Independent online journalist Michael J. Totten took a recent trip to Kurdish Iraq with blogger Sean LaFreniere. Totten’s report is a fascinating read, and it is supplemented by many pictures—some of them quite eye-opening—of life in northern Iraq.

Combining the spirit of blogging with the economic model of public broadcasting—minus the taxpayer-funded subsidies—Totten is providing unique reports from around the middle east and financing it through reader contributions. I think his model represents the future of online reporting, and I hope it succeeds.

If you find his work valuable, please consider hitting the PayPal donation button at the end of his report.