diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 54abbb6..f172f24 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -14,4 +14,5 @@ Patches and Suggestions
 - Morgan Goose
 - Travis Swicegood
 - Will Thames
-- Greg Haskins
\ No newline at end of file
+- Greg Haskins
+- Miguel Araujo <maraujop>
diff --git a/clint/__init__.py b/clint/__init__.py
index 4ec78cd..793226b 100644
--- a/clint/__init__.py
+++ b/clint/__init__.py
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ from .pipes import piped_in
 
 
 __title__ = 'clint'
-__version__ = '0.2.4'
-__build__ = 0x000204
+__version__ = '0.2.5'
+__build__ = 0x000205
 __author__ = 'Kenneth Reitz'
 __license__ = 'ISC'
 __copyright__ = 'Copyright 2011 Kenneth Reitz'
diff --git a/clint/arguments.py b/clint/arguments.py
index 579a2e0..4b823b6 100644
--- a/clint/arguments.py
+++ b/clint/arguments.py
@@ -13,33 +13,13 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 import os
 from sys import argv
-from glob import glob
 
 from .packages.ordereddict import OrderedDict
-from .utils import is_collection
-
-
+from .utils import expand_path, is_collection
 
 __all__ = ('Args', )
 
 
-
-def _expand_path(path):
-    """Expands directories and globs in given path."""
-
-    paths = []
-
-    if os.path.isdir(path):
-
-        for (dir, dirs, files) in os.walk(path):
-            for file in files:
-                paths.append(os.path.join(dir, file))
-    else:
-        paths.extend(glob(path))
-
-    return paths
-
-
 class Args(object):
     """CLI Argument management."""
 
@@ -110,20 +90,20 @@ class Args(object):
 
     def any_contain(self, x):
         """Tests if given string is contained in any stored argument."""
-        
+
         return bool(self.first_with(x))
 
 
     def contains(self, x):
-        """Tests if given object is in arguments list. 
+        """Tests if given object is in arguments list.
            Accepts strings and lists of strings."""
-        
+
         return self.__contains__(x)
 
 
     def first(self, x):
         """Returns first found index of given value (or list of values)"""
-        
+
         def _find( x):
             try:
                 return self.all.index(str(x))
@@ -212,7 +192,7 @@ class Args(object):
                         return False
             else:
                 return (x in self.all[index])
-        
+
         except IndexError:
             return False
 
@@ -221,7 +201,7 @@ class Args(object):
         """Returns true if argument exists at given index.
            Accepts: integer.
         """
-        
+
         try:
             self.all[x]
             return True
@@ -231,15 +211,15 @@ class Args(object):
 
     def value_after(self, x):
         """Returns value of argument after given found argument (or list thereof)."""
-        
+
         try:
             try:
                 i = self.all.index(x)
             except ValueError:
                 return None
-                
+
             return self.all[i + 1]
-            
+
         except IndexError:
             return None
 
@@ -266,21 +246,21 @@ class Args(object):
 
         return collection
 
-    
+
     @property
     def last(self):
         """Returns last argument."""
-        
+
         try:
             return self.all[-1]
         except IndexError:
             return None
 
-    
+
     @property
     def all(self):
         """Returns all arguments."""
-        
+
         return self._args
 
 
@@ -288,7 +268,7 @@ class Args(object):
         """Returns all arguments containing given string (or list thereof)"""
 
         _args = []
-        
+
         for arg in self.all:
             if is_collection(x):
                 for _x in x:
@@ -327,7 +307,7 @@ class Args(object):
         return self.start_with('-')
 
 
-    @property    
+    @property
     def not_flags(self):
         """Returns Arg object excluding flagged arguments."""
 
@@ -341,7 +321,7 @@ class Args(object):
         _paths = []
 
         for arg in self.all:
-            for path in _expand_path(arg):
+            for path in expand_path(arg):
                 if os.path.exists(path):
                     if absolute:
                         _paths.append(os.path.abspath(path))
@@ -358,7 +338,7 @@ class Args(object):
         _args = []
 
         for arg in self.all:
-            if not len(_expand_path(arg)):
+            if not len(expand_path(arg)):
                 if not os.path.exists(arg):
                     _args.append(arg)
 
diff --git a/clint/textui/progress.py b/clint/textui/progress.py
index 960c35b..4ca2b0f 100644
--- a/clint/textui/progress.py
+++ b/clint/textui/progress.py
@@ -15,20 +15,18 @@ import sys
 STREAM = sys.stderr
 
 BAR_TEMPLATE = '%s[%s%s] %i/%i\r'
-BAR_EMPTY_CHAR = '-'
-BAR_FILLED_CHAR = '='
 
 DOTS_CHAR = '.'
 
 
-def bar(it, label='', width=32, hide=False):
+def bar(it, label='', width=32, hide=False, empty_char='-', filled_char='='):
     """Progress iterator. Wrap your iterables with it."""
 
     def _show(_i):
         x = int(width*_i/count)
         if not hide:
             STREAM.write(BAR_TEMPLATE % (
-                label, BAR_FILLED_CHAR*x, BAR_EMPTY_CHAR*(width-x), _i, count))
+                label, bar_filled_char*x, bar_empty_char*(width-x), _i, count))
             STREAM.flush()
 
     count = len(it)
diff --git a/clint/utils.py b/clint/utils.py
index 3f499d0..b215c33 100644
--- a/clint/utils.py
+++ b/clint/utils.py
@@ -11,9 +11,29 @@ Various Python helpers used within clint.
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from __future__ import with_statement
 
-import sys
 import errno
+import os.path
 from os import makedirs
+from glob import glob
+
+
+def expand_path(path):
+    """Expands directories and globs in given path."""
+
+    paths = []
+    path = os.path.expanduser(path)
+    path = os.path.expandvars(path)
+
+    if os.path.isdir(path):
+
+        for (dir, dirs, files) in os.walk(path):
+            for file in files:
+                paths.append(os.path.join(dir, file))
+    else:
+        paths.extend(glob(path))
+
+    return paths
+
 
 
 def is_collection(obj):
@@ -37,17 +57,17 @@ def mkdir_p(path):
 
 def tsplit(string, delimiters):
     """Behaves str.split but supports tuples of delimiters."""
-    
+
     delimiters = tuple(delimiters)
     stack = [string,]
-    
+
     for delimiter in delimiters:
         for i, substring in enumerate(stack):
             substack = substring.split(delimiter)
             stack.pop(i)
             for j, _substring in enumerate(substack):
                 stack.insert(i+j, _substring)
-            
+
     return stack
 
 def schunk(string, size):