Michel’s blog

i·ro·ny (ī'rə-nē, ī'ər-) 
n., pl. -nies.

1. 1. The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning.
   2. An expression or utterance marked by a deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning.
   3. A literary style employing such contrasts for humorous or rhetorical effect. See synonyms at wit¹.
2. 1. Incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs: “He noted the irony of a girl blissfully smoking while wearing a Vanderbilt Center t-shirt” (Michel Salim).
   2. An occurrence, result, or circumstance notable for such incongruity. See Usage Note at ironic.

Modified from Answers.com

From French news blog Rue89's English edition, Street89, came this story about an interview with Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) published in Politique International. An excerpt, on the Iraq war:

"It is a defeat for the United States, indeed. And we will pay the consequences for this defeat for a very a long time.There is no longer any way to turn this defeat into victory. It is too late."

But did Obama really said that? As it turns out, no: the interview was conducted by Alexis Debat, a political scientist with the (conservative) Nixon Center. Do read the full story to find out this person's .. colourful .. past, it is rather incredulous.

One question that must be asked: is this simply a personal act of fraud, or is it part of some grander Republican smear campaign against one of the two Democratic front-runners? It is quite well-known that some Republicans are hoping Hillary would seal the nomination, banking on her high unfavourable ratings in the past, and regardless, it would be a good thing for them to paint Democrats as unpatriotic defeatists anyway.

The Nixon Center should fire this person, at the very least. They are hounding a senator of their own (Larry Craig) for what is, arguably, a morally lesser crime (paying people for oral sex in public places. Unfortunately, Craig is homosexual, and that is no-no for Republican "traditional value" voters). But sadly, the Republican climate nowadays is that political crimes committed in the name of conservatism is OK. Witness Karl Rove's career.

PS I linked to the story through reddit.com; please vote the story up if you like it so more people will see it.

Edit: Leon pointed out that Craig was not even caught verbally propositioning the undercover cop, let alone offering money. He was just making foot-tapping movements that apparently is understood to mean a proposition.

Planet-F1 is reporting that McLaren is being brought back before the World Motor Sport Council
in relation to the espionage saga:

The Stepneygate crisis has exploded once again with the FIA confirming that they are in possession of new evidence relating to the spying and espionage scandal...

and quotes an FIA spokesman, at the initial July hearing, as saying any ban could extend to the 2008 season as well:

If it is found in the future that the Ferrari information has been used to the detriment of the championship, we reserve the right to invite...McLaren back in front of the WMSC where it will face the possibility of exclusion from not only the 2007 championship but also the 2008 championship

Now, left unsaid is that 2008 is the first year consumer teams are officially allowed to enter Formula 1 (leaving aside the technicalities of whether Super Aguri and Scuderia Toro Rosso are legitimate -- had they been more competitive, there would have been louder complaints and an official investigation). Dave Richards' new Prodrive outfit is close to a deal with McLaren to run same-specification cars next year. Prodrive has not announced its driver line-up..

If the hearing is over quickly, and McLaren *is* indeed banned from the rest of 2007 and 2008, what's stopping them from loaning Hamilton to Prodrive? In such a situation Alonso would presumably manage to break his contract and go back to Renault, but provided enough personnel is loaned to Prodrive as well -- Hamilton might well be world champion with a rookie team?

It all depends on whether the ban would include supplying cars, in addition to racing them, and whether certain key personnel will be barred from working in F1 or not. But intriguing thought exercise, nonetheless.

Interesting. Hope I'm not actually overdoing it and coming across as holier-than-thou.. or hypocritical,

Currently watching F1, courtesy of Adam's Slingbox media streamer (whee!), and Peter Windsor just interviewed Toyota's pilot Jarno Trulli who was quoted affirming Windsor's comment that the car's aerodynamic development has taken it more "pointy" and that's not to Jarno's liking.

Arithmetic 101: if you have two pilots, one of them (Trulli) tends to outqualify and outperform the other, better-paid driver (Ralf Schumacher) at the beginning of the year, why on earth would you then compromise your entire team by compromising in favour of the weaker driver?

Hypothesis:

1. Toyota can't afford to not let Ralf drive. Might be in his contract or something
2. Likewise with "equal treatment" that might be defined in such a way that Ralf had to feel equally comfortable in the car
3. Trulli does not know how to impose himself on the team. Language trouble, in a German-based team?

Thankfully Ralf is most likely out after this year. It's a joke that the best Japanese-owned team this year is.. Super Aguri ! And that's the team that's struggling with funding too.

Maylaffayza brings a fresh new wind to the Indonesian music scene. For one thing, she's a crossover violinist, not the same-old manufactured pop chick or rock band. For another? She's very net-savvy.

I first found out about her from an article in The Jakarta Post earlier this summer, but since her CD had not (and still has not -- due out after the Lebaran holidays) been released, did not pursue it further. But just now, when browsing my MyBlogLog network, I found that she was there too. And on Multiply, Flickr, del.icio.us ...

Whereas a lot of Indonesian sites, even those listed on MyBlogLog, don't even have functional RSS feeds.

Oh, and have I mentioned, the girl *can* play? And sing too.

Via rfmcdpei:

This is cool beyond belief (thank you to O'Reilly Radar's Brady Forrest for writing about it). For example, here's a map showing the ridiculousness of US-style hub-and-spoke flying arrangements (unless you book enough in advance, or pay more, to get more direct routes), if you live in a remote place like Bloomington, Indiana (as yours truly do):