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	<title>plain english ASIA</title>
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	<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia</link>
	<description>Clear writing for modern, customer-oriented professionals</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 23 Aug 2011 03:59:31 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Extreme Document Makeover</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=483</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=483#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Aug 2011 03:55:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[plain English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MPF]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[officialese]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Here's something that arrived in my inbox this morning. I wonder:

Does the writer really expect people to read this?

It's turgid officialese. It's lazy too. Here it is:
]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Never ever do this: Please refer to the attached</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=462</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=462#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 28 Dec 2010 03:34:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[email]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plain English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[attachment]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=462</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Handling attachments can be tricky. Never, ever do this:]]></description>
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		<title>Apple beats Microsoft again!</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=447</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=447#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Nov 2010 03:45:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plain English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[apple]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bill gates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guidlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[microsoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steve jobs]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
I am not a techie. But, I am a user of both Apple and Microsoft products. I&#8217;m also in the business of communications, and so feel qualified to comment on how the two companies do in this respect.
Steve Jobs has long been lauded as an excellent public speaker. Bill Gates has not. But, lets look [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Data Privacy Commissioner calls for plain language</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=439</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=439#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Nov 2010 03:24:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plain English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[data]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[data privacy commissioner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[octopus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[octopus rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[personal information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal Information Collection Statement (PICS)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PICS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[privacy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=439</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
A local company, Octopus Rewards Limited, was recently found to have violated the principles of personal data protection. 
After investigation, the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Mr. Allan Chiang has published a report making several recommendations. One of them relates to using plain language.
He suggests all ‘data users’ (ie those collecting personal data) create an [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>It&#8217;s the law: federal government to write plain English</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=433</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=433#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Oct 2010 03:57:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=433</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
On 13 October, President Obama signed the &#8216;Plain Writing Act of 2010&#8242;. 
The law defines plain writing as:
Writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience.
They&#8217;ll be following the guidelines developed by the Plain Language Action and Information Network guidelines, first published in the [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Leaders: Lead by example. Write well.</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=427</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=427#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Oct 2010 08:14:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=427</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
Lynn Gaertner-Johnston writes an excellent blog about business writing. Something she wrote this week really hit home. She says:
To leaders who want their teams to write better, I say this: Lead by example. Write well. Share your knowledge. And if you schedule a training program in business writing, attend enthusiastically, side by side with your [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Do you enjoy a elastic living?</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=413</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=413#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:46:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=413</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Say what? The tagline for Hopewell Real Estate Agency Ltd's newish development in Wan Chai is:


<blockquote>the Easiest Way to Enjoy a Elastic Living</blockquote>]]></description>
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		<title>Extreme document makeover &#8211; Citibank</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=398</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=398#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:56:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

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A very standard letter. Very unprofessional.
Here it is:

With comments:

And the rewrite:
Dear Ms Customer
Thank you for your application to authorize a direct debit.
It usually takes about one month to process this application. When it is approved, we’ll write to you to confirm the effective date. Until then, please settle your account by check.
If you have any [...]]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>Extreme document makeover: Wing Hang Bank</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=348</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=348#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 May 2010 02:42:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plain English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wing hang bank]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[I received a letter from Wing Hang Credit recently, with whom I have a mortgage. It took four people and considerable discussion to agree on what we thought the company was trying to say - including two who referred to the Chinese version and found it equally unhelpful]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Extreme makeover: Sick of HR policies?</title>
		<link>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=329</link>
		<comments>http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=329#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 May 2010 08:31:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plain English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[policies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sick leave]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.betterbusinesswriting.asia/?p=329</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
Recently spotted on a web page of an HR department:
A medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner/registered Chinese medicine practitioner/registered dentist specifying the period of sick leave as well as the nature of sickness or injury is required to support a sick leave application.  As a concession, sick leave not exceeding two days may be granted [...]]]></description>
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