Barbara O'Brien is an author who writes the blog, Mahablog. O'Brien's book Blogging America Political Discourse in a Digital Nation (ISBN 1-59028-040-7) discusses the changes blogging has made in America's political culture, and the left-right debate[1]. O'Brien is a strong advocate of blogging as a means of giving the public power in the media, as well as opposing the Iraq War.[2] She has a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.[3] O'Brien also writes and edits the Buddhism topic at About.com.