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DePlasco's back on his spin game with the Brooklyn Papers

Like a veteran pitcher with a range of pitches at his disposal, Forest City Ratner spokesman Joe DePlasco showed two of his time-tested spin techniques in a brief article in the recent Brooklyn Papers, headlined Ratner’s new Web site o’lies. (At least one newspaper can use the word "lies.")

First, when asked why the new AtlanticYards.com web site shows a pre-renovation photo of the building at 636 Pacific Street, Ratner spokesman Joe DePlasco said the old photo of the Atlantic Arts building was a placeholder and that shots on the Web site “will be updated and revised on a regular basis.”

Given that the web site was under development for months and that it took an amateur photog like me just minutes to shoot and upload a current photo, that's not very plausible. But it is a good example of DePlasco Tactic #3: Reality Be Damned.

Outside pitch

Then there's the question about why the largest tower, once "Miss Brooklyn," has been renamed "Ms. Brooklyn." I suggested that it was a defensive tactic to prevent critics using "miss" as a verb. (As Aaron Naparstek put it, "We’ll sure miss Brooklyn if this crap gets built.")

DePlasco's answer to the Brooklyn Papers: “The use of ‘Ms. Brooklyn’ vs. ‘Miss Brooklyn’ is part of a larger conspiracy to find out if the editors at The Brooklyn Papers and the opposition bloggers are actually following every little detail.”

Notice that DePlasco didn't actually answer the question but gave a clever enough quote that the reporter was placated. That was a textbook aspect of Tactic #4: Changing the Subject.

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