diff --git a/ase/awk/awk.h b/ase/awk/awk.h
index 1dcccf9c..aeb00da9 100644
--- a/ase/awk/awk.h
+++ b/ase/awk/awk.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* 
- * $Id: awk.h,v 1.136 2006-10-28 05:24:07 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: awk.h,v 1.137 2006-10-30 14:31:36 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _ASE_AWK_AWK_H_
@@ -320,9 +320,12 @@ enum
 /* assertion statement */
 #ifdef NDEBUG
 	#define ASE_AWK_ASSERT(awk,expr) ((void)0)
+	#define ASE_AWK_ASSERTX(awk,expr,desc) ((void)0)
 #else
 	#define ASE_AWK_ASSERT(awk,expr) (void)((expr) || \
-		(ase_awk_assertfail (awk, ASE_T(#expr), ASE_T(__FILE__), __LINE__), 0))
+		(ase_awk_assertfail (awk, ASE_T(#expr), ASE_NULL, ASE_T(__FILE__), __LINE__), 0))
+	#define ASE_AWK_ASSERTX(awk,expr,desc) (void)((expr) || \
+		(ase_awk_assertfail (awk, ASE_T(#expr), ASE_T(desc), ASE_T(__FILE__), __LINE__), 0))
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
@@ -422,7 +425,8 @@ ase_char_t* ase_awk_strxnstr (
 
 /* abort function for assertion. use ASE_AWK_ASSERT instead */
 int ase_awk_assertfail (ase_awk_t* awk, 
-	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* file, int line);
+	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* desc, 
+	const ase_char_t* file, int line);
 
 /* utility functions to convert an error number ot a string */
 const ase_char_t* ase_awk_geterrstr (int errnum);
diff --git a/ase/awk/map.c b/ase/awk/map.c
index d53f81ea..2116c4b1 100644
--- a/ase/awk/map.c
+++ b/ase/awk/map.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: map.c,v 1.29 2006-10-26 09:27:15 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: map.c,v 1.30 2006-10-30 14:31:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -75,7 +75,9 @@ void ase_awk_map_clear (ase_awk_map_t* map)
 		map->buck[i] = ASE_NULL;
 	}
 
-	ASE_AWK_ASSERT (map->awk, map->size == 0);
+	ASE_AWK_ASSERTX (map->awk, map->size == 0, 
+		"the map should not contain any pairs of a key and a value"
+		"after it has been cleared");
 }
 
 ase_awk_pair_t* ase_awk_map_get (
diff --git a/ase/awk/misc.c b/ase/awk/misc.c
index a1edc505..3ded86e9 100644
--- a/ase/awk/misc.c
+++ b/ase/awk/misc.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: misc.c,v 1.34 2006-10-28 05:24:07 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: misc.c,v 1.35 2006-10-30 14:31:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -1061,11 +1061,22 @@ exit_loop:
 }
 
 int ase_awk_assertfail (ase_awk_t* awk, 
-	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* file, int line)
+	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* desc, 
+	const ase_char_t* file, int line)
 {
-	awk->syscas.aprintf (
-		ASE_T("ASSERTION FAILURE AT FILE %s, LINE %d\n%s\n"),
-		file, line, expr);
+	if (desc == ASE_NULL)
+	{
+		awk->syscas.aprintf (
+			ASE_T("ASSERTION FAILURE AT FILE %s LINE %d\n%s\n"),
+			file, line, expr);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		awk->syscas.aprintf (
+			ASE_T("ASSERTION FAILURE AT FILE %s LINE %d\n%s\n\nDESCRIPTION:\n%s\n"),
+			file, line, expr, desc);
+
+	}
 	awk->syscas.abort ();
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/ase/awk/val.c b/ase/awk/val.c
index 34be0866..03e80fca 100644
--- a/ase/awk/val.c
+++ b/ase/awk/val.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: val.c,v 1.79 2006-10-29 13:00:39 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: val.c,v 1.80 2006-10-30 14:31:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -298,8 +298,10 @@ xp_printf (ASE_T("\n"));*/
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		ASE_AWK_ASSERT (run->awk, 
-			!"should never happen - invalid value type");
+		ASE_AWK_ASSERTX (run->awk, 
+			!"should never happen - invalid value type",
+			"the type of a value should be one of ASE_AWK_VAL_XXX's"
+			"defined in val.h");
 	}
 }
 
@@ -325,7 +327,10 @@ ase_awk_dprintval (val);
 xp_printf (ASE_T("\n"));
 */
 
-	ASE_AWK_ASSERT (run->awk, val->ref > 0);
+	ASE_AWK_ASSERTX (run->awk, val->ref > 0, 
+		"the reference count of a value should be greater than zero"
+		"for it to be decremented. check the source code for any bugs");
+
 	val->ref--;
 	if (val->ref <= 0) 
 	{
@@ -342,7 +347,9 @@ void ase_awk_refdownval_nofree (ase_awk_run_t* run, ase_awk_val_t* val)
 {
 	if (ase_awk_isbuiltinval(val)) return;
 
-	ASE_AWK_ASSERT (run->awk, val->ref > 0);
+	ASE_AWK_ASSERTX (run->awk, val->ref > 0,
+		"the reference count of a value should be greater than zero"
+		"for it to be decremented. check the source code for any bugs");
 	val->ref--;
 }
 
@@ -368,7 +375,10 @@ ase_bool_t ase_awk_valtobool (ase_awk_run_t* run, ase_awk_val_t* val)
 			return ase_false; /* TODO: is this correct? */
 	}
 
-	ASE_AWK_ASSERT (run->awk, !"should never happen - invalid value type");
+	ASE_AWK_ASSERTX (run->awk, 
+		!"should never happen - invalid value type",
+		"the type of a value should be one of ASE_AWK_VAL_XXX's"
+		"defined in val.h");
 	return ase_false;
 }
 
diff --git a/ase/lsp/lsp.h b/ase/lsp/lsp.h
index 35b459a2..c5422c63 100644
--- a/ase/lsp/lsp.h
+++ b/ase/lsp/lsp.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: lsp.h,v 1.32 2006-10-30 11:26:56 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: lsp.h,v 1.33 2006-10-30 14:31:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _ASE_LSP_LSP_H_
@@ -93,14 +93,17 @@ enum
 
 typedef ase_lsp_obj_t* (*ase_lsp_prim_t) (ase_lsp_t* lsp, ase_lsp_obj_t* obj);
 
+/* assertion statement */
 #ifdef NDEBUG
 	#define ASE_LSP_ASSERT(lsp,expr) ((void)0)
+	#define ASE_LSP_ASSERTX(lsp,expr,desc) ((void)0)
 #else
 	#define ASE_LSP_ASSERT(lsp,expr) (void)((expr) || \
-		(ase_lsp_assertfail(lsp, ASE_T(#expr), ASE_T(__FILE__), __LINE__), 0))
+		(ase_lsp_assertfail (lsp, ASE_T(#expr), ASE_NULL, ASE_T(__FILE__), __LINE__), 0))
+	#define ASE_LSP_ASSERTX(lsp,expr,desc) (void)((expr) || \
+		(ase_lsp_assertfail (lsp, ASE_T(#expr), ASE_T(desc), ASE_T(__FILE__), __LINE__), 0))
 #endif
 
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
@@ -158,7 +161,8 @@ ase_char_t* ase_lsp_strxnstr (
 
 /* abort function for assertion. use ASE_LSP_ASSERT instead */
 int ase_lsp_assertfail (ase_lsp_t* lsp,
-	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* file, int line);
+	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* desc,
+	const ase_char_t* file, int line);
 
 const ase_char_t* ase_lsp_geterrstr (int errnum);
 
diff --git a/ase/lsp/mem.c b/ase/lsp/mem.c
index f30ded4d..2f8af3e4 100644
--- a/ase/lsp/mem.c
+++ b/ase/lsp/mem.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: mem.c,v 1.20 2006-10-30 11:26:56 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: mem.c,v 1.21 2006-10-30 14:31:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/lsp/lsp_i.h>
@@ -224,22 +224,27 @@ static void __mark_obj (ase_lsp_t* lsp, ase_lsp_obj_t* obj)
  */
 void ase_lsp_lockobj (ase_lsp_t* lsp, ase_lsp_obj_t* obj)
 {
-	ASE_LSP_ASSERT (lsp, obj != ASE_NULL);
-	ASE_LSP_LOCK(obj) = 1;
-	//ASE_LSP_MARK(obj) = 1;
+	ASE_LSP_ASSERTX (lsp, obj != ASE_NULL,
+		"an object pointer should not be ASE_NULL");
+	ASE_LSP_LOCK(obj)++;
 }
 
 void ase_lsp_unlockobj (ase_lsp_t* lsp, ase_lsp_obj_t* obj)
 {
-	ASE_LSP_ASSERT (lsp, obj != ASE_NULL);
-	ASE_LSP_LOCK(obj) = 0;
+	ASE_LSP_ASSERTX (lsp, obj != ASE_NULL,
+		"an object pointer should not be ASE_NULL");
+	ASE_LSP_ASSERTX (lsp, ASE_LSP_LOCK(obj) > 0,
+		"the lock count should be greater than zero to be unlocked");
+	ASE_LSP_LOCK(obj)--;
 }
 
 void ase_lsp_unlockallobjs (ase_lsp_t* lsp, ase_lsp_obj_t* obj)
 {
-	ASE_LSP_ASSERT (lsp, obj != ASE_NULL);
-
-	ASE_LSP_LOCK(obj) = 0;
+	ASE_LSP_ASSERTX (lsp, obj != ASE_NULL,
+		"an object pointer should not be ASE_NULL");
+	ASE_LSP_ASSERTX (lsp, ASE_LSP_LOCK(obj) > 0,
+		"the lock count should be greater than zero to be unlocked");
+	ASE_LSP_LOCK(obj)--;
 
 	if (ASE_LSP_TYPE(obj) == ASE_LSP_OBJ_CONS) 
 	{
diff --git a/ase/lsp/misc.c b/ase/lsp/misc.c
index fddf98fa..2f53f508 100644
--- a/ase/lsp/misc.c
+++ b/ase/lsp/misc.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: misc.c,v 1.4 2006-10-28 16:08:34 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: misc.c,v 1.5 2006-10-30 14:31:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <ase/lsp/lsp_i.h>
@@ -751,11 +751,21 @@ ase_char_t* ase_lsp_strxnstr (
 }
 
 int ase_lsp_assertfail (ase_lsp_t* lsp, 
-	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* file, int line)
+	const ase_char_t* expr, const ase_char_t* desc, 
+	const ase_char_t* file, int line)
 {
-	lsp->syscas.aprintf (
-		ASE_T("ASSERTION FAILURE AT FILE %s, LINE %d\n%s\n"),
-		file, line, expr);
+	if (desc == ASE_NULL)
+	{
+		lsp->syscas.aprintf (
+			ASE_T("ASSERTION FAILURE AT FILE %s LINE %d\n%s\n"),
+			file, line, expr);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		lsp->syscas.aprintf (
+			ASE_T("ASSERTION FAILURE AT FILE %s LINE %d\n%s\n\nDESCRIPTION:\n%s\n"),
+			file, line, expr, desc);
+	}
 	lsp->syscas.abort ();
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/ase/lsp/obj.h b/ase/lsp/obj.h
index 03d09dbf..002ba471 100644
--- a/ase/lsp/obj.h
+++ b/ase/lsp/obj.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: obj.h,v 1.12 2006-10-30 03:49:05 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: obj.h,v 1.13 2006-10-30 14:31:37 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _ASE_LSP_OBJ_H_
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ typedef struct ase_lsp_obj_prim_t   ase_lsp_obj_prim_t;
 
 struct ase_lsp_objhdr_t
 {
-	ase_uint32_t   type: 24;
-	ase_uint32_t   mark:  4;
-	ase_uint32_t   lock:  4;
+	ase_uint32_t   type:  8;
+	ase_uint32_t   mark:  8;
+	ase_uint32_t   lock: 16;
 	ase_size_t     size;
 	ase_lsp_obj_t* link;
 };