diff --git a/lib/git.rb b/lib/git.rb
index 9ef0fc09..e2c27005 100644
--- a/lib/git.rb
+++ b/lib/git.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 require 'git/index'
 require 'git/lib'
 require 'git/log'
+require 'git/blame'
 require 'git/object'
 require 'git/path'
 require 'git/remote'
diff --git a/lib/git/base.rb b/lib/git/base.rb
index dd9b6bb7..40355fe7 100644
--- a/lib/git/base.rb
+++ b/lib/git/base.rb
@@ -148,7 +148,10 @@ def config(name = nil, value = nil)
     # on the objectish and determine the type of the object and return 
     # an appropriate object for that type 
     def object(objectish)
+      return nil unless objectish
       Git::Object.new(self, objectish)
+    rescue Git::GitExecuteError
+      return nil # unknown revision
     end
     
     def gtree(objectish)
@@ -168,6 +171,12 @@ def log(count = 30)
       Git::Log.new(self, count)
     end
 
+    # returns a Git::BlameResult object with the commits that most recently
+    # modified each line
+    def blame(file, opts={})
+      Git::Blame.new(self, file, opts).result
+    end
+
     # returns a Git::Status object
     def status
       Git::Status.new(self)
diff --git a/lib/git/blame.rb b/lib/git/blame.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb36f151
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/git/blame.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+class Git::Blame
+  attr_reader :result
+
+  def initialize(base, file, opts={})
+    @base = base
+    @file = file
+    @options = opts
+
+    @result = run_blame
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def run_blame
+    lines = @base.lib.blame(@file, @options)
+    result = Git::BlameResult.new(@base)
+    lines.each do |line|
+      words = line.split(/\s+/)
+      next unless words.first.length == 40 #TODO this breaks if git ever introduces a 40-character attribute name
+      ref = words[0]
+      block_start = words[2].to_i
+      block_length = words[3].to_i
+      result.add_block ref, block_start, block_length
+    end
+    result
+  end
+end
+
+class Git::BlameResult
+  def [](*args) lines[*args] end
+  def each(*args, &block) lines.each(*args, &block) end
+  def each_with_index(*args, &block) lines.each_with_index(*args, &block) end
+
+  def initialize(base)
+    @base = base
+    @commit_cache = {}
+    @lines = []
+  end
+
+  def add_block(ref, start, length)
+    commit = (@commit_cache[ref] ||= @base.object(ref))
+    length.times { |i| @lines[start + i] = commit }
+    commit
+  end
+
+  attr_reader :lines
+  private :lines
+end
diff --git a/lib/git/lib.rb b/lib/git/lib.rb
index 21de727a..3eb1e250 100644
--- a/lib/git/lib.rb
+++ b/lib/git/lib.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def initialize(base = nil, logger = nil)
     end
     
     def init
-      command('init')
+      command('init').chomp
     end
     
     # tries to clone the given repo
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ def clone(repository, name, opts = {})
       
       arr_opts = []
       arr_opts << "--bare" if opts[:bare]
+      arr_opts << "--mirror" if opts[:mirror]
       arr_opts << "--recursive" if opts[:recursive]
       arr_opts << "-o" << opts[:remote] if opts[:remote]
       arr_opts << "--depth" << opts[:depth].to_i if opts[:depth] && opts[:depth].to_i > 0
@@ -57,9 +58,9 @@ def clone(repository, name, opts = {})
       arr_opts << repository
       arr_opts << clone_dir
       
-      command('clone', arr_opts)
+      command('clone', arr_opts).chomp
       
-      opts[:bare] ? {:repository => clone_dir} : {:working_directory => clone_dir}
+      (opts[:bare] || opts[:mirror]) ? {:repository => clone_dir} : {:working_directory => clone_dir}
     end
     
     
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ def log_commits(opts={})
       arr_opts = log_common_options(opts)
     
       arr_opts << '--pretty=oneline'
+      arr_opts << '--no-color'
      
       arr_opts += log_path_options(opts)
 
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@ def full_log_commits(opts={})
       arr_opts = log_common_options(opts)
     
       arr_opts << '--pretty=raw'
+      arr_opts << '--no-color'
       arr_opts << "--skip=#{opts[:skip]}" if opts[:skip]
    
       arr_opts += log_path_options(opts)
@@ -87,7 +90,30 @@ def full_log_commits(opts={})
       process_commit_data(full_log)
     end
 
+    def blame(file, opts={})
+      arr_opts = %w( --incremental )
+      arr_opts << "-L#{opts[:start]},#{opts[:end]}" if opts[:start] && opts[:end]
+      arr_opts << '--reverse' if opts[:reverse]
+      case opts[:detect_intrafile_moves]
+        when true then arr_opts << '-M'
+        when Fixnum then arr_opts << "-M#{opts[:detect_intrafile_moves]}"
+      end
+      if opts[:detect_interfile_moves]
+        c_opt = if opts[:check_all_commits_for_interfile_moves]
+                  '-CCC'
+                elsif opts[:check_first_file_commit_for_interfile_moves]
+                  '-CC'
+                else
+                  '-C'
+                end
+        c_opt << opts[:detect_interfile_moves] if opts[:detect_interfile_moves].kind_of?(Fixnum)
+      end
+      arr_opts << '-w' if opts[:ignore_whitespace]
+      arr_opts << opts[:revision] if opts[:revision]
+      arr_opts << '--' << file
 
+      command_lines 'blame', arr_opts
+    end
     
     def revparse(string)
       return string if string =~ /[A-Fa-f0-9]{40}/  # passing in a sha - just no-op it
@@ -97,15 +123,15 @@ def revparse(string)
         File.file?(path)
       end
       return File.read(rev).chomp if rev
-      command('rev-parse', string)
+      command('rev-parse', string).chomp
     end
     
     def namerev(string)
-      command('name-rev', string).split[1]
+      command('name-rev', string).split[1].chomp
     end
     
     def object_type(sha)
-      command('cat-file', ['-t', sha])
+      command('cat-file', ['-t', sha]).chomp
     end
     
     def object_size(sha)
@@ -164,7 +190,7 @@ def object_contents(sha, &block)
     end
 
     def ls_tree(sha)
-      data = {'blob' => {}, 'tree' => {}}
+      data = {'blob' => {}, 'tree' => {}, 'commit' => {}, 'tag' => {}}
       
       command_lines('ls-tree', sha).each do |line|
         (info, filenm) = line.split("\t")
@@ -188,7 +214,7 @@ def tree_depth(sha)
     end
 
     def change_head_branch(branch_name)
-      command('symbolic-ref', ['HEAD', "refs/heads/#{branch_name}"])
+      command('symbolic-ref', ['HEAD', "refs/heads/#{branch_name}"]).chomp
     end
     
     def branches_all
@@ -242,7 +268,7 @@ def diff_full(obj1 = 'HEAD', obj2 = nil, opts = {})
       diff_opts << obj2 if obj2.is_a?(String)
       diff_opts << '--' << opts[:path_limiter] if opts[:path_limiter].is_a? String
 
-      command('diff', diff_opts)
+      command('diff', diff_opts).chomp
     end
     
     def diff_stats(obj1 = 'HEAD', obj2 = nil, opts = {})
@@ -304,7 +330,7 @@ def config_remote(name)
 
     def config_get(name)
       do_get = lambda do |path|
-        command('config', ['--get', name])
+        command('config', ['--get', name]).chomp
       end
 
       if @git_dir
@@ -315,7 +341,7 @@ def config_get(name)
     end
 
     def global_config_get(name)
-      command('config', ['--global', '--get', name], false)
+      command('config', ['--global', '--get', name], false).chomp
     end
     
     def config_list
@@ -350,11 +376,11 @@ def parse_config(file)
     ## WRITE COMMANDS ##
         
     def config_set(name, value)
-      command('config', [name, value])
+      command('config', [name, value]).chomp
     end
 
     def global_config_set(name, value)
-      command('config', ['--global', name, value], false)
+      command('config', ['--global', name, value], false).chomp
     end
          
     # updates the repository index using the workig dorectory content
@@ -379,7 +405,7 @@ def add(paths='.',options={})
       
       arr_opts.flatten!
 
-      command('add', arr_opts)
+      command('add', arr_opts).chomp
     end
     
     def remove(path = '.', opts = {})
@@ -392,7 +418,7 @@ def remove(path = '.', opts = {})
         arr_opts << path
       end
 
-      command('rm', arr_opts)
+      command('rm', arr_opts).chomp
     end
 
     def commit(message, opts = {})
@@ -400,26 +426,26 @@ def commit(message, opts = {})
       arr_opts << '-a' if opts[:add_all]
       arr_opts << '--allow-empty' if opts[:allow_empty]
       arr_opts << "--author" << opts[:author] if opts[:author]
-      command('commit', arr_opts)
+      command('commit', arr_opts).chomp
     end
 
     def reset(commit, opts = {})
       arr_opts = []
       arr_opts << '--hard' if opts[:hard]
       arr_opts << commit if commit
-      command('reset', arr_opts)
+      command('reset', arr_opts).chomp
     end
     
     def apply(patch_file)
       arr_opts = []
       arr_opts << '--' << patch_file if patch_file
-      command('apply', arr_opts)
+      command('apply', arr_opts).chomp
     end
     
     def apply_mail(patch_file)
       arr_opts = []
       arr_opts << '--' << patch_file if patch_file
-      command('am', arr_opts)
+      command('am', arr_opts).chomp
     end
     
     def stashes_all
@@ -435,32 +461,32 @@ def stashes_all
     end
     
     def stash_save(message)
-      output = command('stash save', ['--', message])
+      output = command('stash save', ['--', message]).chomp
       output =~ /HEAD is now at/
     end
 
     def stash_apply(id = nil)
       if id
-        command('stash apply', [id])
+        command('stash apply', [id]).chomp
       else
-        command('stash apply')
+        command('stash apply').chomp
       end
     end
     
     def stash_clear
-      command('stash clear')
+      command('stash clear').chomp
     end
     
     def stash_list
-      command('stash list')
+      command('stash list').chomp
     end
     
     def branch_new(branch)
-      command('branch', branch)
+      command('branch', branch).chomp
     end
     
     def branch_delete(branch)
-      command('branch', ['-D', branch])
+      command('branch', ['-D', branch]).chomp
     end
     
     def checkout(branch, opts = {})
@@ -469,21 +495,21 @@ def checkout(branch, opts = {})
       arr_opts << '-b' << opts[:new_branch] if opts[:new_branch]
       arr_opts << branch
       
-      command('checkout', arr_opts)
+      command('checkout', arr_opts).chomp
     end
 
     def checkout_file(version, file)
       arr_opts = []
       arr_opts << version
       arr_opts << file
-      command('checkout', arr_opts)
+      command('checkout', arr_opts).chomp
     end
     
     def merge(branch, message = nil)      
       arr_opts = []
       arr_opts << '-m' << message if message
       arr_opts += [branch]
-      command('merge', arr_opts)
+      command('merge', arr_opts).chomp
     end
 
     def unmerged
@@ -497,10 +523,10 @@ def unmerged
     def conflicts # :yields: file, your, their
       self.unmerged.each do |f|
         your = Tempfile.new("YOUR-#{File.basename(f)}").path
-        command('show', ":2:#{f}", true, "> #{escape your}") 
+        command('show', ":2:#{f}", true, "> #{escape your}").chomp
 
         their = Tempfile.new("THEIR-#{File.basename(f)}").path
-        command('show', ":3:#{f}", true, "> #{escape their}") 
+        command('show', ":3:#{f}", true, "> #{escape their}").chomp
         yield(f, your, their)
       end
     end
@@ -513,11 +539,11 @@ def remote_add(name, url, opts = {})
       arr_opts << name
       arr_opts << url
       
-      command('remote', arr_opts)
+      command('remote', arr_opts).chomp
     end
     
     def remote_remove(name)
-      command('remote', ['rm', name])
+      command('remote', ['rm', name]).chomp
     end
     
     def remotes
@@ -529,32 +555,32 @@ def tags
     end
 
     def tag(tag)
-      command('tag', tag)
+      command('tag', tag).chomp
     end
 
     
     def fetch(remote)
-      command('fetch', remote)
+      command('fetch', remote).chomp
     end
     
     def push(remote, branch = 'master', tags = false)
-      command('push', [remote, branch])
-      command('push', ['--tags', remote]) if tags
+      command('push', [remote, branch]).chomp
+      command('push', ['--tags', remote]).chomp if tags
     end
     
     def tag_sha(tag_name)
       head = File.join(@git_dir, 'refs', 'tags', tag_name)
       return File.read(head).chomp if File.exists?(head)
       
-      command('show-ref',  ['--tags', '-s', tag_name])
+      command('show-ref',  ['--tags', '-s', tag_name]).chomp
     end  
     
     def repack
-      command('repack', ['-a', '-d'])
+      command('repack', ['-a', '-d']).chomp
     end
     
     def gc
-      command('gc', ['--prune', '--aggressive', '--auto'])
+      command('gc', ['--prune', '--aggressive', '--auto']).chomp
     end
     
     # reads a tree into the current index file
@@ -562,11 +588,11 @@ def read_tree(treeish, opts = {})
       arr_opts = []
       arr_opts << "--prefix=#{opts[:prefix]}" if opts[:prefix]
       arr_opts += [treeish]
-      command('read-tree', arr_opts)
+      command('read-tree', arr_opts).chomp
     end
     
     def write_tree
-      command('write-tree')
+      command('write-tree').chomp
     end
     
     def commit_tree(tree, opts = {})
@@ -579,11 +605,11 @@ def commit_tree(tree, opts = {})
       arr_opts << tree
       arr_opts << '-p' << opts[:parent] if opts[:parent]
       arr_opts += [opts[:parents]].map { |p| ['-p', p] }.flatten if opts[:parents]
-      command('commit-tree', arr_opts, true, "< #{escape t.path}")
+      command('commit-tree', arr_opts, true, "< #{escape t.path}").chomp
     end
     
     def update_ref(branch, commit)
-      command('update-ref', [branch, commit])
+      command('update-ref', [branch, commit]).chomp
     end
     
     def checkout_index(opts = {})
@@ -593,7 +619,7 @@ def checkout_index(opts = {})
       arr_opts << "--all" if opts[:all]
       arr_opts << '--' << opts[:path_limiter] if opts[:path_limiter].is_a? String
 
-      command('checkout-index', arr_opts)
+      command('checkout-index', arr_opts).chomp
     end
     
     # creates an archive file
@@ -619,13 +645,13 @@ def archive(sha, file = nil, opts = {})
       arr_opts << "--remote=#{opts[:remote]}" if opts[:remote]
       arr_opts << sha
       arr_opts << '--' << opts[:path] if opts[:path]
-      command('archive', arr_opts, true, (opts[:add_gzip] ? '| gzip' : '') + " > #{escape file}")
+      command('archive', arr_opts, true, (opts[:add_gzip] ? '| gzip' : '') + " > #{escape file}").chomp
       return file
     end
 
     # returns the current version of git, as an Array of Fixnums.
     def current_command_version
-      output = command('version', [], false)
+      output = command('version', [], false).chomp
       version = output[/\d+\.\d+(\.\d+)+/]
       version.split('.').collect {|i| i.to_i}
     end
@@ -648,7 +674,7 @@ def meets_required_version?
     private
     
     def command_lines(cmd, opts = [], chdir = true, redirect = '')
-      command(cmd, opts, chdir).split("\n")
+      command(cmd, opts, chdir).chomp.split("\n")
     end
     
     def command(cmd, opts = [], chdir = true, redirect = '', &block)
@@ -739,7 +765,7 @@ def run_command(git_cmd, &block)
       if block_given?
         IO.popen(git_cmd, &block)
       else
-        `#{git_cmd}`.chomp
+        `#{git_cmd}`
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/tests/units/test_archive.rb b/tests/units/test_archive.rb
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index efff94a3..0994389b
--- a/tests/units/test_archive.rb
+++ b/tests/units/test_archive.rb
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ def test_archive
     f = @git.object('v2.6').archive(nil, :format => 'tar') # returns path to temp file
     assert(File.exists?(f))
     
-    lines = `cd /tmp; tar xvpf #{f}`.split("\n")
-    assert_equal('ex_dir/', lines[0])
-    assert_equal('example.txt', lines[2])
+    lines = `cd /tmp; tar xvpf #{f} 2>&1`.split("\n")
+    assert_equal('x ex_dir/', lines[0])
+    assert_equal('x example.txt', lines[2])
     
     f = @git.object('v2.6').archive(tempfile, :format => 'zip')
     assert(File.file?(f))
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ def test_archive
     f = @git.object('v2.6').archive(tempfile, :format => 'tar', :prefix => 'test/', :path => 'ex_dir/')
     assert(File.exists?(f))
     
-    lines = `cd /tmp; tar xvpf #{f}`.split("\n")
-    assert_equal('test/', lines[0])
-    assert_equal('test/ex_dir/ex.txt', lines[2])
+    lines = `cd /tmp; tar xvpf #{f} 2>&1`.split("\n")
+    assert_equal('x test/', lines[0])
+    assert_equal('x test/ex_dir/ex.txt', lines[2])
 
     in_temp_dir do
       c = Git.clone(@wbare, 'new')
diff --git a/tests/units/test_index_ops.rb b/tests/units/test_index_ops.rb
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index dcd84984..27115b40
--- a/tests/units/test_index_ops.rb
+++ b/tests/units/test_index_ops.rb
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def test_add
         assert(!g.status.changed.assoc('example.txt'))
         assert(!g.status.added.assoc('test-file'))
         assert(!g.status.untracked.assoc('test-file')) 
-        assert_equal('hahahaha', g.status['example.txt'].blob.contents)
+        assert_equal("hahahaha\n", g.status['example.txt'].blob.contents)
       end
     end
   end
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def test_add_array
         g.commit('my message')
         assert(!g.status.added.assoc('test-file1'))
         assert(!g.status.untracked.assoc('test-file1')) 
-        assert_equal('blahblahblah1', g.status['test-file1'].blob.contents)
+        assert_equal("blahblahblah1\n", g.status['test-file1'].blob.contents)
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/tests/units/test_lib.rb b/tests/units/test_lib.rb
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 93ea34f3..c52b63df
--- a/tests/units/test_lib.rb
+++ b/tests/units/test_lib.rb
@@ -74,14 +74,14 @@ def test_object_contents
     commit << "parent 546bec6f8872efa41d5d97a369f669165ecda0de\n"
     commit << "author scott Chacon <schacon@agadorsparticus.corp.reactrix.com> 1194561188 -0800\n"
     commit << "committer scott Chacon <schacon@agadorsparticus.corp.reactrix.com> 1194561188 -0800\n"
-    commit << "\ntest"
+    commit << "\ntest\n"
     assert_equal(commit, @lib.object_contents('1cc8667014381')) # commit
     
     tree =  "040000 tree 6b790ddc5eab30f18cabdd0513e8f8dac0d2d3ed\tex_dir\n"
-    tree << "100644 blob 3aac4b445017a8fc07502670ec2dbf744213dd48\texample.txt"
+    tree << "100644 blob 3aac4b445017a8fc07502670ec2dbf744213dd48\texample.txt\n"
     assert_equal(tree, @lib.object_contents('1cc8667014381^{tree}')) #tree
     
-    blob = "1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n2"
+    blob = "1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n1\n2\n"
     assert_equal(blob, @lib.object_contents('v2.5:example.txt')) #blob
     
   end
diff --git a/tests/units/test_object.rb b/tests/units/test_object.rb
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 870d37f2..13f41a89
--- a/tests/units/test_object.rb
+++ b/tests/units/test_object.rb
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ def test_blob
   
   def test_blob_contents
     o = @git.gblob('v2.6:example.txt')
-    assert_equal('replace with new text', o.contents)
-    assert_equal('replace with new text', o.contents)  # this should be cached
+    assert_equal("replace with new text\n", o.contents)
+    assert_equal("replace with new text\n", o.contents)  # this should be cached
     
     # make sure the block is called
     block_called = false