I just figured out that the stars thing was to rate each other. I wonder if that system will have an effect on post quality? For example, being afraid to post a disagreement in case someone gets offended (or just simply doesn't like your post) and gives you a poor rating. Sort of like leaving negative feedback on eBay--I never do it unless there is absolutely no other recourse.
It also means your stars rating can actually go down over time.
It's also pretty bizarre that some "strangers" and "newbies" have 5-star ratings with very few posts. Is this a popularity contest, then?