Reply #4: You're right about that

[Warpy]

because the illusion that the "low" salaries give on the books tends to soothe the ruffled emotions of stockholders who know they're getting screwed on the dividends because so much is being raked off at the top.

You're also right that most of those guys are in hock to their eyeballs. They've been encouraged to think the good times will last forever, and they've all gone into hock for gold plated lofts commensurate with their importance to the universe and which they now have no hope of paying for or selling to a bigger fool.

Anyone the banks and brokerages need to hang onto will get that bonus.