Last week I found myself walking about in downtown Windsor and since I was in the neighbourhood, I dropped by Dr. Disc to peruse their used cds. Yes, I'm one of those holdovers who actually *buys* music - new and used.

I bought a couple of discs that are sitting on the desk in front of me now: Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool and Offbeat: A Red Hot Sound Trip. I have a fondness for the Red Hot compliation series and have some of the others: Red Hot and Rio, Red Hot and Riot, and Onda Sonora: Red Hot & Lisbon.

The back of the Stolen Moments cd reads "AIDS IS WIPING PEOPLE OUT". My eyes happen to fall on these every time I visit a website that makes mention of the recent death of the pope. How many lives would have been saved from AIDS if only John Paul II had been a reformer? How would Africa be faring now? He may have been a good man but the pope's policies on contraception has resulted in the death of millions. As such, I consider yesterday a day of mourning for all of us.