[endersshadow]

A few points of feedback:

A) I would absolutely limit comments and votes based on geography. The last thing you want is a popular event being loaded down with "Wish I was there!" comments.

B) Internal ranking of users based on votes, propensity to contribute quality content, and activity is certainly useful. You can use this to highlight things that are sure to be high-quality events, or even give extra spotlight to users who post quality events without a lot of traction. Exposing it leads to folks attempting to game the system. Not that they won't, anyway, but it makes it a bit more opaque as to what they can and can't get rewarded for if it's obfuscated.

C) The ability to use this on the web, without having to go to my phone to check the app. I want to be able to take a quick look, send a link via IM to a friend, and meet them some place there's an event going on. If I have to do it all within the app, then I have to hope that said friend (a) has the app and (b) has it set to allow notifications. I already have set communication paths for my friends--let me use those.

To the point of using it via web and locking down the distance, you should have to either (a) allow your location to be used or (b) be able to set a home city that you can use over the web. I'm not sure what the balance of restrictions is right on the posting only locally and allowing users to set their location, but say, limit them to posting/voting on only 2 locations per session on the web or something.