I applaud her with no reserve. I was disappointed when she last squelched her mailing of photos but was happy to see her back in the action with video. This sort of action should be taken up by residents so, when resources are divided up, City leaders know where it could help most.

As for privacy of the folks in the video? Welcome to the 21st Century.

Inevitable on all fronts. If I saw someone in the act of a crime, other than step in if it was wise and warranted to do so, I would immediately record it.

Cameras and cell phones record video now, and posting is easy to do. Expect more.

What will be interesting is when the laws have to catch up with privacy and defamation issues for online posting. You can't use someones image in a film or video without a release if it is for commercial purposes. What if it is just to harass or defame?

In this case, it is underage drinking. What about over serving in a bar? Driving away after someone records you downing ten beers? Urinating on a wall? Wait, that happens in this video.

Things are going to get complicated.

If they're in public view, I'm not sure there's much legal recourse for them. Defamation seems to only apply when one makes a claim that is proven untrue in court: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation

If you're in public doing something illegal, you're pretty much fair game for anyone with a camera. One just has to be careful not to say things a video alone could not prove (at which point you enter that slippery slope of whether or not it is a false claim).

I'm no legal expert though, this is just to the best of my knowledge.

I don't believe defamation and privacy issues arise when these activities are recorded in plain sight with no tresspassing.

Laura is doing the right thing, has definitely shown a real and consistent problem, and it shouldn't fall only on law enforcement funded by tax dollars to correct it. If Brick City is unable or unwilling to keep activities on its premises and resulting from its business operations within the law, their existance should be seriously questioned.

I'm really disappointed in Brick City's continued failings. World Vision certainly has the resources to do better, and I simply cannot understand how an otherwise upstanding organization such as World Vision would allow these illegal, community-damaging activities to continue in their own backyard. They should be a model of how to do it right!

What do y'all think about a resident filming apparent illegal activity and posting it online? I've heard folks express their views to me over e-mail or in person, but I'd like to get a conversation started.

Its completely legal. Plus, it is in public view. In such a circumstance, there is no right to privacy of any kind.

The videos appear to pretty much speak for themselves. No spin one way or another needed.

Also I think this problem really comes down to the poor management of Brick City. The intents are obviously admirable, but it is clearly not being run properly. It's not really even an issue of its location (being downtown), but more about poor management of the program.

Video hooey-o. Wonderful music though! Anybody know the name of the song, who recorded it?

"One bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" by John Lee Hooker.

The song has been recorded by many artists but made famous by George Thorogood (and the Destroyers), who wrote it in the '70s. Thorogood is also famous for "Bad to the Bone" and many other songs.

L. Hanan

Thank you Hanan. Mucho gracias.

De nada

L. Hanan