Nichols (IBM)
At the last DSDP meeting we began discussing ways to improve the Variable view to include the features we would find useful in a common, sharable, view of C/C++ variables and expressions.
Here are some design notes based on some initial feedback.
The variable view displays a collection of variables in a hierarchical structure. The variables shown are those relevant to the debug context of the view and may include both local variables and global variables used within the local context. Multiple columns in the view allow for sorting and easier viewing of attributes.
Variable Attributes
Common attributes of C/C++ variables that merit their own column in the view:
Name (short or fully qualified)
Location (register or memory location)
Variable values can either be edited in place or in the details pane. For in-place editing of Boolean or enumerated types a menu lets you select from a valid range of values.
Context Indicator
Variables are shown from a particular context, usually a function within a stack frame. You can have multiple variable views showing variables from multiple contexts open at the same time. Multiple variable views will be confusing without some kind of context indicator. Suggestions have included using color, unique symbols (think Lucky Charms cereal), or a short chunk of text ("doHandleCommand() in thread 566 of process "hello.exe"). Context indicators will need to be used consistently across many of the other debug views.
Filters let you look at a subset of the variables based on the name, type, or value.
Pinned Variable Views
Pinned views are static, they don't update when the target state changes. You can pin any variable view and it will no linger update. You can have multiple pinned views open.
That's it for now, I'll update these notes as I collect additional feedback.
- Ken


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'Harry Potter' countdown: Tom Felton on the 'gradual crumbling' of Malfoy
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
It's here! "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" has arrived and today our Denise Martin finishes off our daily 'Potter' countdown (but not our ongoing Hogwarts coverage, of course). Her interview subject? Here's a hint: He is a key figure and an especially conflicted wizard in the new film.
After years of playing the petulant platinum-blond pest Draco Malfoy, actor Tom Felton couldn't wait to get his hands on the script for the series' sixth film, a sort of coming out party for the aspiring Death Eater. And with good reason. There's plenty for Draco to wrestle with in this edition. With his father, Lucius Malfoy, stuck in Azkaban, young Draco is tapped by Voldemort to use the Unforgivable Curse on the school's headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. And while Felton's alter ego has been eager to carry out some dark doings in the past, when the big moment arrives Draco instead comes up against the conscience he never knew he had.
Felton, who was heading off to get his hair dyed blond during our chat, told Hero Complex all about growing up Draco, facing off with Michael Gambon's Dumbledore, and what he and star Daniel Radcliffe really talk about on set.
DM: This is the major film in Draco's story. There's some coming of age for him here. What were your thoughts going into it?
TF: Very excited, but I also got a little bit anxious, and slightly worried, about what to do and whether or not I could do it. I had many meetings with David Yates and Mike [Gambon] to discuss it, and they really encouraged me to really try and excel with the character. It's what any actor wants when it comes to trying to sink your teeth into a character, and we really do reveal more of Draco's emotions. He's always been slightly two-dimensional in previous years, and this time you really see lots of sides of him.
DM: How so?
TF: You see a much harder and much more violent side, his hate is much stronger. But there's also an immensely vulnerable side to him too. Hopefully you empathize with him by the end, a little bit.
DM: In the book, all is revealed, more or less, in his showdown with Dumbledore. Does his back story play out the same way in the film?
TF: Draco starts off very determined, very hard, and very up for it, so to speak. But definitely, toward the end, that crumbles. That whole façade. You really feel that weaker side of him, the young boy that he is. He's acting like a man, he's being the father of a house while his dad's in prison, so he really feels like he's got to step up his game, but unfortunately he's not quite as solid as he thought. It's a more gradual crumbling in the film.
DM: As you were nervous at the outset, did director David Yates say anything particularly helpful?
TF: He was very keen to mention all the things I should be feeling and thinking instead of leaving me too much on my own. We played around with it. If I get any praise out of it, it's on account of his direction and his vision. He's so encouraging of all of us really, and I think it really makes a difference. As it went on, I got a lot more confident and less panicky.
DM: What do you remember about shooting that climactic scene on the Astronomy Tower?
TF: It was intense! When we shot it I was surrounded by the cream of British actors [Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter were present, as was the Dublin-born Gambon], and the scene itself is very intense. There's lots of shouting, screaming and tears. We had good fun with that one. It was the scene I was most looking forward to.
DM: What was working with Gambon like?
TF: I was obviously very scared about having a one-on-one scene with him. But early on we met up and we got on really well. He's a character beyond character, anyone will tell you that. He's got more stories than an encyclopedia and he's a wealth of knowledge and comedy. It's just a joy to be around him. Every time there was a break, I would take it as a good opportunity to have a cup of tea with him, asking questions and stuff like that.
DM: His Dumbledore is a lot more intense than in the books, isn't he?
TF: Yeah, I was slightly afraid that he was going to be cold or stone-faced. But he's far from it. Honestly, he's like an 18-year-old and he loves it.
DM: Is it fair to say this film is the darkest Potter film yet?
TF: It is, but I don't think it's just that. It happens in every film, people say it's getting so dark. But this one also gets funnier and more romantic. Also, the nature of the film is more adult, so it's only right for the dark side to correspond to the good. I don't think it's just dark, that's just one of its many features.
DM: You're about to start shooting "Deathly Hallows" -- excited or sad?
TF: Excited.
Dan, Emma [Watson] and Rupert [Grint] have been hard at work for the past month or two.I'm actually going in tomorrow to get the bonnet dyed. I'm looking forward to getting blond again.
DM: You're more recognizable that way, though.
TF: I know. I'm panicking about that part.
DM: Has it started to hit you that this is it?
TF: Very much so. It's a very daunting time for all of us. Every year we finish and we know we'll come back for more. After this one, it will be a goodbye for a while. It is quite exciting as well. There are other things to look forward to, and I know we'll all be happy in a way because we've seen the story all the way through. It's quite a big deal doing the next two movies though. They're not short films. There's a lot of work to be done. It's going to be well over a year of work.
DM: What has kept you willing to return for all the movies?
TF: It's always been fun. That's the main thing. It's not really an arduous process. Also, I love the idea of looking back at it in 10 or 20 years and knowing you were a part of it all. I couldn't bear to leave it, especially now when we're so close to finishing.
DM: Where does "Half-Blood Prince" fit in for you? Where do you rank it?
TF: It's my personal favorite -- I don't know whether or not I'm being biased though because Draco's featured in it. But there's something about the story that's very human and relatable in many respects, lots of love in the air at Hogwarts, lots of boys and girls kissing. It's about growing up.
DM: What will you miss most?
TF: The whole cast and crew. It's a great atmosphere when we're all there together on set. I suppose we won't have that again. I'm sure we'll keep in touch, but we won't all be under the same roof. I got on very well with young Daniel. We're both cricket fans so there's plenty of cricket chat going on between the pair of us. There's no one I don't get along with. We all click rather well.
DM: Have you lined up any post-Potter plans?
TF: I have a couple of film projects in the run. "In Between the Waves" is a film I'm hoping to do next spring. It's about two boys, two keen surfers who travel around Europe on a mad surfing road trip. I used to skateboard, and I've been snowboarding, and I've been told that if I can do those, I'll be all right. But I've never been on a surfboard.
DM: I understand you sing as well. Any plans to record?
TF: I have done a bit of recording and the songs are available on iTunes, and I've got some nice comments. It's something I enjoy doing, but I'm not looking for a singing career any time soon. As long as one person gets enjoyment out of it, I'm happy to make it available.
DM: Worried about being typecast as an evil Draco-type from now on?
TF: That question comes up a lot. I think it's pretty crazy to say you've been typecast at the age of 20 before you've even really started getting going. I think with young Mr. [Robert] Pattinson's success, I think it pretty much gives us the green light to say there's life after Harry Potter. It's just a matter of who wants it and who will work for it.
-- Denise Martin
Which celebrity intimidates Emma Watson? You may be surprised
Dumbledore diss? Michael Gambon sees 'no point' in reading Rowling
Daniel Radcliffe talks about life after Hogwarts
VOTE: Which film might get Oscar nom? 'Up,' 'Trek' or 'Potter'?
Rupert Grint explains the pain of love...and quidditch
SCOOP: David Yates reveals where he will split 'Deathly Hallows'
Jessie Cave spills about scaring, smooching Rupert Grint
QUIZ: How well do you know the halls of Hogwarts?
Getting to know the real-life Weasley boys
STILL WANT MORE? All 'HARRY POTTER' coverage at Hero Complex


text: Imagine taking a peaceful flight, gliding along without much noise or any fuel, effortlessly descending into the airport without a trace of emissions. Sounds like a dream? It is. But one we can imagine in the not-so-distant future. E-Fan, the brainchild of parent Airbus Group, is a prototype hybrid electric motor glider which will first be used for training pilots for their license at a school in Bordeaux, France, by 2017. It debuted with its first public test flight in April 2014, and the two-seater electric aircraft is powered by two batteries, producing 60 kilowatts of power, which will be able to run for half an hour. The E-Fan has been a continuous journey of evolution, says chief technical officer Jean Botti. "This is a learning curve to get to the big ones in the future." It started five years ago when Airbus Group experimented with the Cri-Cri, a tiny plane based on the 1970s Cri-Cri, one of the smallest twin-engine planes in history. Besides the benefits of noise and emissions reduction, the reduced cost of training pilots with the E-Fan is incredible, says Botti. It costs about two cents per hour to fly the electric plane, a number which is up to 20-50 times cheaper than the normal fuel costs of today's aircraft, he says. Ultimately, these savings will get passed on to the customer, explained Botti, as the electric-powered flight training becomes a reality. What's ahead for electric? Eventually, the company has its eye on building planes for regional flights, with up to 90 people flying for three hours, although this is still 15-20 years away, says Botti. "We're not talking about replacing the A380," he says. But the shorter-term goals also include helicopters with hybrid electric technology. For Airbus Group, much of the investment is being mobilized by the European Commission's "Flightpath 2050" which aims to cut aircraft CO2 emissions by 75%, and noise levels to be reduced by 65% from their 2000 levels. The goal is to make tens to hundreds of these planes, and Airbus Group says it will be designed by schools with apprenticeship programs in order to help raise up the new engineers of tomorrow. The biggest challenge for E-Fan is developing new energy storage. "We cannot afford to stay with the state of batteries today. We need to go much higher in terms of efficiency," says Botti, adding that the company's new research center in Munich, Germany, will have the capacity to do just that. Alternative planes take off It's not just Airbus looking to alternative aircraft to help save energy, cut fuel consumption and reduce noise. There are several others developing alternative aircraft with their own success. Recently, the Solar Impulse 2, a fully solar-powered aircraft, was unveiled by a Swiss duo which will attempt to fly non-stop for 120 hours without any fuel next year. Made of carbon fiber, its predecessor, Solar Impulse, smashed aviation records as it succeeded in the first solar-powered overnight flight, lasting 26 hours in 2010. Another creation is the Dutch-designed, German-built Antares 23E, an electric aircraft with 23-meter wings which can glide for 60 kilometers (37 miles). The Antares 23E can climb to 3,500 meters on a single battery charge.