Have you ever reviewed a restaurant or product an a website with a star rating? Do you give everything 5 stars?

I do @tasteem reviews and most definitely do give them all 5 stars though many of the others I see do.

As for the separate pool, is this really going to change things? Down-votes (flags) regardless of where the come from, (this other pool) will incite retaliation just as it does now.

We will have so see what pans out, but I personally don't expect much change.