Late, very late

I've been playing with Microsoft Text to speech. It's actually better than I thought it would be. I got really irritated by Sam, the default voice, and I have found a few others to play with since then. I've been listening to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone as I work this morning. It has problems with names like Snape, Dumbledore, and Quidditch, but it is understandable.

It's my wedding anniversary on Saturday. I want to go to the Brown Sugar Jazz Club. They have a hot web site apart from anything else. I'll keep you informed about that.

I mentioned yesterday that A level results are due out today and that there is likely to be the usual argument about whether the ever increasing pass rate represents higher standards or easier exams. This year they are releasing results to students before the statistics are released to the media. This is in an effort to avoid the annual argument which may detract frm students success apparently. I'm wondering what the hell will happen when the exam pass rate hits 100% and it can't go higher the next year. It's up around 96% now.

Why is it that images of Christ and the Virgin are appearing everywhere at the moment? Apparently the face of Christ has now appeared on a tree in Sussex. It's been described as a miracle. It's not a miracle you knobs, it's something that looks vaguely like a face if you squint and tilt your head to one side. It looks more like Christ after you've had a couple of beers I think. Astounding that these images all show a bearded caucasian man as depicted in traditional images of Christ when in fact a man from the Middle East at the time of Christ would have looked nothing like that. This one was found by a lapsed Hindu strangely. Click.

Michael Jackson is in trouble with the law yet again. I can't believe I didn't know this, but Jackson was supposed to appear in court on July 21st to answer yet more sex abuse charges. He failed to turn up however and has been fined. This time a man is claiming that he was assaulted by Jackson in his car in 1984. The man, who was 18 at the time, claims he repressed these memories for 21 years and he only remembered them again when he saw the coverage of the previous trial. I actually feel sorry for Jackson this time who will be defending himself against charges over 20 years ago. Isn't there a statute of limitations or something? How can anyone expect to defend themself against that sort of allegation? Clcik.

The above was written at lunchtime at my desk. this is being written at home at my desk. It's 11 o'clock. Since lunchtime A-level results have been released and there was a rise to a 96.2% pass rate. The arguments will begin tomorrow no doubt. The row about the man shot on the London subway has intensified. It seems that the man's family are getting rowdy about it now. So would I.

Anyway, it's bed time. G'night.