Taskar.Sections.NewStatus = {
  'click': {
    'img': function(){
      var form = $('new_status');
      form.down('textarea').setValue('').setStyle({backgroundColor: null});
      form.toggleWithEffect('appear', function(e){
        e.element.visible() && e.element.down('textarea').setValue('').focus();
      });
    },
    'input[type=button]': function(){
      $('new_status').fade();
    }
  },
  'key:esc': function(){
    $('new_status').fade();
  },
  'submit': Taskar.Sections.validateForm,
  'ajax:post': function(){
    $('new_status').fade();
  }
}
Taskar.Sections.NewStatus = function(userCard){
  var form = $('new_status');
  
  function hide(){
    form.fade();
  }
  
  userCard.down('img').observe('click', function(){
    form.down('textarea').setValue('').setStyle({backgroundColor: null});
    form.toggleWithEffect('appear', function(e){
      e.element.visible() && e.element.down('textarea').setValue('').focus();
    });
  });
  
  form.observe('submit', Taskar.Sections.validateForm);
  form.observe('key:esc', hide);
  form.observe('ajax:post', hide);
  form.down('input[type=button]').observe('click', hide);
};
use clousure for the NewStatus component