diff --git a/SimpleCV/DrawingLayer.py b/SimpleCV/DrawingLayer.py
index a1cd9e60e..72a32c589 100644
--- a/SimpleCV/DrawingLayer.py
+++ b/SimpleCV/DrawingLayer.py
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ def __init__(self, (width, height)):
 
         self.width = width
         self.height = height
-        self._mSurface = pg.Surface((width, height), flags = pg.SRCALPHA)
+        self._mSurface = pg.Surface((width, height))
+        self._mSurface.set_colorkey((0, 0, 0))
         self._mDefaultAlpha = 255
         self._mClearColor = pg.Color(0, 0, 0, 0)
 
diff --git a/SimpleCV/Features/Detection.py b/SimpleCV/Features/Detection.py
index e9963075f..f8aa8aba4 100644
--- a/SimpleCV/Features/Detection.py
+++ b/SimpleCV/Features/Detection.py
@@ -1742,7 +1742,7 @@ def meanColor(self):
         """
         if( self._avgColor is None ):
             TL = self.topLeftCorner()
-            raw = self.image.crop(TL[0],TL[0],self.width(),self.height()) # crop the minbouding rect
+            raw = self.image.crop(TL[0],TL[1],self.width(),self.height()) # crop the minbouding rect
             mask = Image((self.width(),self.height()))
             mask.dl().polygon(self._minRect,color=Color.WHITE,filled=TRUE)
             mask = mask.applyLayers()
diff --git a/SimpleCV/ImageClass.py b/SimpleCV/ImageClass.py
index 3207a927d..b4fd801f8 100644
--- a/SimpleCV/ImageClass.py
+++ b/SimpleCV/ImageClass.py
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ def _write_gif(self, filename, duration=0.1, loops=0, dither=1):
             for img, header_anim in converted:
                 if not previous:
                     # gather data
-                    palette = getheader(img)[1]
+                    palette = getheader(img)[0][-1]
                     data = getdata(img)
                     imdes, data = data[0], data[1:]
                     header = header_anim
@@ -8581,7 +8581,7 @@ def findKeypoints(self,min_quality=300.00,flavor="SURF",highQuality=False ):
         else:
             kp,d = self._getRawKeypoints(thresh=min_quality,forceReset=True,flavor=flavor,highQuality=0)
 
-        if( flavor in ["ORB", "SIFT", "SURF", "BRISK", "FREAK"]  and kp!=None and d !=None ):
+        if( flavor in ["ORB", "SIFT", "SURF", "BRISK", "FREAK"]  and kp!=None and d is not None ):
             for i in range(0,len(kp)):
                 fs.append(KeyPoint(self,kp[i],d[i],flavor))
         elif(flavor in ["FAST", "STAR", "MSER", "Dense"] and kp!=None ):
diff --git a/SimpleCV/tests/test_haar_cascade.py b/SimpleCV/tests/test_haar_cascade.py
index 1942ccf77..a00d7a097 100644
--- a/SimpleCV/tests/test_haar_cascade.py
+++ b/SimpleCV/tests/test_haar_cascade.py
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 
 FACECASCADE = 'face.xml'
 
-testimage = "sampleimages/orson_welles.jpg"
-testoutput = "sampleimages/orson_welles_face.jpg"
+testimage = "../sampleimages/orson_welles.jpg"
+testoutput = "../sampleimages/orson_welles_face.jpg"
 
-testneighbor_in = "sampleimages/04000.jpg"
-testneighbor_out = "sampleimages/04000_face.jpg"
+testneighbor_in = "../sampleimages/04000.jpg"
+testneighbor_out = "../sampleimages/04000_face.jpg"
 
 def test_haarcascade():
     img = Image(testimage)