Is your stock one of the worst? Will the next big drop find you unprepared? Did Ford's chief financial officer really say, "You can't cost-reduce yourself to prosperity"? Read on to find out.

The Worst Stocks for 2010
It's time for Fools to pick the "Worst Stock for 2010." But first, let's talk about last year's list of 10. Even though picks like Citigroup (NYSE: C) lost a lot of ground even in a strong year, you might think the Fool particularly goofed by putting Sirius XM Radio and Ford (NYSE: F) on the 2009 list, since both more than quintupled in price over the year.

But Fool editor and writer Jim Mueller points out that the economy isn't exactly zinging along. "Moreover, despite some amazing returns over the past year, many of last year's worst-stock picks are still in some pretty bad circumstances," he writes, singling out Ford's long-term debt, Sirius' competition and super-low stock price, and the "garbage" still on Bank of America's (NYSE: BAC) balance sheet.

Fool writer Anders Bylund boldly proposes Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) as the worst stock for 2010. It's bold because Apple was just chosen by Fools as the best stock of 2010. What's Anders' rationale? Find out by clicking through to his story, and click on the headline above to see Jim's article and all the stock selections. And don't forget to vote.

3 Ways to Prepare for the Next Big Drop
Pessimists, realists, contrarians ... gather 'round.

"If those big gains make you nervous, you're not alone," writes Fool editor and writer Dan Caplinger. "If you think it's time for these roller-coaster markets to start another downswing and don't want to go along for the ride, then here are three things to think about for various parts of your portfolio."

Here's Dan's advice in a nutshell:

  • With stocks, think quality.
  • With bonds, think duration.
  • With alternative investments, be wary.

Click the headline above to get the full scoop, and you may find that Dan can lift your spirits as well as your portfolio. Many stocks have bounded higher, of course, but Dan points out that Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), and AT&T (NYSE: T) are among the big-name companies that haven't seen anything close to the gains of the S&P 500.

Is Ford Back? We Asked CFO Lewis Booth
It's nice to talk to someone on the inside. Matthew Argersinger interviewed Ford Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth at the North American International Auto Show earlier this month, where Ford swept honors for top car and truck of the year. The interview covered the international picture, the financial picture, the philosophical picture, and more.

Here are some of Booth's thoughts on Ford's philosophy:

"We want to be best in class, not just average. In every market, we want to have the best in class vehicle ... We want to be great in quality, great in safety, great in fuel economy, great in technology, all together in a package that normal people can afford -- a good value."

For more about the practical side of running this car company, click the headline above to get to Matthew's exclusive interview.