Hi akdx,
Please find some short answers below.
1 - yes, it is definitely active.
2 - both steem and sbd is fine
3 - It would be the amount needed for 1 vote. It fluctuates depending on steem/sbd prices, but roughly 0.15SBD would be the absolute minimum.
4 - the cost and profit of the dustsweeper vote itself are meant to be 0. If you transfer $1, you will receive that
back by the value of the votes. Your only profit will be the outstanding votes that would have become worthless unless upvoted above $0.02.
Please let me know if you need some further clarification.