&gt; This story reminds me tangentially of the time when Hewlett and Packard, when faced with a downturn at HP, decided to cut pay across the board so the company could avoid layoffs.<p>It mystifies me that cutting pay instead of getting rid of deadweight is seen as noble or honorable.<p>If I were working at HP, I would have quit the second they decided to cut my pay just so they could avoid needed firings.