I think @tuwore hit the nail on the head. I think I found your blog through your brother, @galenkp who I've been following for a while. The entire time I've been following you, your articles are complete thoughts that dive into deeper issues than most authors. It gives your audience cause to think. If they're not willing to take the time to think, it is much easier to tell in the comments.
I could see how your rewarding of comments would bring spammers. Who wouldn't want to get $0.14 rewards if they're just starting and the author is handing them out. It's a shame to do so though, because although I have certainly benefited financially from following you, I think there's even more value in what your write.
I often open your articles in another tab when I see them as I don't want to forget about them or miss them. However, I don't read them until I have the time to properly focus on what you're saying. Otherwise my comments will be generic garbage. Because you're so consistent on rewarding, I want to make sure that my comments are worth the reward. Otherwise, I miss out on learning something, and you might get disillusioned and either flag me or just stop rewarding altogether. Any of those options aren't desirable. So I take the time. Hopefully it shows.
Also, thank you for the rewards you give. I've been running contests to help newbies from time to time. Having funds to give away to encourage engagement is helpful.
Hope your daughter feels better soon. And that you have a comfortable couch. :)
I thought you found him through me ;) He is a good poster.
You have to do a lot to get flagged but yes, potentially the stopping of rewarding, at least for some comments. I don't mean you in particular and it isn't about writing a lot either. However, I write 4 or 5 posts a day, those 1-2% add up fast so I have to sometimes be less generous.
I hope so too and my neck will never be the same again.
Oh, did I say that I met you through him? I totally meant that I met him through you! Yeah, that's it. ;) I don't remember. Sadly, I'm not sure that I put two and two (or in this case 1 and 1) together until recently. Since you live in Finland and he lives in Australia, somehow I had you separated. :/
Ha ha, yeah, 5 posts per day with a rough average of 50 comments on each from other people, and that's 5 of your 100% votes right there. You only have 5 left for elsewhere. It ads up.
I've actually been enjoying the fact that as you are at a lower VP, it takes a lesser raw amount of VP (2% of 25 is less than 2% of 100), so I've been able to spread more votes around. It's my workaround for not having the slider bar yet. :D
I just spent 3 nights house sitting and sleeping on a bed that did me zero favors. I'd wake up at 5am even though I'd be dog tired. Couldn't sleep on it. I feel that pain too, dear boss, sir! Sorry, I had to! :D