Levy, by the way, is a millionaire himself, largely from practicing medicine, but realizes he didn't "build it on his own."

Nine weeks from now, we'll be granted a chance to vote for the two übermenschen oops supermen of the Republican Party.

Don't know about you, but I can hardly wait.

Life at the Detroit Free Press: The other day, I ran into an excited Oneita Jackson in a downtown bookstore. A few years ago, her O Street blog and column provided one of the most original and interesting voices in the newspaper. Then, it disappeared.

Oneita was caught doing something, in the words of editorial page editor Stephen Henderson, that "completely contravened the values of this newspaper. She also tarnished her own efforts on Detroit's behalf," he intoned gravely.

When I read that, I thought she must have poisoned the reservoir for sure, or worse, given money to the Republicans.

But no. What she did was ready for this? write her name with a felt pen on a bench on the new Bagley Street Bridge. Within days it rained, and her name was washed away. But no matter. 

She had somehow insulted Comrade Stalin oops Gannett. Corporate Guardian of Ideological Purity Henderson intoned: "When she returns, she'll have work to do rebuilding some of the trust and community she has enjoyed with her followers."

So I wasn't too surprised to learn that Jackson soon decided she didn't want to write the column or the blog anymore. She was given a behind-the scenes job as a minor editor, and disappeared from view.

Till last week, when I found her bubbling over with excitement. Two weeks ago, she quit the Free Press, and is embarking on a career that may offer her far more intellectual satisfaction.

She's going to be driving a cab on Detroit's mean streets.

Bettering herself? I asked. Oneita agreed, beaming. And why not? To anyone who knows what's going on with today's newspapers, it ought to be perfectly clear that she certainly has.

Jack Lessenberry opines weekly for Metro Times. Write to letters@metrotimes.com.

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