A Tokyo toy manufacturer has added a new gadget to its product line. The company has already sold 300,000 Bowlingual units, which supposedly translate a dog’s bark into human words. Now they hope to appeal to cat owners with the Meowlingual, which will do the same for a cat’s meows. The cat shaped machine will be available this fall and supposedly can translate meows and purrs into human phrases such as “I can’t stand it.”

Both of the animal translation machines are based on scientific data on animal sounds from a Tokyo laboratory that is also used to analyze human voices, help solve crimes, and design software for mobile phones.

The dog version of the translator mounts on the animal’s collar, but the feline version requires a person to hold a microphone in the machine up to the cat’s mouth and hope the animal says something. Company spokeswoman Maiko Hasumi says, “Cats are smaller and more finicky than dogs, so we had to change the design a little.”

The dog language translator will be available in the United States in late 2003, but the company does not know if they market the Meowlingual overseas yet.

—Associated Press, July 16, 2003, Japanese Toymaker Goes Meowlingual, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

OK. This whole thing is just a bit too bazaar for me. A device that helps me understand my pets? I just hope they come out with one soon that will help me understand my kids, how about you? The truth is, human conversation itself is difficult enough to understand, especially when I put up barriers that hinder communication.

Ephes. 4:31 NASB “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”

A new computer device has the potential to make you a better communicator. The "Emotional Social Intelligence Prosthetic" uses a small camera attached to a pair of glasses and alerts the user when the person they are speaking with gets bored or annoyed. The camera is connected to a hand held computer running image recognition software. If the cues indicate the speaker is not engaging the listener, the computer vibrates a warning. The software is accurate about 75 percent of the time.

Design Team Member Rana El Kaliouby says the original intent was to help people with autism because they often lack the ability to pick up on social cues. El Kaliouby says, "It's sad because people then avoid having conversations with them." The device has applications in other professions. Timothy Bickmore of Northeastern University in Boston thinks the device could be a great teaching aid. Bickmore said, "I would love it if you could have a computer looking at each student in the room to tell me when 20 percent of them were bored or confused."

—http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025456.500-device-warns-you-if-youre-boring-or-irritating.html. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Colossians 4:6 (GW) [6] Everything you say should be kind and well thought out so that you know how to answer everyone.

An April fool's joke by Norway based Opera Software shows how dependent our world has become on alternative methods of communication. The company announced it had developed "a platform-independent speech solution for short-and medium range interpersonal communication" which they called, "Opera Soundwave." The company claimed the new communication innovation used "analog signals carried through open air which enabled users to communicate in real-time without the use of computers or mobile phones."

The company claimed the new technology was accidentally discovered when an Opera technician said something and realized his colleagues understood. In a joke statement, the tech Trond Hansen said, "Like most people. I have used e-mail as my primary means of communication for many years and accepted that it is not always 100 percent effective." He added, "Soundwave has opened up a whole new world for me, enabling me to get things done faster and more effectively than before—and it is remarkably easy to use"

To make sure everyone understood the joke, the press release said the breakthrough technology had a range of 100 feet and could be tested without special equipment. They suggested simply asking someone near you a question, such as "What is today's date?" The answer, of course, was April 1st, April fool's Day. (In plain language, Opera Soundwave is human speech.)

—Associated Press, Software Firm Has Fun on April Fool's, April 1, 2005. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Soundwave is perhaps the best form of communication to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Email is good, letters arr fine and there is nothing wrong with a telephone call, but face-to-face and heart-to-heart is not outdated.

Romans 10:14 (NLT) "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?"

In their book, "Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham", Myra and Shelley write, "Leadership, by its nature, requires strong convictions but also the skills to effectively communicate those convictions and to back off emphases that will deflect from the main thing."

—"Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham", p. 144. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

James 1:19 (HCSB) "My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,"

While some people don't understand President George W. Bush's devotion to God and how it shapes his life and Presidency, some people in Norway interpreted a hand gesture he made at his second inauguration as a salute to Satan. To Texans, the raised pinky and index fingers are a show of affection for the University of Texas and the Longhorns. Of course, the President wasn't saluting Satan, he was saying, "hook-um horns!" to the Texas marching band as they passed by his reviewing stand.

—http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=816&e=1&u=/ap/20050121/ap_on_re_eu/bush_satanic_sign Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

This just goes to show you it is much easier to misunderstand something than it is to understand it. Especially when viewing the world through cultural lenses.

Proverbs 13:17 (HCSB) "A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy courier [brings] healing."

Researchers at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem say they have developed a computer algorithm that can identify sarcasm in written text. The program known as SASI uses sentences, patterns of phrases, and punctuation to identify patterns that generally indicate sarcastic expressions. A test of the software on 86,000 selected product reviews and Twitter posts produced an agreement rate of 80% when compared to judgments made by human volunteers who read the same materials. Researchers say the tool will enable more sophisticated communication between humans and computers.

--Oh, Sure! Israeli Software detects Sarcasm, http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/137721, May 27 2010, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

There are times when I have trouble identifying sarcasm. Maybe the best thing to do is just strive to be clear with everything we say.

Matthew 5:37 (CEV) When you make a promise, say only "Yes" or "No." Anything else comes from the devil.

Inventors in Scandinavia are almost ready to bring a translator to the market that will communicate nothing but the truth. It is a dog-to-human translator called “No More Woof.” It will “interpret the electroencephalography of dogs and match it with one of a few premade English audio recordings.” “According to the inventors dogs equipped with the “No More Woof” headset will be able to communicate to their owner’s basic thoughts such as weariness, excitement, or curiosity.”

Unlike our human friends we might expect the dogs to honestly tell us how they are feeling. With the dogs there won’t be any “how are you?” “Oh, I am fine” conversations. --Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

World, January 25, 2014 p. 16

Ephesians 4:25 (ESV) (25) Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Amanda Thompson found a postcard hidden in a book she bought at a yard sale. It took years, but she was determined to find the rightful owner. Though she moved several times, and even went through a flood, the card remained in good condition. Finally, Thompson decided it was time to locate the owner. She used social media to find the owners and hand-delivered the postcard to Robert Stuckey, who lives in Indiana. Robert Stuckey explained the postcard was from his father to his grandmother and was originally mailed during World War II. He said he would never let it out of his sight, adding, “It was like he was there with me. I mean it really was when I saw his name, I got cold chills like he was right there beside me.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Woman delivers postcard to rightful owner 70 years after it was sent, By Natalie Russell, http://www.14news.com/story/29970989/woman-delivers-postcard-to-rightful-owner-70-years-after-it-was-sent, Accessed September 6, 2015.

Proverbs 25:11 (HCSB) A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples on a silver tray.

Brad Barrett, the general manager at Lilly’s on the Lake in Clermont, Florida decided to clean house and fire thirteen employees in one fell swoop. He did it by sending the following text:

"hello Everyone, As you know we are making some changes and moving in a new direction in the restaurant and because of that we have decided to move on without you. We appreciate the opportunity to work with you and all of your hard work. Please feel free to use us as a reference. Unfortunately we were unable to call and speak with each one of you individually but we hope you all understand the decision we have made. We wish you the best of luck in the future. The Management Team."

Elizabeth Peters, one of the fired workers responded by saying, "I think it's wrong. It's unprofessional. If someone's going to fire you they need to call you in and let you know what you did wrong. I don't even know what I did wrong." —Jim L. Wilson

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/11/24/Florida-restaurant-fires-13-workers-with-group-text-message/8561448386173/?spt=sec&or=on

Peters is right. As uncomfortable as it may be for a boss to explain why a worker is being fired, how can they improve if no one tells them what they did wrong.

Titus 2:15 (HCSB) “Say these things, and encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

In the Spring of 2018 the Internet community was debating whether the robotic voice was saying “Yanny or Laurel?” Some people heard one thing, and others heard another. As it turns out, the voice was saying both. It was saying “Yanny” in a higher pitch, and “Laurel” in a lower one.

According to “It’s a little bit noisy so that itself causes perception to be a little more ambiguous,” a professor of communications sciences and disorders at the University of Texas at Austin, Bharath Chandrasekaran said. “Because it’s noisy, your brain is filling in with what it thinks it should be.”—Jim L. Wilson

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yanny-laurel-why-you-hear-it_us_5afbc1e2e4b0779345d400e1

In the absence of clear communication, the brain will fill in the gaps. This is a compelling reason for the church to proclaim the gospel without distortion, so people can hear and respond.

In his book, Leading Major Change in your Ministry, Jeff Iorg writes, “Some leaders mistakenly think a longer presentation always carries more weight. Not necessarily true. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address-only 272 words-is still more powerful today than thousands of longer political speeches given by lesser leaders. Shorter can be better than longer.” —Jim L. Wilson

But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

Nina Harris told her husband Allan exactly what she wanted for Valentine’s Day. “I would like some tulips,” she said. Allan was not listening, at least that is what Nina says. When she finished her first cup of coffee on St. Valentine’s Day, Allan gave her the Valentine’s Day gift he thought she ordered. A nice bucket with the words “I Love You,” stenciled on it. It was filled with turnips, not tulips. After Nina informed him of his mistake, the remorseful Allan supplemented the turnips with actual tulips, as well as candy and balloons.

One of the easiest ways to strengthen relationship is by simply listening to the other person. Can we work on developing our listening skills? —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

James 1:19 (CSB)“My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,”

The Curry Pizza Co in Fresno, California believes we may be in danger of it. In order to counteract the smart phone craze, they announced they would give one free pizza to any group of at least four diners who surrender their cell phones while they eat. A spokesman said “the goal is to have diners actually talk to each other. –Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Philippians 2:3 (CSB) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.

The words we use can have many implications that go beyond the actual meaning of the words. Michigan State University is advising employees to avoid saying “no problem” to customers.

MSU says that “no problem” is a “trigger’’ that could lead “a customer to believe that they could be a problem.” It’s more “calming,” the official said, to say “You’re welcome.”

Who would have thought those two words, meant to signify the receiver was “no problem” to the sender could be turned around to thinking they were a problem? What other words or phrases do we use that others might misinterpret? —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

A Chinese computer programmer was receiving up to 300 texts per day from his girlfriend. It was disturbing his work, but he didn’t want to ignore them because he feared hurting her feelings. Li Kaixiang developed a program that sent a realistic response automatically. After she discovered his ruse, she was suspicious because the responses were instant; he talked about it on social media. Men inundated Li with requests for the source code to his bot.

I suppose the programmer was adept enough to make sure the program didn’t say something he would later regret. Sometimes our texting can certainly get out of hand. But it is important to remember Paul’s instruction to the Ephesians to always respond in truth. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.

An unnamed man received a text from a woman he had been attracted to 8 months earlier. The text said, “Yes, I’d love to go out on Valentine’s Day.” The problem is that he had asked her out by text message back in February and never heard back from her. He wasn’t the only one who was surprised with a late text. About 170,000 people received Valentine’s Day texts 8 months late. In some cases, relationships had ended or loved ones had died. The messages reappeared when a server that had gone down in February was reconnected. “Now,” the man said, “I know why we never dated.”

There is no word from the woman who accepted a date request and then never heard back. What could have been a word of blessing became a word of confusion when it was received at the wrong time. Care in communication probably eliminates important messages being sent by text. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Joel Salinas, MD, the Lulu P. and David J. Levidow Assistant Professor of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and member of the Department of Neurology’s Center for Cognitive Neurology says, “But today, right now, you can ask yourself if you truly have someone available to listen to you in a supportive way and ask your loved ones the same. Taking that simple action sets the process in motion for you to ultimately have better odds of long-term brain health and the best quality of life you can have.”