If the mod thread is dead for 3 months, there's a 95% chance it's dead for good. If it's 6 months, the chance is 99%. Think about it.
No amount of wishful thinking would change that.
If the mod author decides to return, however unlikely, he will be the first to post and revive the thread, silly questions won't make this more likely to happen.
Edit: people object to this as it interferes with the regular browsing of active threads, not because they are assholes. Mostly.