I'm not using EC2, but I do have my S3 bucket permanently mounted on my Linux server. The way I did it is with Jungledisk. It isn't a non-commercial solution, but it's very inexpensive.
For uploads, your users can upload directly to S3, as described here.
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.