Irony would be if a man played the lottery every week, keeping his ticket and not winning. This week, thinking it will be the same-old same-old, he throws away the (winning) ticket. Or similar: plays the same numbers every week. Doesn't play them this week and they come up. Chance yes. Irony yes.

Irony is a lifetime bass fisherman getting eaten by a shark.

A sword-swallower getting stabbed by someone.

Irony is someone from PETA about to throw blood onto someone wearing a fur coat and then finding out it's not a someone but a live bear - that eats them.

Irony is coming home late from your mistress' house and finding your wife in bed with the neighbour. If the neighbour is a woman, and they both ask you to hop in, then it's not irony. It's a fantasy.

Alanis is generally really smart about her lyrics, taking time to make sure they fit well together and at the same time arduously researched for accuracy.

That's sarcasm.

Alanis is to intelligence what the temperature of ice is to the centigrade scale. Less than zero. Really, "idiot" is being too polite.

Bruno