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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 Ratnerā€™s new Web site oā€™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 ā€œwill be updated and revised on a regular basis.ā€

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, "Weā€™ll sure miss Brooklyn if this crap gets built.")

DePlasco's answer to the Brooklyn Papers: ā€œThe use of ā€˜Ms. Brooklynā€™ vs. ā€˜Miss Brooklynā€™ 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.ā€

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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