Can't open output file '/dev/audio'

[ka9qlq]

Ok I installed saytime and here's the output

ka9qlq@dittohead:~$ saytime
sox raw: '/usr/share/saytime/the_time_is.au': sample rate not specified; trying 8kHz
sox stio: Can't open output file '/dev/audio': Device or resource busy
child process returned a non-zero status 2

so I try espeak

ka9qlq@dittohead:~$ date |espeak
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000
PaHost_OpenStream: could not open /dev/dsp for O_WRONLY
PaHost_OpenStream: ERROR - result = -10000

So I made a yabasic file that says the time in my voice from recordings ogg files using play, works great from the command line but when I try to call it from a cron nothing happens!?! Ideas welcome.
Thanks a gigabyte
Alvin
ka9qlq