Center for Plain Language Awards! DEADLINE SOON

There are companies in this foul world that specifically hire people to make their policies hard to understand, in defiance of transparency, courtesy, and good business. And there are companies that, in concert with what is good and best for humanity and our shared society, work hard to make their policies easy to understand. The Center for Plain Language, a Washington, DC nonprofit, invites you to submit examples in both categories — good, clear business communications to be rewarded with shiny trophies at a fancy ceremony; and horrible, confusing, misleading and/or opaque business communications to be savagely mocked by yours truly in as ruthless a manner as possible.

The Center’s ClearMark Awards will recognize businesses and organizations that put normal human beings in charge of communicating to the public. We’ve all breathed sighs of relief upon encountering something that’s simply easy to use and understand. Why not reward the folks who get it by nominating your favorite example of user-friendliness for a ClearMark Award?

And then there are the WonderMark Awards. Send in the absolute worst examples of nonsense balderdash you’ve ever seen issue forth from a corporate lawyer or government bureaucrat’s bile-salted horror-fingers, and the Center and I will rub our hands together mischievously and make fun of the organization in as public and shameful a manner possible. It is the only way they will learn. (They probably won’t learn, but let’s have some fun anyhow.)

Here’s how to submit nominations. The deadline is very soon —Monday, March 1 — so don’t delay! DO IT NOW.