Topic: Central Valley

Credit Suisse received a massive liquidity injection from the Swiss Central Bank, supported by a $9 billion swap line from the U.S. Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, investor Jason Calacanis is blamed by some for inciting the run on Silicon Valley Bank through his social media posts. The hosts question the legality of encouraging bank runs and note that co-host Molly Wood has left Calacanis's program.

The ongoing water crisis in California's Central Valley is highlighted, where farmers are being "starved out" by the government's refusal to allocate water. Reservoirs are being emptied to protect the Delta smelt, leaving hundreds of miles of farmland and orchards to dry up. The hosts note that this man-made scarcity aligns with the goals of the "Natural Asset Class" and food simulation scripts.

Baron DH Slammer settles a territorial dispute with a fellow "Insta-Baron" regarding overlapping claims on the Central California coast. The settlement allows for the creation of a new protectorate in the Santa Ynez Valley while inducting young Sir Emmett into the peerage.

A report from 1860 by a botanist in California describes torrential rains that turned the Central Valley into a lake, alongside extreme heat and earthquakes. The hosts compare historical maps of San Francisco Bay mudflats from the 1880s to modern maps to argue that environmental conditions have remained largely consistent over time.

The hosts conclude the episode by teasing a future discussion on the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic. They sign off from "FEMA Region 6" in Austin and "Northern Silicon Valley," wishing listeners well and anticipating the results of the Super Bowl.

John C. Dvorak criticizes California's environmental policies for cutting off water to Central Valley farmers to protect the Delta smelt fish. He argues this has decimated local agriculture while increasing reliance on produce trucked in from Mexico. The segment describes the "desertification" of once-rich farming areas due to political mismanagement.