Index: wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/dashboard.php	(revision 19324)
+++ 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 19324)
+++ wp-admin/css/wp-admin.dev.css	(working copy)
@@ -2188,17 +2188,24 @@
 	position: absolute;
 	top: 0;
 	right: 10px;
-	padding: 2px 12px;
-	font-size: 12px;
-	font-weight: bold;
+	padding: 8px 3px;
+	font-size: 13px;
 	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 17% no-repeat;
+    content: ' ';
+    height: 100%;
+    width: 10px;
+    left: -12px;
+    position: absolute;
 }
 
+.welcome-panel .welcome-panel-close:hover:before {
+    background-position: 100% 17%;
+}
+
 .welcome-panel .wp-badge {
 	float: left;
 }
@@ -2223,7 +2230,7 @@
 }
 
 .welcome-panel .welcome-panel-column ul {
-	margin-top: 1.6em;
+	margin: 1.6em 1em 1em 1.3em;
 }
 
 .welcome-panel .welcome-panel-column li {
Index: wp-admin/css/colors-classic.dev.css
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/css/colors-classic.dev.css	(revision 19324)
+++ 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 19324)
+++ 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;
 }