Robinson O'Brien-Bours

Bio

Robinson dabbles in wine, film, and technology. A former blogger for the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, he has previously held positions with the U.S. Congress, political nonprofits, and several Washington, D.C. think tanks. He has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Ashland University and resides in his native Los Angeles.
Thailand Isn't the Only Country to Dissolve Parliament — These 5 Countries Have Too
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
Imagine this: As President Barack Obama's popularity continues to plummet, trust in the government erodes more and more, the Congress proves to be the epitome of dysfunction, and Americans take to the street demanding the immediate overthrow of the…
'House of Cards' and 'Alpha House' Expose How We Feel About Politics
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
Amazon released its first original television show, Garry Trudeau's Alpha House, on Friday. Starring John Goodman as fictional Republican Senator Gil John Briggs of North Carolina who shares a Capitol Hill rowhouse with three other senators, the…
Miss Universe 2013: 7 Reasons Donald Trump is Being a Big, Fat Hypocrite
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
The Miss Universe 2013 Pageant is taking place in Moscow this week. Under the ownership of American business magnate and firer-in-chief Donald Trump, the Miss Universe Organization also runs many other pageants such as Miss USA and Miss Teen…
Earmarks are the Real Reason John Boehner Can't Control House Republicans
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
As the debt ceiling deadline loomed, President Barack Obama went on television and complained that Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) "can't control his caucus." The Washington Post has declared that Boehner is watching his control of the…
Hollywood is Influencing Politics More Than Any Super PAC
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
Movies have the power to inspire, to teach, to shape memories of events, and to create a shared narrative experience amongst a culture. They can make us think about things that we have not given much thought to before. They can stir us to action,…
5 Biggest Myths Hollywood Taught Us About the Middle Ages
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
The Middle Ages is one of the most interesting, complicated, and misunderstood epochs in human history, and the Medieval theme is one of Hollywood's favorites to play with. Some films and television shows such as Braveheart, Pillars of the Earth,…
Another TSA Horror Story: You'll Never Guess What An Agent Did This Time
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
An employee of the Transportation Security Administration, the bloated and troubling agency tasked with protecting American airports in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has been arrested for making unspecified threats against Los Angeles…
'Game of Thrones' Season 4: An Inside Look At the European Paradise That Looks Like King's Landing
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
Die-hard Game of Thrones fans waiting for the latest news on the hit HBO series have cause for some celebration: Season 4 is just began filming in Croatia! The small Adriatic country has long been important to the TV show, which is based on George…
WATCH: Google "Literally" Accommodates Joe Biden
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
Grammarians are up in arms over Google's recent decision to update its definition of the word "literally" in the online search giant's dictionary. Rather than maintaining a literal definition of the word, dictionaries like Google, Merriam-Webster,…
'Elysium' Movie Review: Weird Immigration Sub-Plot Kill This Movie
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
Elysium, starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, opened last week to mixed reviews. The dystopian sci-fi film from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp is unbearably full of political commentary, mostly focused on immigration. Unfortunately, the film is…
Is Elon Musk Today's Thomas Edison?
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
Thomas Edison is widely regarded as the greatest inventor of his time, accumulating over 1,000 U.S. patents to his name. Today, inventor and entrepreneur Elon Musk is quickly working to have as much of an impact on the world as his hero did. At the…
Is George R.R. Martin Ever Going to Finish 'Game Of Thrones'?
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
The wait is long and full of terrors. In 1991, George R.R. Martin began writing the first installment of his epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. In 1996, he finished this first installment and A Game of Thrones was published. Two years…
The Week in Film: Efron Talks Star Wars, 'Wolverine' Opens
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
This summer has been a tough one for the Hollywood box office, with major films like The Lone Ranger, After Earth, and R.I.P.D. all seriously flopping. However, the San Diego Comic-Con last week brought some hope back to the film industry as it…
This Week's Really Bizarre Battle Over Your Privacy Rights Ended In the Worst Way Possible
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
The primary struggle of American politics is the struggle to balance liberty and peace, freedom and security. With full knowledge that power is often needed to secure peace, and awareness that power is the eternal enemy of liberty, our Founding…
Homemade Bombs: 'The Anarchist Cookbook' Should Be Protected Speech
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
On April 15th, 2013, two home-made pressure cooker bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring 264 others. Similar bombs killed 209 people during the 2006 Mumbai train bombings and failed to go off in the 2010 Stockholm…
Craft Whiskey Isn't Better Than the Original Thing — Yet
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
There has been an explosion of interest in small and local sources of food and drink over the past several years as "foodie" culture continues to grow in the United States. From craft breweries to local farmers markets to boutique wineries, the…
Ft. Hood Trial: 5 Ways a Military Trial Is Different From a Civilian One
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
On November 5, 2009, a mass murder took place at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas. In the worst shooting to ever take place on an American military base, a lone gunman killed 13 people and injured over 30. Nidal Malik Hasan, a 39-year Army major…
Egyptian Military Coup: Democracy is Not the Goal of Government — Human Rights Are
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
As the United States of America commemorates 237 years of independence and 150 years since the bloody Battle of Gettysburg, the people of Egypt are engaged in their own tumultuous revolution. While remembering our own first principles as…
5 Real World Places That Could Double As 'Game Of Thrones' Settings
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
One of the most interesting things about George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and one of the most visually appealing parts of HBO's hit series Game of Thrones is the wide range of settings that play host to the characters of Westeros and…
This is the Worst Thing Jennifer Lopez Has Ever Done
By Robinson O'Brien-Bours
You would think that with multiple hit albums, popular film credits, a clothing line, a gig judging other people on American Idol, and a working production company, Jennifer Lopez's estimated $250 million net worth would be enough, right? Apparently…