Gadfly Bites 3/6/26—In former Soviet Union, career choose YOU

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1. With apologies to both the author of this piece and to the great Yakov Smirnoff—of whose post-Soviet comedy routine I was reminded while reading it—this WaPo editorial by local software entrepreneur Ratmir Timashev is no joke. In it he celebrates the impending “economic transformation” coming to the United States as a result of AI and other technological innovations and posits that central Ohio is among a handful of heartland regions poised to benefit due to its strong intellectual capital and visionary state leaders, among other prime features. “In the Soviet system,” which nearly swept him up before it fell apart, “your job and apartment were assigned to you. Everyone earned the same salary of about 100 rubles per month. Our main exposure to entrepreneurship was a black market for Marlboro cigarettes, Coca-Cola and blue jeans.” This is not the setup for a Smirnoff gag, no matter how it sounds, and Timashev's payoff is pure gold: “In Ohio, I experienced a capitalist system that made intuitive sense. Incentives were aligned with the greater good and human creativity was celebrated.” Nice one! (Washington Post, 3/3/26)
   
   

2. Elsewhere across the state this week, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel visited Wellington Exempted Village School District in Lorain County to get kids excited about his (and his boss’) fitness challenge… (The Chronicle-Telegram, 3/5/26) …and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce director Steve Dackin visited A-Tech, a career-technical education center in Ashtabula County, to celebrate success in his (and his boss’) push for more and better CTE education for Ohio students. (The Star Beacon, 3/5/26)

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