Emacs error in setenv, Wrong type argument: stringp

Hey, this isn't a regular blog post, just a contribution to the Emacs community. Hopefully this will get picked up by Google and help out a fellow Emacs user.

I started getting this error whenever I ran M-x grep-find:

Wrong type argument: stringp, 70

Here's the important part of the stack trace:

Debugger entered--Lisp error: (wrong-type-argument stringp 70)
string-match("\\`GREP_OPTIONS=" 70)
setenv("GREP_OPTIONS" " --color=always")

Eventually I figured out to look at the process-environment variable, which holds all the variables set by setenv.

process-environment is a variable defined in `C source code'.
Its value is
(70 79 79 61 98 97 114 "TERM=dumb" "TERMCAP="...

So there it is. string-match is choking on the non-string value 70 in the process environment. And where was that coming from? I searched my .emacs file only to find the following line, left over from some failed experiment:

(setq compilation-environment "FOO=bar")

This would execute without an error but leave the process-environment in a bad state.

Moral of the Story

If you're having a problem with setenv or getenv, or any compilation process, check process-environment and make sure it's properly formed.

"It goes from the Cheesecake Factory to Hooters"

--Seattle Post Intelligencer's D. Parvaz on the eminent usefulness of the new streetcar.

Storybook minute: Dube vs. Dube

A few weeks ago I got to see my good buddy Matt "Doobie" Dube in Seattle and Whistler. There were a lot of highlights, but by far the most-photographed was his run-in with Dave "Doobie" Dube at the Japanese Steakhouse.

Dave took it upon himself to steal Matt's wallet just before we left, and string him along all through dinner until the bill came, when he sneakily paid for Matt's dinner using Matt's credit card. Matt stared at the card in disbelief, and then went and sat by himself for a while to show his appreciation for his older brother's trickery.

After we left, Matt challenged Dave to a fight.

Actually he pretty much just went for it--

--and was subdued by his less-intoxicated bro.

All-in all it was a great weekend--wish you were back here already Doob.

Obama/McCain voters, bane of Democracy

Jenny and I have a long-running conversation where we try to place blame for the failed state of our Democracy. I'm constantly tempted to blame it on those in power: politicians who manipulate the public into voting against their interests; corporations who warp elections with their outsized pocketbooks; and the mainstream media who ensure that the level of discourse never threatens to become substantial.

I don't want to paraphrase Jenny too much, but her point, which I've never successfully argued against, is that these situations persist because most people are just willfully ignorant. I think there's a lot of truth to that. Most people would rather watch Tila Tequila than read even a little. Even if we expose ourselves to more sources of information, we won't have an informed public until we can think critically, too.

Anyway, nothing makes me angrier and sadder than when I overhear the following sentiment (which I do frequently) from a loyal Obamaniac:

"If Hillary wins the nomination, I might vote for McCain, or just sit this one out."

There's so much idiocy inherent in that statement that I'm not even sure where to begin with it, but I'll try to translate it into something that looks like a coherent (though still idiotic) thought. Here is my approximation:

"I don't really know much about the issues. I'm not very informed, but hey, don't blame me. The mainstream media keeps feeding all this personality-based drivel. I'm too lazy to do anything about it, so I'm just going to decide based on that. So anyway, I'm supporting Obama. He doesn't have any serious policy differences with Hillary, but I like him better for vague reasons. However, if Obama doesn't make it, I'll pick someone totally different. If the so-called issues mattered very much to me, then obviously I would vote for Hillary, but since they don't, I'll vote for McCain. He's very popular with the media too, so he must be a really swell guy."

That's what I imagine these people are thinking. This article in Salon does a nice job of describing the phenomenon, although it fails to identify it as a serious problem.

Anyway, here are some other things such an Obamanatic might say:

• I really want a steak, but if they don't have that I'll fast.
  
• What movie should we watch, Requiem for a Dream or Bambi?
  
• I'm going to ask her to marry me, but if she says "no" I'll become a homosexual.