title: re not working python; think my grep is to blame.
body: <p>I'm taking a class in which we had to install GNU grep and make it our default grep version (I'm using a Mac, if this is relevant).  I think this was a mistake, because now I am trying to use the re module in Python and simple things like </p>
  
  <pre><code>re.findall("abc", "a")
  re.findall("8/24/2014", "[0-9]+") 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>return the empty list.  Is this a known bug with re, and regardless, what can I do to fix this?  </p>