Larry's Weekly Newsletter - September 6, 2026
Hello friends!
The weather in Hong Kong started cooling (slightly) this week and (as you'll read in today's post) my son started sleeping through the night. All of this means that spirits are high in my corner of the world!
This past week, I had a kind visit from a friend who moved away from Hong Kong but was back in town briefly for business. When sending him off at the airport, I unexpectedly ran into digital nomad friends that had just landed in Hong Kong from Spain to begin a two-month stay. Sometimes the world feels like a very small place!
Please find my daily posts from the past week below.
Yours,
Larry
There’s no freedom on a boat
Boats, unlike solid land, exist to keep the people on the boat out of harm’s way with “harm” being the 2/3rds of the surface of the earth that is covered by water. That’s because humans, even ones who are very strong swimmers, can’t survive very long
Larry Salibra
The Angell Paradox is a destruction of trust
The Angell Paradox can be roughly stated to say that when powerful countries with commercial trade impose tariffs or sanctions, they often hurt themselves more than they hurt others. This is because their tariffs or sanctions undermine the legal certainty needed for trade and countries now need to discount the
Larry Salibra
White Africans from the British Empire
Living in what was once a British colony, reminders of the empire are everywhere and often what you’d expect. We drive on the wrong side of the road, there are some coins that have the Queen on them in circulation and the judges wear funny wigs. There’s also
Larry Salibra
A reminder to donate blood
I donated blood yesterday at the Hong Kong Red Cross in Causeway Bay. I’ve donated blood on and off throughout my years in Hong Kong, largely because it’s a fun, feel-good activity to do with friends. It has all the positive mental health benefits of a volunteer
Larry Salibra
Is Costco the problem or a symptom?
After watching family members struggle with weight for decades, I’m convinced Costco is responsible for a significant portion of America’s health problems. Costco causes real challenges for people who are both frugal and have challenges controlling overeating. They feel like they’re being responsible…even intelligent…by buying
Larry Salibra
Hong Kong’s public spaces in private buildings
In Hong Kong, space is at a premium. Homes are small and cramped and buildings are built closely together in the area between the ocean and the mountains. While Hong Kong’s housing constraints are in large part the outcome of self-imposed policy choices, there are some bright spots
Larry Salibra
Sleeping through the night
Figuring out baby’s sleep and how to manage your own life around it has been one of the hardest challenges of being a new parent to this point. Newborn babies can’t really tell the difference between day and night and need to be fed very often, so as
Larry Salibra