Direct attention - that's a good way to term it, these are only lists :)

> I was a bit disconcerted that two posts I've downvoted have increased in value - just coincidence or something to do with the curve?

I don't think it's related to the curve - perhaps caching or more votes added since page load.

> Some of the posts in the list are getting large votes from @oracle-d and @threespeak.

I think these will be ones to have reservations about downvoting.  These are likely users with large followings outside but have yet to gain traction here.  You choice though of course :)