It's just surprising that you at OP whom have been here for a long time just don't know the means by which, users are ranked. Even with you after attaining the 3rd rank (member) in the ranking profiling of the forum. You ought to know this for real.
If you would have bothered to click the links I've provided, you'd see that they contain the relevant information.
Very good find!
If the information is useful, it will be merited sooner or later. Is it something else you've meant and I'm missing?
I mean, yes, some areas tend to get merits easier than others. But I think that OP needs more than trying his luck here and there for 1-2 merits. Getting to 100 is quite a step.