Since my last post, things have gotten hotter still, all across the USA. How hot is it? Hot enough in Arizona to dry out a forest of hundred year old desert cactus. Hot enough in Southern California to give a third-degree burn to anyone touching the metal knob on an exterior door. Hot enough in… Continue reading A Taste of Salameh’s Baloney
Tag: Middle East
Money Isn’t Everything, but It’s Mighty Handy if You’ve Been Kidnapped in Iraq
My very last consultation last Friday was “Ahmed.” That’s what he calls himself, and since he invariably pays cash, I couldn’t care less what his real name is. Historically, he’s been a very, very good customer – no matter how much I charge, he always pays up. And every time he calls to book an… Continue reading Money Isn’t Everything, but It’s Mighty Handy if You’ve Been Kidnapped in Iraq
Captain America in the Turkey Coup – A Confederacy of Gobblers
My eleven o’clock consultation on Friday morning was with Vice President Joe Biden. He’s a very busy fellow, of course, and it’s hardly practical for him to visit my office, what with the Secret Service detail and all of the security issues involved. So he called, naturally. Biden: Hello, Tom? Tom: Good morning, Mr. Vice… Continue reading Captain America in the Turkey Coup – A Confederacy of Gobblers
Al-Abadi Embarks on the Iraqi Road from Ramadi to Mosul – and Beyond
Monday morning, Dr. Telhas T’zee Yasharmouta al-Feekah, Chief Policy Attaché Without Portfolio at the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq, arrived at my office for a consultation. The discussion scheduled was supposed to be about restructuring Iraqi petroleum policy, but as he morosely settled into the tastefully upholstered chair in front of my desk, it… Continue reading Al-Abadi Embarks on the Iraqi Road from Ramadi to Mosul – and Beyond
Gulf States to Take Action on Refugee Crisis
As regular readers of this Web log know, Gretchen and I make special preparations for visits from my client “Ahmed.” These involve scheduling him as the last consultation on a Friday, preferably before a long weekend such as this one, which includes Labor Day on Monday, installing new filters in the office air purification system,… Continue reading Gulf States to Take Action on Refugee Crisis