It seems an odd thing for one of the grand old ladies of journalism to do, but I'm glad the Washington Post isn't taking itself quite so seriously all the time. And even though the contest itself is decidedly low-tech, I think it serves as an example of how to reach out to your audience and involve them in the Internet age.

For the third year in a row, the Washington Post has sponsored a Peeps diorama contest. I nearly missed the class I had to teach today because I got lost in all the entries. I'm was surprised and impressed at the level of detail in many of the displays, and I marveled at the creativity. I was also heartened that so many of the entries had news themes. It says a lot for Washington Post readers, and it demonstrates that people are not just reading the news. They are digesting it and incorporating it into their lives.

I wish I could feature individual dioramas here, but I can't because the Post has put them all in one Flash file. But take a minute and scroll through to find an interview with Michael Peeps, I mean Phelps. It's a nice contrast of his glory and disgrace. There are also much more newsworthy entries, such as this one of green bunnies waterboarding pink bunnies at Peeptanamo Bay or any of the several dramatic depictions of the historic inauguration, one that recreates Aretha Franklin's hat in explicit detail.

I'm sure people scoffed at the original idea. I'm sure some are still saying this isn't something the Post should be involved in. But I like it, and I think all newspapers, especially national and regional ones, need to reach out to their readers more.