OK, I've checked back frequently enough to see that I'm still eligible to metamoderate three times in a 24 hour period - I guess that's the norm. (I might even be eligible to do it more often, but I'd rather sleep than check...)

I actually managed to use all five moderation points this time. Let's see if I'm more likely to get them more frequently if I actually use them, or if it doesn't make any difference.

I find that I tend to use them on gaming threads more than others, because they interest me and because they aren't as flooded with replies as many other subjects. Some threads have so many posts that it's just painful at times to read through them all at -1.

I've taken to browsing at +2 or +3 in those threads when I don't have mod points, because I honestly don't feel up to wading through the racist crap and flamebait and run-of-the-mill stupidity. I may miss some good posts doing that - but life is just too short...

I got five more moderator points today. The last batch expired unused a few days ago on September 2nd. These will expire on September 9th if left unused.

I seem to go several weeks without new points, and then get two or three batches in rapid succession.

When I first started getting them months and months ago it seemed like I was getting them constantly, with just a few days between the expiration of one batch and receiving a new one.

Then I started getting requests to metamoderate, and the regular mod points started coming less frequently. At one point Slashdot would ask me to metamoderate three times a day. In recent weeks that seems to have dropped to twice every 24 hours, or maybe I'm just not checking as frequently.

I'll try to start recording how often I'm offered moderator points, just to see if there's any rhyme or reason to it. I rarely use my full complement anymore when I do get them, because I can't find any meaningful posts to moderate when I have points available. (I try not to use them to slap people down as much as to encourage worthy posts, and I metamoderate the same way.)

And of course, once the latest batch of mod points expires I always find a thread with lots of worthwhile posts...