         // documentDescriptor property for the application object.
         // We get the id and the creationPolicy, which we want to
         // set very early, from that descriptor.
+        
+        // because we don't have namespace-specific styles yet
+        // just set the default here
+        // TODO (rfrishbe): remove this...
+        setStyle("backgroundColor", "white");
     }
 
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------

    //----------------------------------
	//  backgroundColor
	//----------------------------------
	
	private var _backgroundColor:String = "0xFFFFFF";
	
	[Bindable("backgroundColorUpdated")]
	
	/**
	 *  @copy mx.core.Container#backgroundColor
	 */
	public function get backgroundColor():String
	{
		return _backgroundColor;
	}
	
	public function set backgroundColor(value:String):void
	{
		if (value == _backgroundColor)
			return;
			
		_backgroundColor = value;
		
		dispatchEvent(new Event("backgroundColorUpdated"));
	}
	
	//----------------------------------
	//  backgroundColorNumber
	//----------------------------------
	
	[Bindable("backgroundColorUpdated")]
	
	/**
	 *  Background color of a component.
	 *  Because backgroundColor is a String, backgroundColorNumber
	 *  is just a Number so it can be used by flex graphics.
	 */
	public function get backgroundColorNumber():uint
	{
        var colorNumber:uint = StyleManager.getColorName(backgroundColor);
		if (colorNumber == StyleManager.NOT_A_COLOR)
			colorNumber = parseInt(backgroundColor);
		
        return colorNumber;
	}
    
    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 *  attributes of its superclass and adds the following tag attributes:</p>
 *
 *  <pre>
 *  &lt;Application
 *    <strong>Properties</strong>
 *    application="<i>No default</i>"
 *    frameRate="24"
