I can tell stories and sing and sell more goods than any one has any idea of. Besides that, I’ve got a new corn salve I put up myself which goes like hot cakes. Barberry’s Lightning Salve, I call it — my name is Paul Barberry, you know — Dr. Barberry, most of ’em call me. Say the word, and I’ll go with you and put up my salve against your outfit, and we’ll share and share alike.

Of course, you could also rely on your own cash reserves, as many startuppers do with their second companies — Evan Williams, for example, used his windfall from selling Blogger to Google to buy out the investors in his new company, Odeo.

More people would pay, wrote Deputy Minister Pokrovskii, less to satisfy the need for revenue and more as come-uppance for the past shirking that was now unacceptable.

BALDRICK: My Lord, the Bishop of Bath and Wells. BISHOP: (enters) The time has come, Blackadder! EDMUND: Oh, hello, Bish.