Under the counter

Start 'em earlyIt would seem that my American friends' decision not to allow me into their nation's second city not only deprived me of the opportunity to attend the FIA show but also prevented me from imparting my hack's wisdom to a party of aspiring young journalists. My sources tell me that half way through FIA week, the conference hotel was descended upon by "hundreds" of junior journos, presumably hoping to glean whatever they could from the slick reporting in evidence on the Chicago financial circuit. However, perhaps scheduling a young persons' conference to coincide with the derivatives industry's heady concoction of alcohol, steak and exchange traded futures and options...