I was just reading in the FAQ how karma works....
From the SOMD FAQ
How Does Karma Work?
You get karma points from your fellow forumites on posts that you make, either negative or positive. Karma points are translated into power points, 1 power point for every 100 points of positive karma.
Below your avatar in your posts, you'll see "Power/Points:", followed by two numbers. The first number is your power number, the second is how many karma points you've racked up. Your power number is the number of karma points you give and take away every time you give karma to another member. Positive karma gives the recipient the value of your power points in karma points. Negative karma takes away half your power points in karma points. For example, if your Power number is 18, approving a post by a member will net them 18 karma points. Disapproving a post will take away karma 9 points.
The more you post and the longer you're a member, the more power you gain and the more karma you can give and take away. You also gain power by getting positive karma from other members.
For every 100 posts, you automatically get 1 point of power.
For every 180 days you are a forum member, you get 1 power point.
For every 100 karma points you receive, you get 1 power point.
You can give 10 karma clicks per day and you must give karma to 10 different people before you can give more karma to someone you've already hit. This prevents someone with an ax to grind from hammering you with bad karma.
Your karma regenerates 24 hours after you use it. For example, if you start giving out karma at noon on Monday and give it at the rate of one hit per hour, you won't be able to give more karma until noon the following day, with another hit becoming available each hour thereafter.
Negative karma equals 0 power, regardless of your post count OR longevity. But the minute your karma goes positive, you get your post and longevity power points back. So you can start the day with negative karma and no power, then several powerful people give you positive karma and suddenly you're King of the Forums.
New members will start off with 10 points and must make 50 posts before their karma hits count. Newbies can still give karma to other members, leave comments and rack up karma themselves from other members, but they won't be giving or taking points.
You can view your karma comments on the main page of your Control Panel.
Red=negative
Green=positive
Gray=no points gained or lost
I haven't done jumpers in 20 years. Wow....I sound old. 
I need sleep. It is past my bed time. Night all!
Thanks for the invite. I might just be there Sat night - if it's not a thousand degrees like this week
So that is how it works.