Question: oh my gosh just a baby
He is just a baby!

Answer: it is not possible to tell

Question: He telephones American scholars and invites them to a conference in Saudi Arabia.
The American scholars were invited to a conference in Saudi Arabia by phone.

Answer: yes

Question: (And all this time, I thought you actually had to be physically present at Slate.com in order to write for it.)
People have to physically present at Slate.com to write for it.

Answer:
no