José “Pepe” Fanjul, who co-owns the Flo-Sun and the Fanjul conglomerate, was robbed at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills hotel during their Oscar-week visit. A man posing as a hotel employee stole jewelry and other valuables from the billionaire and his wife. The New York Post has the story:

The Cuban-born sugar baron — one of the world’s richest men — and his wife, Emilia, were robbed by a man posing as a hotel worker Friday night. A source told us, “They were riding up in the elevator when a man in a blue uniform with ‘hotel’ written on his shirt started to talk Spanish to Pepe (inset). They both got off on the same floor, and Pepe and his wife went into their suite. They then heard a knock on the door. It was the man in the elevator, who said, ‘I am here to fix your air conditioner.’ They let him in, and he took valuables including Emilia’s jewels — thought to be worth millions — and fled.”

The Palm Beach-based couple, in town for Oscar celebrations, were unhurt but shaken up. Hotel security is believed to have ID’d the perp from videotape but no arrests have been made. Fanjul confirmed to us, “We were victims of a robbery at the hotel. He took my wife’s jewelry that was both valuable and sentimental. We are OK and have reported the incident to the police.” The LAPD said they didn’t yet have details and a Four Seasons rep didn’t get back to us.

Major embarrassment for Four Seasons, I imagine. Next time one of the Fanjul brothers visits the Oscars, they might have to buy a house to stay in.

The Sawgrass Marriott Resort in Florida, where Tiger Woods issued his famous apology, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Bloomberg reports:

RQB Resort LP listed assets and debt of as much as $500 million each in Chapter 11 documents filed yesterday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Jacksonville, Florida. RQB Development also sought protection. The 508-room hotel resort has rights to 85 percent of starting times each day to the Players Stadium Course through 2089.

RQB Resort is the owner of the hotel and cabana club. RQB Development is the owner of the golf villas, the spa and related development rights.

Although the Tiger correlation likely has no causal effect, it is interesting.

If 2010 gifted you with a spare tire of the corporeal kind, welcome to the club. More so if you want to work and diet that extra weight off. Every year, Americans spend billions trying to cultivate a decent figure.

In that sense, Doug Logeias is a typical American. Tired of his old appearance, this San Diego day spa manager and aspiring motivational speaker decided to lose weight one day. What makes him stand out is how he did it.

Like most dieters, Doug started an intense exercise regimen and went on a restrictive diet. That diet, however, came from a place many dieters avoid like the plague: McDonald’s. Doug’s intense 30-day diet “was like the Benjamin Button version of Supersize Me,” Doug told me in a recent interview. By the end of the month, Mickey D’s had helped Doug lose an impressive 15 pounds.

Doug’s choice of weight-loss methods had an entrepreneurial slant. Jared Fogle, the overweight man who escaped obesity by eating only Subway food, paved the way for a new kind of fast-food spokesperson, a sort of independent contractor who, after experiencing success with their food experiment, gleans company support and sponsorship. More recently, a woman named Christine lost 54 pounds on a diet including Taco Bell’s Fresco menu.

Doug wanted to prove, among other things, that he could lose weight eating food served by what is perhaps the most demonized fast food restaurant in the country. He hatched a plan to turn his weight loss “adventure,” as he calls it, into a documentary. He envisioned writing a weight loss book. He even landed an appearance on the Rachael Ray show in New York.

There was only one problem: McDonald’s. Despite Doug’s repeated attempts to garner their support, the company remains nonchalant. “McDonald’s always said ‘it’s our policy to remain independent of your project,’ and good luck to you, and that’s the end of the story,” says Doug.

Despite continued company resistance, Doug is still championing his cause. He is full of promotion ideas, including a 30-day weight loss challenge where Doug, Subway’s Jared and Taco Bell’s Christine are pitted against each other, Biggest Loser-style.

Although his biggest potential supporter remains passive, Doug is tenacious. I talked to Doug to learn more about his efforts, McDonalds’ attitude, and where he’s going from here.

BP: So you started your McDonald’s project independently, then contacted the company. Is that what Jared from Subway and Christine from Taco Bell did, too?

Exactly. Jared was a really fat guy who found healthy food at Subway. He never thought that this kind of sponsorship would happen to him, I’m sure. Christine ate other food besides Taco Bell and did other exercise. Their companies picked up on it later and said hey, thanks for the positive message and we’ll throw a couple of bucks at you.

Obviously Jared at Subway and Christine at Taco Bell have made a positive name for their companies and have tried to highlight the positive food they are eating.

I actually contacted McDonald’s before the project. I told them “I’m going to eat at McDonald’s for 30 straight days, 5-6 times a day. I’m going to eat your healthiest food, and I’m going to exercise, and I’m going to show that you can lose weight eating at McDonald’s, as opposed to gaining weight and getting sick from your food. With my positive message, I’m going to do wonderful things for your company.”

And they said to me…nothing. They want to remain independent from my project.

BP: Is that a company policy?

McDonald’s has a policy of not getting involved. Apparently, some other people also had some level of success eating at McDonald’s and losing weight, the way I did. But McDonald’s has always said “it’s our policy to remain independent of your project,” and good luck to you, and that’s the end of the story.

There’s more. When the Rachael Ray crew came to San Diego to film the show I was in, there were so many phone calls and arguments with lawyers. We couldn’t have the McDonald’s logo on TV. That meant we couldn’t have a bag or a box that said McDonald’s, no golden arches anywhere. When I was on the show, there was just the food. We could talk about it, but they wouldn’t let any product image appear on TV.

It was one of those things like “we have to protect our company and our interest.” I was like, whatever dude, protecting what? I’m helping you, you should be thanking me. When I was on the Rachael Ray show, I promoted McDonald’s healthy food. I had a very positive message for them. The publicity from the show even went global. But I didn’t get a single dollar for what I did.

BP: So you’ve been in contact with McDonald’s for a while?

Yes. Their corporate stance and position hasn’t changed, so I don’t see reason to mention anyone’s name I’ve been in contact with at corporate.

Local franchises are different. Most McDonald’s are franchises. In southern California, specifically in San Diego, there’s one gentleman named Ernesto Sandoval. He and his family own 18 McDonald’s franchises in San Diego County. His franchises are 100% behind me. They would pay to put me on TV and promote me and do all that.

Ernie wants to be supportive, but the corporate McDonald’s in Illinois said he’s not allowed to do. It doesn’t fit under their umbrella policy that they’re not allowed to participate with someone like me, who does something independently.

The people down here mentioned it to corporate. Corporate came down here to talk about it. The San Diego franchisers said “this guy is helping is helping us, and I can’t believe you’re telling me we can’t use him.” But ultimately, if you own the franchise, you have to play by their rules. The people down here didn’t give up, they just sort of gave in for now. So I have 18 McDonald’s down here who are supportive. They want to participate, but they’re not allowed to.

BP: Are you still going to put out the documentary?

I’ve been doing this for a year now. It takes a long time to try to complete something like this. I need more footage. I need more to add to this project.

I’m still trying to promote as much as possible. A couple of months ago, when the Taco Bell thing came up, I thought well, this is a perfect time for my challenge. My idea was that if we had a promoter and someone behind it to make it a big thing, it would be me and Jared and Christine pitted against each other.

I would love to have all three of us on a national stage somehow, like The Today Show or a mini-Biggest Loser, and see who can achieve the most success over the course of 30 days. We’d engage the public by having them follow their “favorite” competitor, food and restaurant.

At the end…I know what I did in 30 days. It’s not easy. And eating every day at the same restaurant, I think that’s where the other two might falter.

I want to see if Jared and Christine, who are widely known as being spokespeople for their company, can accept the challenge and really stand behind their product and their company.

BP: Would you choose McDonald’s again?

I’m not sure. I’m surprised and disappointed. McDonald’s is a global name, so in that way, they helped me gain attention for my project. On the other hand, it was extremely difficult to give interviews and go on TV with a big smile while promoting and supporting a company that didn’t support me.

Would I choose them again? It’s a tough one. Knowing what Jared got from Subway and what Christine got from Taco Bell, yeah, I feel I was kind of cheated a little.

I’m always hopeful that one day McDonald’s corporate will think that this is a good idea, that this is helping them. They might not give a nod of approval, but it won’t be a hurdle either. I’m not going to stop. I’m going to keep moving forward.

Doug Logeias blogged his weight-loss experience at McDoug.net. He also recently completed his Certified Personal Trainer (CFP) certification. You can see his appearance on the Rachael Ray show here. Contact him at douglogeais AT yahoo DOT com.

Signage for his Man Cave

Nab a sign like this one from Retroplanet for $20.

If your man’s garage is his second home, help him decorate it with a vintage garage sign. Most won’t set you back more than $20.

A Flash Drive that Fits

ThinkGeek offers this nostalgic mixtape USB for $16.

Flash drives are the new mixtapes. As in, they’re customizable, slick, and very giftable. A perfect addition to your techie man’s hardware set.

A Gamer Gem

For around $30 or less, you can pass along the gift of the game. The hot new game he doesn’t have yet, that is.

Gadget Protection

This leather iTouch case with your man’s initials costs $30 at Guyville.

If he lacks a good iPhone case, laptop bag, sunglasses case, or other mode of stuff protection, consider finding him something he’ll like. Leather is good; so are customizable cases like the ones found at Guyville.

A Universal Command Center

If you think your guy will like an all-in-one remote control, you might want to package it nicely to make it look more romantic. The good thing is that he’ll appreciate and use a good remote, and you can find one for under $30.

Head Decor

This hat from Lids.com costs $30.

Show your team spirit by handing your guy a new baseball cap emblazoned with his favorite name (besides yours, of course). If team sports aren’t his thing, he might appreciate a beanie, vintage trucker cap, or new helmet.

Drinking Accessories

This complete Martha Stewart 7-piece cocktail set costs less than $40.

If your man is of the drink-mixing persuasion, he’ll appreciate a good cocktail set. If he’s more of a beer guy, swap in a couple of nice mugs; if he’s into wine, a pump and stopper set might be the ticket.

A Money Holder

Image: Ducti

If black leather isn’t his thing, try something novel, like the Ducti duct tape wallet featured above.

Duds

Vintage T-shirts cover the gamut of genres and messages. You can go band, general old-school (check out Teenormous), funny, or athletic like the Fan’s Edge tee above.

Functional Art

This screwdriver holder from Speedcult adds flavor to his garage.

Buy him something that he can use and enjoy everyday. It could be a carved metal toolholders like the ones Speedcult sells. Or it could be a functional, attractive razor holder like this one from Manufactum. Artisans and high-end stores sell items like these everyday; keep an eye out.

Man Books

If you’re not sure what kind of book to get him, check out Esquire Magazine’s list of 75 books every man should read.

A DVD Box Set

Help him savor his favorite flicks with a multi-pack. Many Blu-Ray trilogies run just under $50, or you can grab a DVD trilogy for less.

The Sound of Silence

High-end noise-canceling headphones cost more than $50, but you can find reasonable ones for less. The headphones featured above currently cost $45 on Amazon.

Beer of the Month Club

Image: Burnblue/Flickr

Few men can argue with fresh brewski delivered to their doorstep. If you’re low on funds, you can order a delivery every other month, or every third month, and pay on a monthly basis.

A Portable Grill

Nothing says I love you like a portable grill, right? Well…maybe. But he will think of you every time he fires up his new meat-cooking companion. Consider it a constant reminder that you care.

IKEA is lucky to have that kind of fan base. Besides selling furniture, it inspires people enough to make them work (build fansites) for free. Talk about an ironclad brand.

I grew curious. What other companies provoke this kind of reverence? I put together a list of ten major ones.

Coming up tomorrow: 10 companies that inspired hate websites.

IKEA

IKEA may be the world’s biggest furniture retailer, but few call it evil. Instead, customers spend hours there, browsing foldable furniture, eating $2 meatball meals, and exploring endless halls of home accouterments. No wonder the company has serious fans. Not bad for an organization called Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd.

Apple

Master Jobs’ organization more closely resembles a cathedral than a company. It has dozens of fan sites, the most prominent of which include the Apple Blog and Macrumors. If aliens landed in Cupertino and gauged what was going on with Apple and its fans, they may well call it religion.

Nintendo

Back in the 1980s, Nintendo enjoyed something like cult status. If you grew up playing Super Mario Bros., you know what I mean. Two decades later, Nintendo is back in the mainstream spotlight, thanks mostly to the Wii. If you adore Nintendo as much as the people in the forum above, you’re in good company.

Google

Love it or hate it, Google is an Internet mainstay. Some people love it enough to build a fansite. Others hate it enough to build a different kind of shrine. I put it on our love list (there’s a hate list coming soon) for a naughtily subjective reason: I like Google.

Berkshire Hathaway/Warren Buffett

Image: Warrenbuffet.co.za

People around the world revere the Oracle of Omaha. After all, not every stone-cold businessman is also a folksy preacher. He’s so popular that fansites as far away as South Africa follow him closely.

Costco

Ah, Costco. Where the modern-day suburbanite can hunt and gather product like a primitive. Combine that with friendly employees, bulk Mountain Dew, and free samples, and you have a fundamentally satisfying experience. Just ask the folks at I Love Costco and other fansites.

Disney

If you’ve lost your childhood to things like work and mortgages, don’t fret. Disney, which you probably grew up with, can take you right back to five-year-old heaven. If you have five-year-olds of your own, all the better. It’s no wonder this big company has more than one fansite.

Target

Image: Herald Sun

Back in the 1980s, Target was a lowly K-Mart competitor. Then, somebody at corporate got smart. The retailer added designer fashion, groceries, and an excellent selection of home furnishings–for prices a college student can afford. The result? A loyal fan base and steady customers. They’ve even cultivated an online colony of slaves.

Trader Joe’s

Image: Evalu8.org

I never knew how much I liked TJ’s until I moved to Colorado. Sadly, Trader Joe’s doesn’t exist here. That means I can’t get fresh, reasonably-priced produce, a wild selection of coffee and tea, tubs of gourmet snacks, and wine in the same place–for a decent price (sorry, Whole Foods). I miss Trader Joe’s. I bet fans like this one would, too.

Canon

As a Nikon shooter, I kind of don’t get why only Canon has a love page, but hey…there are good reasons to use Canon products. If you must.

Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden recently made a very public appearance–in his birthday suit. On January 26, naked pictures of Greg Oden leaked onto the Internet. Not unheard of in the celebrity world, but unusual for an NBA center. To top it off, Oden mentors kids through Oregon Mentors’ Team ODEN.

Oden’s early NBA career has been plagued by injury. Last December, a fractured patella took him out of the court for the rest of the season. Not soon afterwards, the world found out what Oden does with his spare time (besides mentor kids).

Greg Oden takes naked pictures of himself. Or he did, over a year ago. He sent them to his girlfriend at the time. They recently surfaced on World Star Hip Hop.

One day later, Oden publicly apologized. “I would like to apologize to everybody: Portland, the fans, the organization,” Oden told reporters on January 27. “It was very embarrassing.”

Oden’s Brand

The pictures of Oden are still up. Granted, the 22-year-old doesn’t exactly have anything to hide. But how will the naked images affect the NBA player’s brand? Here’s part of what makes Oden’s PR strategy tick.

The Newb Factor: Oden has only played pro ball for 2 years. At 22 years of age, his professional and sex lives are still an open book. He’s been out with injuries for a good part of his budding NBA career. He is still building his reputation.

In a post-Rodman, post-Bryant era, nudie pics are hardly NC-17 behavior. Oden can afford a little scandal. It gives him name recognition. Plus, it can’t hurt to be known as a man of, well, size.

The Incursion: Oden’s ex-girlfriend posted the pictures online. This wasn’t Oden’s fault, at least not on record (not all leaks are accidents). He is, for all intents and purposes, innocent. Who can blame the guy for having an angry ex?

The Instant Apology: One day after the photos leaked, Oden said he was sorry. He said he was embarassed. His instant reaction stopped the rumor mill from gaining too much momentum.

Tiger’s Brand

Remember Tiger Woods? Who, instead of admitting to the affair the National Enquirer had published, crashed his car into a tree? It took two weeks and implications from 12 women for Tiger to ‘fess up to his affairs.

The Legacy: Tiger Woods was a legend. Golf’s golden boy had built an image on skill and integrity. He was a responsible family man, a virtuous role model.

Then he went and bagged all those women.

The Incursion: Tiger Woods, husband of Swedish supermodel, philanderer extraordinaire. America hates adulterers. We almost impeached one president because of it. A bunch of politicians have stepped down because of it. We hold marriage as a sacred, monogamous, heterosexual institution.

That’s some serious weight. Tiger, the All-American Icon, violated it. Multiple times. In American culture, this is a lynch-worthy infarction.

Unlike Oden, Tiger messed up. Big time.

The Delayed Reaction: Tiger has always been known as a private person. Heck, he named his $20 million yacht Privacy. So when the National Enquirer implications surfaced, he stuck to his usual protocol and kept his mouth shut.

Unfortunately, he crashed his car into a tree soon after that. He should have spoken to police at this point. He should have come clean, apologized, hung his head to the media after that. He should have nipped it in the bud. But he didn’t. As a result, his privacy came back to haunt him.

What Tiger Could Have Learned from Greg Oden

Tiger held on too closely to his tight-lipped PR policy. If he had apologized instantly, the way Greg Oden had, the scandal wouldn’t have reached epic proportions. It would have hurt, yes. He probably still would have lost sponsors. But epic? No. Just painful.

Also, Greg Oden is capitalizing on sexy. Granted, he’s a young, single guy with a nascent reputation. Tiger is a father, an icon, a former good guy. But Tiger needs a new image that doesn’t have ruin written all over it.

Why not embrace the wildcat, do more of what he did with Annie Leibovitz in February’s Vanity Fair? If the world saw Tiger embracing his inner bad boy, he’d have a new image to work from. Heads would shake, fingers would point, but Tiger would have an image again. He could even play it out for a while, then go good again, kind of like Britney Spears did.

America hates adultery, but we have also proven that we are willing to forgive. It’s time for Tiger to learn a little from young’uns like Greg Oden.

Note: Tiger Woods is still doing great things, albeit in private. He recently donated $3 million to Haiti earthquake relief.

Howard Zinn, a well-known historian and left-wing activist, passed away today at the age of 87. Partisanship aside, I always admired his fortitude as an activist and willingness to step out of political norms. NPR has more on Howard Zinn. To honor him on the night of Obama’s State of the Union, here’s a quote from one of the last essays Zinn published:

“I think people are dazzled by Obama’s rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president — which means, in our time, a dangerous president — unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.”

Super Bowl XLIV is right around the corner. It takes guts, speed, and coordination for a team to make it to the Super Bowl. Paying your star players a king’s ransom doesn’t hurt, either.

Indeed, most top NFL players rack up a ridiculous annual income. Who are this season’s players with the mostest? We took salary and endorsement data* to determine who the richest players are for this season. (Note: This list contains more Colts than Saints. You determine the meaning of that.)

25. Glenn Dorsey

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Salary: $13.07 million
Total: $13.07 million

Contract: $51 million

The Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle, like many players in his position, is a big guy. But Dorsey takes it a step further. The LSU college football legend, drafted by the Chiefs in 2008, had to have his legs straightened by braces as a kid, Forrest Gump-style. By the 7th grade, he weighed 200 pounds, ran like a pro, and kicked other kids around. By the time college came around, Dorsey steamrolled. He played most of one season with a fractured left leg, but still racked up 62 tackles and three sacks. When his teammate played a prank on him, he almost threw the guy out the window.

Glenn Dorsey don’t mess around. Neither does his salary.

24. Maurice Jones-Drew

Image: dabruins07/Flickr

Salary: $13.1 million
Total: $13.1 million

Contract: $31 million

Size isn’t everything. Just ask the NFL’s “littlest big man,” Maurice Jones-Drew. At 5’7”, the Jacksonville Jaguars running back doesn’t exactly tower over anyone else on the field. But he out-skills many of them. Last year, he ran 177 yards on eight carries with two touchdown runs. One was 80 yards, one was 79. The move helped make the “NFL’s most versatile player,” as well as a 2010 Pro Bowl player.

Think he’s the next Barry Sanders? Ask his salary.

23. James Harrison

Salary: $13.36 million
Total: $13.36 million

Contract: $51.75 million

Steelers linebacker James “Silverback” Harrison doesn’t like endorsements. When asked about them, he said he’d just have to “sit there and talk to people.” Maybe it’s just as well for the two-time Superbowl winner, who has avoided team meetings with both President Obama and G.W. Bush, has gone to anger management class, and broken down a door to slap his girlfriend. But hey, it’s not social skills that lands you a $52 million contract. It’s football skills.

22. Roy E. Williams

Salary: $13.66 million
Total: $13.66 million

Contract: $54 million

When the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver joined the team in 2008, he expressed concern for the Cowboys’ offense. Maybe the coaches listened, because a year later, the Cowboys also had a winning 2009 season. The team was a strong contender strong for Super Bowl XLIV (2010) until Brett Favre and the Vikings defense shut them down.

Maybe it’s not only an offense problem, after all. At least the team didn’t offend Williams with a low salary.

21. Chris Gamble

Image: kevin813/Flickr

Salary: $14 million
Total: $14 million

Contract: $53 million

In 2008, the Carolina Panthers cornerback signed a contract extension worth $53 million. Maybe that’s what emboldened him to talk smack about Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss. After Moss’s subpar performance in a Patriots vs. Panthers game, Gamble said that the Panthers “knew (Moss) was going to shut it down. That’s what we wanted to do him. That’s what we did. … He’d just give up a lot … Slow down, he’s not going deep, not trying to run a route. You can tell, his body language.”

Golden Boy Tom Brady, Moss’s close friend, responded with “everyone takes kind of liberty to say what they want to say in a situation like yesterday. I’ve seen plenty of plays made on Chris Gamble, too, over the course of the season.” Back atcha, Chris.

20. Jake Grove

Image: Chris J. Nelson

Salary: $14.2 million
Total: $14.2 million

Contract: $29 million

Grove was drafted to the Raiders in 2004, then joined the Miami Dolphins in 2009. Despite enticing pay, the center was out for much of the season due to an ankle injury. Would his on-field presence have helped the Dolphins, who came into the season as AFC East champs, but now can’t participate in another Miami Super Bowl? Unlikely.

19. Vernon Carey

Image: Chris J. Nelson

Salary: $15 million
Total: $15 million

Contract: $42 million

The Dolphins offensive tackle has been shoring up the line since 2004. He helped Dolphins win the 2008 AFC East title, the first after a number of bad seasons. Since then, well…maybe the Dolphins should cough up for another Dan Marino.

18. Jay Cutler

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Salary: $15.04 million
Total: $15.04 million

Contract: $30 million

Jay Cutler started off with a bang in 2006. Right after being drafted by the Broncos, the QB became a starter and threw two touchdowns in four of his first-ever NFL games. He was set to be the next Peyton Manning—until Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan was fired at the end of 2008.

Cutler was upset. A couple of months later, when Cutler got over his emotions, he found out that new coach Josh McDaniels wanted to trade him. Like a thwarted lover, Cutler felt betrayed again, so deeply that he pushed the Broncs to trade him out. In March 2009, the Chicago Bears inherited the disgruntled Cutler.

Cutler, meanwhile, has sealed his reputation as a prima donna. But hey, the pay isn’t bad, right?

17. Ben Roethlisberger

Image: Brunkfordbraun/Flickr

Salary: $12.75 million
Endorsements: $2.5 million
Total: $15.25 million

Contract: $102 million

“Big Ben” Roethlisberger made history by winning the Super Bowl in his second season in the NFL, when he was only 23. That made him the youngest quarterback ever to win an NFL Super Bowl. He’s stayed a loyal Steeler since, with a playing style akin to legendary Broncos QB John Elway. If you just can’t get enough of Big Ben, you can take him home, in the form of Big Ben’s BBQ sauce, Big Ben’s XL Beef Jerky, or by wolfing down a “roethlisburger” sandwich at the burger joints in Pittsburgh and Ohio.

16. Carson Palmer

Salary: $16.17 million
Total: $16.17 million

Contract: $118.75 million

Before hot dogs, before The Replacements, there were the Cincinnati Bungles. A year after QB Carson Palmer joined them, he helped dig them out what looked to be a permanent rut. In 2005, the Bengals had their first winning season in 15 years. After that…let’s not talk about it. 2005 was good, real good, ok?

15. Greg Jennings

Image: Silwenae/Flickr

Salary: $16.25 million
Total: $16.25 million

Contract: $28.5 million

The Packers wide receiver made for a deadly combination with former Packers QB Brett Favre, helping the team win a number of matches. Thanks to Jennings, Favre also broke a number of QB records. Favre later broke the bond by retiring. Then retiring from retiring. Now, Jennings sees the old man at Vikings matches, and doesn’t help him out at all.

14. Jason Brown

Salary: $15 million
Endorsements: $150,000
Total: $16.2 million

Contract: $37.5 million

After four years with the Baltimore Ravens, center Jason Brown joined the St. Louis Rams in 2009. The Rams paid a premium for Brown, making him one of the NFL’s best-paid centers. It didn’t do the Rams much good last season. Maybe that’s why the team is selling for a bargain basement price of $700 million.

13. Dwight Freeney

Salary: $16.22 million
Endorsements: $250,000
Total: $16.45 million

Contract: $72 million

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Freeney boasts the biggest contract ever awarded to a defensive player. He was with the team when they won Super Bowl XLI in 2007.

So far, there has only been one dent in Freeney’s income. After losing to the Chargers in early ’09, Freeney said that “those were the worst !&%# calls I’ve seen in a long time … It’s not like they made one !&%# bad call — it’s three calls, in overtime … They need to start investigating some other !&%#.” After that, the NFL fined Freeney’s #%&! for tune of $20,000.

12. Julius Peppers

Salary: $16.68 million
Endorsements: $150,000
Total: $16.8 million

Contract: $16.68 million

The gifted Carolina Panthers defensive end is one of the only NFL players, besides Donovan McNabb, to play in the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four and the Super Bowl. 6’6”, 285 pounds, and Peppers can sprint with the best of them, as well as overpower sturdy linemen. Needless to say, this four-time Pro Bowler and stellar athlete earns the public’s respect.

11. Antonio Smith

Salary: $15.5 million
Endorsements: $150,000
Total: $17 million

Contract: $35 million

After helping bring the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, defensive end Antonio Smith went free agent. The Houston Texans nabbed him for $35 million, building on their increasingly strong franchise. Now all he has to do is watch his elbows: The NFL fined him $22,500 for hitting and elbowing other players in a single week this year.

*Note: We derived most salary and endorsement data from these two sources. Because those sources have different time frames for their numbers, this list is best seen as an informed estimate for the 2009 season. We didn’t include other sources of income, taxes, agent fees, or any other deductions.

Continue to the top 10 Richest NFL Players ->

Bill Gates decided to join Twitter yesterday morning. 8 hours later, he had 100,000 followers. That’s a heck of a personal brand (from Mashable):

Eight hours ago, Microsoft founder Bill Gates joined Twitter. Five hours ago, Twitter’s Caroline Mizumoto tweeted about it. And moments ago, @BillGates broke 100,000 Twitter followers.

Welcome to the Twitterverse, Bill Gates.

Gates’ first tweet: “‘Hello World.’ Hard at work on my foundation letter — publishing on 1/25.”

Find him @BillGates.

The Oracle of Omaha, though he had some say behind Kraft sweetening its Cadbury deal, still doesn’t like it. The New York Times reports:

“I’ve got a lot of doubts about the deal,” (Mr. Buffett) told CNBC’s Becky Quick.

Still, he refused to personally criticized Kraft’s chief executive, Irene B. Rosenfeld. “She’s a decent person,” he said, adding that he has cordial relations with her.

In the interview, Buffett added, “I feel poor now,” according to the Wall Street Journal. Buffett’s “poor” is relative, but, as Kraft’s biggest shareholder, he has a right to express his disdain. He’s also keeping his stake in Kraft, so he must still have some faith in the company, despite its disobedience.