Viva La Cola!

Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Film Roll

Hundreds of people rolled in on two wheels for Northwest Film Forum’s 4th Annual Bike-In (think drive-in, but with bikes) at Cal Anderson Park last night. From commuters to Dead Baby daredevils, a vast spokey spread of viewers collected for local bands, snarky drive-in themed shorts and Jacques Tati’s Jour de Fete.

Refreshments are my favorite part of the Bike-In:  The world’s first (and rustiest) exercise-bike-rigged-to-a-blender to make what I call the Bike-arita. Delicious.

bike-in

Bummed that you missed the Bike-In—or simply thirsty for more?  Get tuned up for the Bicycle Film Festival (BFF).  Running seven programs and two after parties in one weekend (September 11-12).  Includes Parasol (Webster Crowell, 2008), my favorite stop-motion film of all time.


  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    But wasn’t the point of “Drive-Ins” to make out? How do you make out sitting on the lawn with your bikes and everybody else around?

    Sorry hipsters, but here’s one instance where the spoof/reclaim = fail.

    It’s also one instance where cars totally have bikes beat.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    But wasn’t the point of “Drive-Ins” to make out? How do you make out sitting on the lawn with your bikes and everybody else around?

    Sorry hipsters, but here’s one instance where the spoof/reclaim = fail.

    It’s also one instance where cars totally have bikes beat.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    But wasn’t the point of “Drive-Ins” to make out? How do you make out sitting on the lawn with your bikes and everybody else around?

    Sorry hipsters, but here’s one instance where the spoof/reclaim = fail.

    It’s also one instance where cars totally have bikes beat.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    But wasn’t the point of “Drive-Ins” to make out? How do you make out sitting on the lawn with your bikes and everybody else around?

    Sorry hipsters, but here’s one instance where the spoof/reclaim = fail.

    It’s also one instance where cars totally have bikes beat.

  • JoshMahar

    Josh, us bikers have matured to a point where we don’t need to hide love and lust behind the tinted windows of an steel box.

    The alcohol also helps. (Can’t get a DUI on a bike!)

  • JoshMahar

    Josh, us bikers have matured to a point where we don’t need to hide love and lust behind the tinted windows of an steel box.

    The alcohol also helps. (Can’t get a DUI on a bike!)

  • JoshMahar

    Josh, us bikers have matured to a point where we don’t need to hide love and lust behind the tinted windows of an steel box.

    The alcohol also helps. (Can’t get a DUI on a bike!)

  • JimB

    The bigger fail was that most people who went to this bike-in movie weren’t actually there to watch the feature. By the end of the film, the numbers had probably dwindled to 20%. Too bad. Jacques Tati films are brilliant.

  • JimB

    The bigger fail was that most people who went to this bike-in movie weren’t actually there to watch the feature. By the end of the film, the numbers had probably dwindled to 20%. Too bad. Jacques Tati films are brilliant.

  • JimB

    The bigger fail was that most people who went to this bike-in movie weren’t actually there to watch the feature. By the end of the film, the numbers had probably dwindled to 20%. Too bad. Jacques Tati films are brilliant.

  • JimB

    The bigger fail was that most people who went to this bike-in movie weren’t actually there to watch the feature. By the end of the film, the numbers had probably dwindled to 20%. Too bad. Jacques Tati films are brilliant.

  • http://publicola.net/ FilmNerd

    @JimB agreed about Jacques Tati, but I’d say the greater fail was that the movie didn’t even start until well after 10, and most people work Monday morning. Also, it was pretty cold.

    @JoshM, I think you can get a DUI on a bike, but part of the deal is that the officer is legally required to give you a ride home, which is a major disincentive to give the ticket in the first place.

  • http://publicola.net/ FilmNerd

    @JimB agreed about Jacques Tati, but I’d say the greater fail was that the movie didn’t even start until well after 10, and most people work Monday morning. Also, it was pretty cold.

    @JoshM, I think you can get a DUI on a bike, but part of the deal is that the officer is legally required to give you a ride home, which is a major disincentive to give the ticket in the first place.

  • http://publicola.net/ FilmNerd

    @JimB agreed about Jacques Tati, but I’d say the greater fail was that the movie didn’t even start until well after 10, and most people work Monday morning. Also, it was pretty cold.

    @JoshM, I think you can get a DUI on a bike, but part of the deal is that the officer is legally required to give you a ride home, which is a major disincentive to give the ticket in the first place.

  • http://publicola.net FilmNerd

    @JimB agreed about Jacques Tati, but I’d say the greater fail was that the movie didn’t even start until well after 10, and most people work Monday morning. Also, it was pretty cold.

    @JoshM, I think you can get a DUI on a bike, but part of the deal is that the officer is legally required to give you a ride home, which is a major disincentive to give the ticket in the first place.

  • JimB

    @FilmNerd Yeah, those shorts ran a little long.

  • JimB

    @FilmNerd Yeah, those shorts ran a little long.

  • JimB

    @FilmNerd Yeah, those shorts ran a little long.

  • tomdickharry

    @FilmNerd the biggest problem is that this is probably the latest in the season that you can even comfortably show films outside and it still doesn’t get dark until 9pm!

  • tomdickharry

    @FilmNerd the biggest problem is that this is probably the latest in the season that you can even comfortably show films outside and it still doesn’t get dark until 9pm!

  • tomdickharry

    @FilmNerd the biggest problem is that this is probably the latest in the season that you can even comfortably show films outside and it still doesn’t get dark until 9pm!

  • http://publicola.net/ FilmNerd

    @tomdickharry True! But far be it from me to complain about the Seattle summer. And the shorts were pretty delightful. But maybe it should have been on a Friday or Saturday night so we could stay up later without ruing our decision the next day? Except for the poor saps who work early Sunday, that is…

  • http://publicola.net/ FilmNerd

    @tomdickharry True! But far be it from me to complain about the Seattle summer. And the shorts were pretty delightful. But maybe it should have been on a Friday or Saturday night so we could stay up later without ruing our decision the next day? Except for the poor saps who work early Sunday, that is…

  • http://publicola.net/ FilmNerd

    @tomdickharry True! But far be it from me to complain about the Seattle summer. And the shorts were pretty delightful. But maybe it should have been on a Friday or Saturday night so we could stay up later without ruing our decision the next day? Except for the poor saps who work early Sunday, that is…

  • http://publicola.net FilmNerd

    @tomdickharry True! But far be it from me to complain about the Seattle summer. And the shorts were pretty delightful. But maybe it should have been on a Friday or Saturday night so we could stay up later without ruing our decision the next day? Except for the poor saps who work early Sunday, that is…

  • travis j

    the bands went too long, the shorts wer ok.loved the Monty python stuff tho. Jour de Fete is a great flick but it seems the majority of the demographic who attended were bike nerds not film nerds.

  • travis j

    the bands went too long, the shorts wer ok.loved the Monty python stuff tho. Jour de Fete is a great flick but it seems the majority of the demographic who attended were bike nerds not film nerds.

  • travis j

    the bands went too long, the shorts wer ok.loved the Monty python stuff tho. Jour de Fete is a great flick but it seems the majority of the demographic who attended were bike nerds not film nerds.

  • travis j

    the bands went too long, the shorts wer ok.loved the Monty python stuff tho. Jour de Fete is a great flick but it seems the majority of the demographic who attended were bike nerds not film nerds.

  • http://www.panicbuttonpictures.com/ Webster

    Aawwwwwww

  • http://www.panicbuttonpictures.com/ Webster

    Aawwwwwww

  • http://www.panicbuttonpictures.com/ Webster

    Aawwwwwww

  • http://www.panicbuttonpictures.com Webster

    Aawwwwwww