SATURDAY
> Chris Erdman has a good word on lectionary usage. Read more on the history of lectionaries.

> The world's wealthiest countries agreed on Saturday to write off more than $40 billion of impoverished nations' debts in a drive to free Africa from hunger and disease. This is good -- a very good start. Hopefully more debt relief is on the way.

However, it is now up to the African leaders to step up to the plate and to use their new financial flexibility to start caring for their people -- rather than lining their own pockets. As bankrupt consumers discover pretty quickly, debt relief isn't much good if they don't change their spending habits -- or in the case of Africa, their habits of corruption. There has got to be a complete change in the political culture of Africa or this will have no impact.

> Yesterday I went to San Diego to pick up Kirk's stuff (he comes back to Turlock on Monday). When I arrived at noon there was still a thick marine layer due to a condition that is technically called "June gloom". By the time we had packed the van and eaten lunch (2:30 p.m.) the sun was out and I was ready to stay. But unfortunately I had a date with the traffic. There were wrecks north-bound on the 405, 5, and 15. In other words it took four hours to get through LA. SoCal is wonderful as long as you don't have to go on the freeways. If someone were deviously inclined I figure that he could tie up most of SoCal by staging wrecks at 4 or 5 strategic intersections.