It is an interesting proposal, and I'd recommend that Mahalo adopt it with a small change. I'd suggest adding M$0.15 from Mahalo automatically for any question that started with the default M$0.10 and received 3 "interesting" votes, and M$0.25 to any question that was fully funded by the asker, and received 3 "interesting" votes. In addition, if any question then gets 2 or more additional "interesting" votes, I'd suggest Mahalo automatically add in another M$0.25.
This way, Mahalo's greatest cost per question would still be M$0.50, and this would only happen on really interesting questions. On slightly less, but still interesting questions, Mahalo's cost would be M$0.25 (including the M$0.10 default, if such was initially there). Given that most questions on Mahalo are at M$0.10, I think that having some questions here at M$0.25 and some at M$0.50 would generate more answers, especially since these questions would also be on the front page for a day (in the Popular Questions section).
As for having upper belts promote questions with M$0.50 I'll respectfully disagree. You will get the same effect on front page time with a M$0.01 "interesting" vote as with M$0.50. If you want a question to have a higher tip to encourage more and better answers, as asker, you need to put your money where your mouth is and tip it initially with that M$0.50 (or M$2, or M$15 as the case may be).
It is not the job of other users to tip up your questions with more than the symbolic M$0.01 to show we think it's interesting. Whoever really likes a question you posted, and is really interested in seeing it answered (and/or answering it him or herself) already tips it up by much more than M$0.01.
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.