1. emacs -Q 
2. Visit the attached patch file. (I have removed some hunks)

   Side Issue: shouldn't *.patch file open in diff mode.  Currently it
   opens in fundamental mode.

See the following error reported

,----
| File mode specification error: (error "Local variables entry is missing the 
| prefix")
| File local-variables error: (error "Local variables entry is missing the
| prefix")
`----

In GNU Emacs 24.3.50.10 (i686-pc-linux-gnu, X toolkit, Xaw3d scroll bars)
 of 2013-03-03 on debian-6.05
Bzr revision: 111916 eggert@cs.ucla.edu-20130302183934-3d4pouz6i3qwkxs9
Windowing system distributor `The X.Org Foundation', version 11.0.10707000
System Description:	Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.5 (squeeze)