I do not think so. As long as the merits are distributed fairly to post that actually do deserve it, then I do not think having a lot of it at ones disposal would reduce its value.

Merit sources carry the "burden" of trying to ensure that merits are circulated around the forum, so I think if they clamour for an increase in their monthly Smerits, it's because they've been bypassing good posts that they wanted to reward, the more Smerits out there, doesn't mean it'll in any way be giving to the undeserving. Do not also forget that other than merit sources, a whole lot of users also have their own personal Smerits, which they can do as they please with.

I try as much h as possible not to send PM's and the reason is, honestly a large majority of users do not like being sent a private message, more especially if it's an issue that can be sorted out on the thread, I wouldn't be wrong to say that the moment you sent a user a PM, they are always curious as to why the user sent them a PM, they have their guard up immediately as to if the user is a scammer and the rest of that, except if it's a PM from accounts that have previously chatted or from well established accounts.

To avoid most of the inconveniences attached to sending a user a private message, much as its within my power, I'll keep everything in the open, except if it's indeed something that ought to be handled just by the both of us.

It mustn't also be 20 minutes at a stretch, a user can log in, get to threads that interest him or her, air their views and log out, one can do this all through out the day, making close to 3 posts without actively being online for 20-30 minutes.

I am a student, and there are times, such as this in the semester when it's difficult to stay online for so long, but I enjoy reading threads on this forum and expressing my own opinions, I still come in at intervals and go straight to threads i like, such as this one, and write out my ideas. Though I'll be making less posts than i would/do when the semester ends.

And they should, you cannot simply start a campaign and employ just anybody to run it, neglecting one of  the most important role the CM plays in the campaign by checkmating users posts quality, and only top managers do that.
Other campaign managers should either try to improve on how they do their job, making their campaign participants pay more attention to what they write that gets them paid. Or the campaigns should only choose the very best managers in the forum.

As for the BTC rate, I think every campaign would pay it's participants based on the effect the advertisement is having on their company, if they are actually getting traffic, they wouldn't mind paying a little more than others, I doubt if the forum can impose anything on them.

I doubt if that will happen, Madrid didn't still look convincing against Sevilla if you ask me, they were able to scrape and toil away with a one goal Victory, but on another look if Sevilla had been better or if they had faced a team with a better frontline, it would have been a different scenario and outcome.

Zidane must really be feeling the pressure of the hot seat at the Bernabeu right now, I'm not trying to be pessimistic, but it's obvious his success in his first stint as manager wouldn't be replicated, I really think he shouldn't have returned, he should have stayed away with all the glory he was able to make he's during that short time.

It is for some, and those set of users lack the confidence and ability to write out anything that would look meaningful, they then go cheating because they believe the works/write up they stole could earn them merits.

The other set of users are those who find it hard to complete their post on a campaign, and since they are all about the income they get here, they do and would not want a week's "wage" to go by, they go ahead to steal other people's work, using them to complete their posts and then get paid.

I think it's normal for a user to post slightly more when on a campaign, than when not, and this is most especially if the campaign has special requirements as regards some specific boards to post in, you must understand that if such users are off those campaigns, they would no longer go to those boards and it'll reduce their average number of posts.

As long as such users do not just disappear after leaving a campaign or incurring a signature ban, if they do so then they are the users we do not want, as they are fully here for what they can gain, not for what they can give in return.

I think most of this awards(not just this year)are simply just fixed and the individuals who've been winning it for years now, keep doing so, even without performing in that particular season.

Ramos and Marcelo were both calamitous in defence last season, conceding a very high number of goals, yet they could still make it into the eleven, it just goes to show that this guys could even be injured all through out the season and still be in the FIFA eleven-crazy.
I also feel Virgil probably deserved the award more than Messi.

If your friends post is both syntactically and semantically faulty, then it was rightfully deleted, I think one of this can go, for example a post could be syntactically incorrect, in the sense that the OP doesn't arrange the post in a grammatically correct manner, but if it's meaning(semantics)can still be picked out, then it can be accepted.

But when a post breaks the rules of syntax by being ungrammatical as well as makes no meaning(semantics)then you should expect such posts to be deleted by the mods.
Meaning is actually what is looked out for in a post, that was probably lacking in your friends post, and maybe that's why it was deleted.

It well can be, it also may not, but there is no denying the fact that Liverpool are in an amazing position right now, five points gap after six games, that's the position every team wanna be in.
City to me is the only team that can usurp them, but it's going to take some doing, city needs Liverpool to drop points, while also avoiding dropping points, it's a difficult position to be in, the season is still hard and long, it's still open for most of the big six, but klopps men are favorites as it stands.

Fernandinho looked comfortable in defense with otamendi because Watford didn't have anything going their way when they went forward, they never for once put the city backline under pressure, except in the first 5 minutes of the game when otamendi's blushes were exposed in a one v one situation, city are unstoppable going forward, but until Laporte and Stones returns, there would always be a huge question mark over city's defense.
I have a big doubt on this one, I think it's either wolves wins this one, or it ends in a draw. If I'm to predict it'll be a 2-2 draw.

Lukaku looks like a man reborn under Antonio Conte, I think this is going to be one of his best season as a player, that's if he stays injury free and keeps up this momentum.
Conte puts so much faith in Lukaku, and most times that's what a player needs to get in the right form to perform.

I think Inter Milan would give juventus a good run for their money in the battle for the Italian seria A, it wouldn't be an easy ride for juve this season, as their performances haven't been convincing, I am tipping Inter Milan to win the title this season.

Your initiative sounds good, but it would have been better if there was lack of freedom of speech on the bitcointalk forum and if the admins acted out of their own power without following the rules, but none of that happens, from my observation this forum is at good as they come when it comes to allowing users freedom.

If it's issues of plagiarism, admins always respond and if they don't users would direct the banned user as to why he or she was banned, so also trust issues and what have you.
I would love to see the questions users would ask in this initiative.I Just hope the thread wouldn't be clogged by the trolls.

Well we did see an upset and after i watched Barcelona's Champions League game in the midweek I wasn't actually too surprised with this result. If you ask me I think the coach is yet to bring out the best for this team, I know Messi hasn't been fit, but isn't that the reason they bought Antoine Griezeman, for situations such as this, but he's looking a shadow of himself in a Barcelona jersey.

You can call me anti Valverde, but I've never liked his coaching techniques and his strategies, There were calls from some section of the fans to sack him before the season began, but the board refused to answer those calls, I believe if the team doesn't improve in the coming weeks, Ernesto Valverde could really have his job on the line.

I think that's the only risk you run right now, a waste of your time, you could make the thread accusing the accounts you claim are connected and there is a very high chance that nothing will be done to them, as merits is a subjective matter.
You may only end up raising "dust" and this may be unnecessary, you definitely wouldn't be red tagged for opening up on your claims.

Most times for merit abuse to be effective for the abusers, they must be of a high rank, to have enough Smerit to distribute and rank up the account they want to, for this to be done, a crazy amount of merit has to be given, if this is not the case which it hardly is, it's better to let sleeping dogs lie.

If they cannot post links, how then would they be able to share important external information or messages that aren't their work without being banned for plagiarism.
I do not think theymos would ever implement the banning of Jr members or lower ranked members from posting links, you also know that higher ranked users also post such links you're complaining about.

The best solution is to continue reporting any low value post, and leave the final decisions with the moderators to decide if the post and the link is unnecessary and should be thrashed.

That's football for you and it's not about who plays best but who wins. most times, I'm actually watching this game and I'm wondering how Southampton are behind in this one, but Bournemouth have been the most clinical of the two teams and in their defense deserve to be in front.

I actually put this one as a draw and I'm not giving up yet, if Southampton can play the way they did in the first half and try to cause more discomfort for the Bournemouth defense and keeper, then they can get something from this game.

Do you think so, Liverpool have played Arsenal and they hit them with three goals, I think this is actually their second real/big test of the season, though this one promises to be tougher than that of Arsenal.

Chelsea would prove a harder nut to crack than Arsenal for Liverpool, and as a Manchester City fan I do hope Chelsea pull up something and win that game, as it stands Liverpool are running away with the title, though it's still early days.

Your meet-up simply for this reason was a success, I've had several meet-ups, but they all were on one specific branch of the blockchain technology, it wasn't spread across all the branches of the blockchain technology as well as didn't simplifying everything for bitcoin starters, it's better if the discussions move form the general to the specific.

I'm planning on attending more meet-ups in the coming years, but I must be sure it's one that'll be attended by real bitcoin pros, experts and noobs,so it'll be enlightening and educative. It's usually fun meeting different people who share the same ideology with you.

I clearly get your point, and I'll also love it if the OP or anyone with knowledge on it to answer it.

It would be great if they are actually allowing payments in the bitcoin, to me that would be the best move, as it'll be easier to get people willing to pay for items in the store with bitcoins than getting one to buy bitcoins with fiat in the store.
The more people pay for items with bitcoins, the more people who own the coins and they may not necessarily have to buy it from the store, as an exchange can serve that very purpose.