Actually, it is a crime to look in the window. Here is the city ordinance (which is a criminal offense with a maximum of six months jail):

14A.40.010 Interfering with Privacy.

A. It is unlawful for any person to look through a window, transom, or door into the dwelling of another with the intent to interfere with the privacy of an occupant.

B. As used in this Section, "dwelling" includes a building or part of a building in which a person temporarily lodges.

http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?print=1&c=28512&a=15421

Goodness, so taking such a photograph could be illegal?

I don't get it -- what is it that we're supposed to be seeing in the photo?

Ugly naked is ugly naked, ordinance or not. If you live in one of these buildings you look into your neighbors window whether or not you want too. A little common courtesy goes a long way.

As for don't peep, that means I can't look out my window. So I can't have the blinds open to let in the sun because the law says I can't look in someone's window? Yet my neighbor can shake it for all neighbors to see, and looking in my window while they do it?

The post isn't being prissy. Common courtesy among neighbors is all that is being asked.

I'm not saying that the police would actually go after a normal, middle class condo dwelling type resident, but technically such photography is a crime.

Say! If the homeless liberation front erects a structure to dwell in (say a tent) wouldn't it be illegal for the cops to look inside it?

Of course the more likely scenario is the following: a homeless guy looks from a public sidewalk at your scantily clad daughter dancing in front of your picture window. That's when the ordinance comes into play.

Me thinks the lady duth protest too much.

If you want privacy, and no naked people in your face, move to the suburbs. Common courtesy would be not taking photographs of your neighbors when they're in their homes.

If the exhibitionists were pretty that would be one thing. But if you really don't even wanna look at them even when they have their clothes on...

Kind of like nude beaches, if they're fat, saggy and wrinkly and disfigured they'll be sure to be letting it all hang out. If they're hot, they'll probably keep their clothes on.

Seriously though, you'd think these folks would want a little privacy. Despite stupid city ordinances sometimes you can't help but look even if you don't want to, especially if they live directly across the street from you.

It is NOT illegal to take a picture either from public property or your own property into a home or through a window or something like that. The person a few posts above to 100% wrong.

Move to the burbs, that's your answer? The place where there are crack houses and pedophiles and high school shooters?

You deal with this no matter where you live. When I lived in the burbs neighbors would leave too much to the world to see. Its not an urban vs suburbs issue. Its common courtesy and the post was an effort to make that point when direct contact didn't work.

Oh, and common courtesy would be NOT parading it in front of your window in only your socks, with the binds up.

@11
Wouldn't that depend on where you're wearing the sock?

My thoughts:

1) One solution is to not let nudity bother you. How it is different from you wearing clothes that I don't like?

2)Welcome to the "Urban Experience" that the Pearl provides.

3)Can't you find emotional space between puritan and pervert to exist?

4) It's your own darn fault. You buy (rent/lease) a small box to live in built into a large box, surrounded by other large boxes then act all upset when you discover that you have a real neighbors, not just trend-clones and hipsters.

5) I'd rather look at some saggy, hairy sac than your snear.

6) Bitch

Proudwolf,
Is a request for common courtesy such a big deal?

Tell you what, I'll move in across the street from you, borrow pictures mutilated fetus' and plaster that in my window across from you. You have a problem with that?

The shit storm that has come about was really from those of you who somehow think its wrong to try and reach that "emotional space between puritan and pervert to exist".

There was no demand that this neighbor change their life, just a simple request to have some respect for those who live around you. Apparently, the exhibitionist is in the right to implicitly demand that her neighbors all look at her, but the neighbors are in the wrong to ask her to show a little respect.

S/he doesn't have to respect you. S/he doesn't have to act the way you want. That's city life.

However: Taking photographs through a semi-dressed person's window and posting them online is a surefire way not to get someone to return your so-called respect. Prurient gets what prurient gives.

If I were them I'd figure out who'd taken the pictures, then write something awfully rude in feces on a white silk tablecloth, angled up towards their window. "That ought to give them something to blog about," I'd say.

Remember when KVAL was pointing their traffic cameras into the windows of the Eugene Hilton a few years ago? I think they fired some people over that. They obviously didn't pass their J240 class.

I don't mind when wealthy people (regular people) look in my windows, it's when the poor do it, that's when my ire gets, um, it goes up. Or whatever.

Fuck it. I'm tired of making fun of the poor.

You're right Matt, she doesn't have to respect the people who live next to her. And they don't have to respect her. So how is the picture bad in that scenario.

What I'm talking about is a little bit of civility, apparently that doesn't matter any more. Every thing is "screw you".

No one wants to act decent to anyone, no one wants to give others mutual respect.

Given that you fight so hard for the homeless it surprises me that you have such an FU attitude about this. Mutual respect is not simply a phrase to get people to care about the homeless, it pertains to everyone around you. Show a little respect and get it in return.

Urban life includes things like this and I don't think anyone is so naive as to believe otherwise. One of the ways to make living so close together work is to show that respect.

I'm with Doogie @3 ... is there supposed to be something/nudity in that window? I see nothing.

Again: Show your respect for your neighbors by not taking pictures of them half naked and posting them on the internet. It's that simple.

So it doesn't matter that the residents across from her have been trying for months, politely asking the building management to get her to close her blinds? Yet she refuses. They showed respect by asking politely.

Don't try and take the high and mighty road here. You didn't just point to the photo, you also published it.

No, it doesn't matter. Because it's none of anybody's business what these people do in their apartment.

"It's disgusting!" yelled the headmistress, knee-deep in confiscated pornography.

I love me some stalky photos, but I'm not the one claiming to be disgusted by their contents.

I thought this post was a joke; I really found it hard to believe this woman would care about something so petty.

This supports Matt Davis' "Portland Isn't So Great" thesis, however. He can use this as part of his upcoming book about it.

Portland isn't so great, and the fact this woman goes on and on about demanding decency, is a perfect example of how annoying the majority of these self-righteous Portlanders can be. Get over yourselves, leave people be and quit shoving what your idea of decency is into the homes and lives of others.

Portland isn't so great, and the fact this woman goes on and on about demanding decency, is a perfect example of how annoying the majority of these self-righteous Portlanders can be. Get over yourselves, leave people be and quit shoving what your idea of decency is into the homes and lives of others.

Portland isn't so great, and the fact that this woman goes on and on demanding decency is a perfect example of how annoying the majority of these self-righteous Portlanders can be. Get over yourselves, leave people be and quit shoving what your idea of decency is into the homes and lives of others.

Portland isn't so great, and the fact that this woman goes on and on demanding decency is a perfect example of how annoying the majority of these self-righteous Portlanders can be. Get over yourselves, leave people be and quit shoving what your idea of decency is into the homes and lives of others.

Portland isn't so great, and the fact that this woman goes on and on demanding decency is a perfect example of how annoying the majority of these self-righteous Portlanders can be. Get over yourselves, leave people be and quit shoving what your idea of decency is into the homes and lives of others.

Portland isn't so great, and the fact that this woman goes on and on demanding decency is a perfect example of how annoying the majority of these self-righteous Portlanders can be. Get over yourselves, leave people be and quit shoving what your idea of decency is into the homes and lives of others.

Portland isn't so great, and the fact that this woman goes on and on demanding decency is a perfect example of how annoying the majority of these self-righteous Portlanders can be. Get over yourselves, leave people be and quit shoving what your idea of decency is into the homes and lives of others.