# File lib/merb-assets/assets_mixin.rb, line 176
    def image_tag(img, opts={})
      return "" if img.blank?
      if img[0].chr == Merb::Const::SLASH
        opts[:src] = "#{Merb::Config[:path_prefix]}#{img}"
      else
        opts[:path] ||=
          if img =~ ABSOLUTE_PATH_REGEXP
            absolute = true
            ''
          else
            "#{Merb::Config[:path_prefix]}/images/"
          end
        opts[:src] ||= opts.delete(:path) + img
      end

      opts[:src] = append_query_string(opts[:src],
                                       opts.delete(:reload),
                                       opts.delete(:timestamp),
                                       !absolute) 
      
      %{<img #{ opts.to_xml_attributes } />}
    end