Money's gone. Get to work.

Warning: contains some vulgarity

A rather ancient and even more vulgar local joke features a business owner briefing his employees about the latest developments in the company’s operations, which are not especially good. In conclusion, he says “There are two ways to do business — with money and with ass. Money’s gone. Get to work.”

The joke is allegedly based on actual events from the 19th century and Bulgarians’ fight against Ottoman rule, which required weapons and getting weapons required, well, money or an equivalent alternative.

Like that and all other fights for independence, the energy transition also requires money and the irony that its goal is the opposite of independence is quite something. Only it appears that the transition requires so much money that there is no equivalent alternative.

No, I don’t think even totalitarian control of the population will work at this point. Even the most dystopian totalitarian regime cannot force people and businesses to pick up a $9-trillion annual tab for net zero and survive. It’s ass time for the climate crusaders.