The Extraordinary Will Inevitably Become Ordinary Once Shake Shack Goes Public

Sorry, but in my humble opinion if this rumored Shake Shack IPO becomes a reality a truly extraordinary burger will inevitably become ordinary. If you've ever tasted a ShakeBurger you know what I'm talking about.

From the Huffington Post via Reuters:

Shake Shack Preparing For An IPO

(Reuters) - Shake Shack, the fast-food restaurant chain famous for its hamburgers and milkshakes, is preparing to go public, seeking to tap stock market demand for popular casual dining companies, according to people familiar with the matter.

Shake Shack's majority owner, Union Square Hospitality Group LLC, has interviewed investment banks in recent weeks to appoint underwriters for an initial public offering, the people said on Friday.

Shake Shack, which started out of a hot dog kiosk in New York's Madison Square Park in 2004, is expected to post earnings of around $20 million next year, one of the people added.

The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. A Shake Shack spokesman declined to comment, while Union Square Hospitality did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Justice Has Been Served: Iraq shoe thrower sentenced to three years in jail

My buddies and I were just talking about the Iraqi shoe thrower yesterday at work, we were wondering what ever happened to him. The last we heard he had became some kind of Islamic cult hero.

Today Reuters News Service is following up on the story and reports that he has finally been sentenced to 3 years in prison for his vicious attack on President Bush.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A Baghdad court sentenced an Iraqi reporter who hurled his shoes at former U.S. president George W. Bush to three years in prison on Thursday.

Muntazer al-Zaidi worked for Al-Baghdadiya television, and earned instant worldwide fame when he threw his shoes at Bush at a news conference in December, calling him a dog.

"This sentence is harsh and is not in harmony with the law, and eventually the defense team will contest this in the appeals court," said Dhiaa al-Saadi, the head of Zaidi's defense team.

Zaidi's sister Ruqaiya burst into tears, shouting "Down with Maliki, the agent of the Americans," referring to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Zaidi's brother, Uday, said the verdict was politically motivated.
(Reporting by Waleed Ibrahim, Writing by Mohammed Abbas: Editing by Samia Nakhoul)