[skybrian]

Businesses think about what to keep in stock quite a lot and often the answer is "as little as possible." Carrying inventory costs money, more when interest rates rise, and it's potentially wasted if it doesn't sell.

There's a tradeoff because prudent disaster preparation is expensive, but worth it if the disaster happens. The question is, who will pay for it? Often, the government.

[meltyness]

But that's another illusion mirroring the banking structure -- fractional reserve -- that some 90% of your assets should be generating rent, and 10% in reserves.

If banks pick winners, everything becomes a bank.