That much.....
... for running round on stage waving your arms and sweaty armpits at people, and acting like a complete twat?
I know he probably does more than that but that's the public face he presents.
Microsoft jacked up CEO Steve Ballmer’s salary by four per cent for the company’s bumpy 2009 financial year, which ended in June. Redmond paid Ballmer $665,833 compared to his 2008 salary of $640,833, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission regulatory filing. The Microsoft boss, who at the start of this year …
"Ballmer currently owns around 408m MS shares"
"Microsoft said it has left its quarterly dividend at 13 cents per share."
Correct be if I'm wrong, but does that mean El Ballmer rakes in about $53m in dividends *per quarter*!? That would make his salary and bonus practically pocket change, albeit pocket change which could keep quite a few actually useful people in work.