Are sister sites necessary? (see below for details)?

These vertical communities are designed to be 100% dedicated to a single topic so that the individuals who are ONLY interested in that topic--and not other topics or Mahalo--have a place to hang out. For example, if you're a huge fan of the iPad you might find it easier and more enjoyable to hang out at ipad-answers.com than take five confusing steps to find the iPad tag or category on Mahalo Answers. Additionally, we will be "skinning" these sites in the coming weeks.So, the design and layout of the ToyotaAnswers.com site will be related to Toyota.

(note: ToyotaAnswers is NOT affiliated with Toyota--it is a site for fans to discuss and debate the brand). In terms of SEO I wouldn't worry about it. If these sites have great content they will rank over the coming years.

If they don't have a great community and content they won't. I'm fairly certain that they will do well.

As with many decisions made by Mahalo staff, this too is a business decision likely driven by factors we as members are simply unaware of. For example, perhaps Mahalo is hoping to get a deal with the companies whose products are featured on those sister sites? Maybe Totyota will be interested in even buying the Totyota-related Q&A site altogether, and simply pay Jason $1 million for it?

Maybe Daimler-Benz will buy the Mercedes-Benz Q&A site, and Apple buy the iPad one? Even if not outright purchase of the sites, such companies may be interested in paying for exclusive rights to place ads on them. The possibilities are (almost) endless.

If the questions were all under Mahalo's domain name, such deals would not be possible. Thus, while you're right that these sites' SErP ratings are likely to be low now, Mahalo is building them up by investing money and Mahalo member effort (that the aforementioned money is buying), and linking all the questions from Mahalo's main domain, all of which will build up the rank and traffic for the sister sites.

No need to have a sister site, because of the time and cost of gathering enough traffic.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.