O boy, a project! Just the thing an unemployed IM guy needs.

However, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if the current system is already essentially doing what Benson proposed:

Heart: get this on the front page!
No votes: Eh.
Thumbs down: completely inappropriate

So... can anyone answer if the prioritizing/filter is currently working that way? If so, maybe this is more of an educational opportunity...