Figured out about the "item" numbers. I did something like this years ago for a single question, http://mathoverflow.tqft.net/discussion/1348/1/if-we-were-more-responsible/#Item_23 
and it worked out well. Note that Yemon got completely disgusted with MSE after a fairly short time and deleted his account there, so the question has a blank as the person asking. 

To expand, I like the idea of questions not moving to MO, and it being a choice for MO people to view a question if they are in the mood. Plenty of people on MSE believe their question is research level, plenty believe that a complete lack of response to a question on MSE, their own question or someone else's, means it is somehow a good question but too hard and belongs on MO.  Something less intrusive involving MO meta seems a workable middle ground.