diff --git a/feedgen/util.py b/feedgen/util.py
index e361651..ca4ad58 100644
--- a/feedgen/util.py
+++ b/feedgen/util.py
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ def ensure_format(val, allowed, required, allowed_values=None, defaults=None):
     return val
 
 
-def formatRFC2822(d):
+def formatRFC2822(date):
     '''Make sure the locale setting do not interfere with the time format.
     '''
-    l = locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL)
+    old = locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL)
     locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, 'C')
-    d = d.strftime('%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %z')
-    locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, l)
-    return d
+    date = date.strftime('%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %z')
+    locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, old)
+    return date
diff --git a/tests/test_main.py b/tests/test_main.py
index 7985289..efea777 100644
--- a/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/test_main.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class TestSequenceFunctions(unittest.TestCase):
             sys.argv = ['feedgen', ftype]
             try:
                 __main__.main()
-            except:
+            except Exception:
                 assert False
 
     def test_file(self):
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class TestSequenceFunctions(unittest.TestCase):
             sys.argv = ['feedgen', filename]
             try:
                 __main__.main()
-            except:
+            except Exception:
                 assert False
             os.close(fh)
             os.remove(filename)