Index: wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php	(revision 19312)
+++ wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php	(working copy)
@@ -1285,7 +1285,7 @@
 
 		<?php wp_nonce_field( 'welcome-panel-nonce', 'welcomepanelnonce', false ); ?>
 
-		<a class="welcome-panel-close" href="#"><?php _e('Close'); ?></a>
+		<a class="welcome-panel-close" href="#"><?php _e('Dismiss'); ?></a>
 
 		<div class="wp-badge"><?php printf( __( 'Version %s' ), $display_version ); ?></div>
 
Index: wp-admin/css/wp-admin.dev.css
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/css/wp-admin.dev.css	(revision 19312)
+++ wp-admin/css/wp-admin.dev.css	(working copy)
@@ -2186,19 +2186,26 @@
 
 .welcome-panel .welcome-panel-close {
 	position: absolute;
-	top: 0;
+	top: 2px;
 	right: 10px;
-	padding: 2px 12px;
+	padding: 0 3px;
 	font-size: 12px;
-	font-weight: bold;
 	text-decoration: none;
+}
 
-	-webkit-border-bottom-left-radius: 3px;
-	-webkit-border-bottom-right-radius: 3px;
-	border-bottom-left-radius: 3px;
-	border-bottom-right-radius: 3px;
+.welcome-panel .welcome-panel-close:before {
+        background: url('../images/xit.gif') 0 40% no-repeat;
+        content: ' ';
+        height: 100%;
+        width: 10px;
+        left: -10px;
+        position: absolute;
 }
 
+.welcome-panel .welcome-panel-close:hover:before {
+        background-position: 100% 40%;
+}
+
 .welcome-panel .wp-badge {
 	float: left;
 }
Index: wp-admin/css/colors-classic.dev.css
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/css/colors-classic.dev.css	(revision 19312)
+++ wp-admin/css/colors-classic.dev.css	(working copy)
@@ -706,10 +706,6 @@
 .welcome-panel-column p {
 	color: #464646;
 }
-.welcome-panel .welcome-panel-close {
-	background: #eff8ff;
-	text-shadow: 1px 1px 1px #eff8ff;
-}
 .welcome-panel h3 {
 	text-shadow: 1px 1px 1px white;
 }
Index: wp-admin/css/colors-fresh.dev.css
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/css/colors-fresh.dev.css	(revision 19312)
+++ wp-admin/css/colors-fresh.dev.css	(working copy)
@@ -704,10 +704,6 @@
 .welcome-panel-column p {
 	color: #464646;
 }
-.welcome-panel .welcome-panel-close {
-	background: #eee;
-	text-shadow: 1px 1px 1px #eee;
-}
 .welcome-panel h3 {
 	text-shadow: 1px 1px 1px white;
 }