These questions are not necessary.
Not necessary of course, but I think it's only natural to wonder about how mods are selected and how much they're paid--the latter question isn't anybody's business except the mods' and Theymos's though.
I was just thinking about this very thing in EFS's 10-year celebratory thread:
It's always been somewhat of a mystery to me how one becomes a staff member. I know reporting is a factor, but I'm not sure what else Theymos looks for. Eh, just thinking aloud.
And on that subject, does anyone know who the last moderator to be added was? The last one I recall was
Flying Hellfish, but he kind of just vanished and after that I don't remember any others being anointed so publicly as he was.