In announcing its 19th annual findings, the group also cited Louisiana as the least healthy state, a distinction accorded Mississippi in 2007.

The overall health of Americans remained static for a fourth year, according to the report, which weighs such factors as binge drinking, health insurance coverage, air pollution, infectious disease rates, crime levels and immunization coverage.

Southern states tended to fare poorly in the rankings, as the report claims the region has some of the highest rates of obesity, which contributes to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer, as well as high rates of smoking, which causes cancer, lung disease, heart disease and other problems.

Here are the Top 10:

1. Vermont
2. Hawaii
3. New Hampshire
4. Minnesota
5. Utah
6. Massachusetts
7. Connecticut
8. Idaho
9. Maine
10. Washington

For more information, visit americashealthrankings.org.

The overall health of Americans remained static for a fourth year, according to the report, which weighs such factors as binge drinking, health insurance coverage, air pollution, infectious disease rates, crime levels and immunization coverage.

Southern states tended to fare poorly in the rankings, as the report claims the region has some of the highest rates of obesity, which contributes to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer, as well as high rates of smoking, which causes cancer, lung disease, heart disease and other problems.

Here are the Bottom 10:

50. Louisiana

49. Mississippi

48. South Carolina

47. Tennessee

46. Texas

45. Florida

T43. Oklahoma

T43. Arkansas

42. Nevada

41. Georgia

To see the best, more of the worst, and everything in between, visit americashealthrankings.org.

Poor earnings. Sagging sales. Mass layoffs. Disappointing retail numbers.

Where can a person hide? Forbes recently put together a list of what it considers the “Top 10 Recession-proof Jobs.” Some of them may not be particularly exciting, but these days, excitement can be an occupational hazard.

Here are the Top 5:

1. Sales Representative and Business Development

2. Account and Customer Support

3. Accounting Staff

4. Counseling and Social Work

5. Software Design

Want to see the rest? Visit Forbes.

Some vehicles, it seems, are simply made to be stolen. Forbes did a little research on the subject and came up with its list of “America’s Most-Stolen Cars.”

Is your favorite toy on the list?

Check it out:

Honda S2000 Convertible

Dodge Durango

Hummer H2

Dodge Magnum

Hummer H2 SUT

Ford F350 SuperCrew

Dodge Charger

Cadillac Escalade

Ford F250 SuperCrew

Cadillac Escalade ESV

To read more about these high-risk vehicles, and to see a slideshow, visit Forbes. Also check out their list of America’s Least-Stolen Cars.

Coldplay earned seven nominations, while Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kanye West each came away with six.

Alison Krauss, John Mayer, Robert Plant, Radiohead and Jazmine Sullivan were next with five, followed by Adele, Danger Mouse, Eagles, Lupe Fiasco, George Strait, and T.I. with four each.

Winners will be announced Feb. 8, 2009.

Here’s a list of the nominees in the major categories:

Album Of The Year:
Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends (Coldplay)
Tha Carter III (Lil Wayne)
Year Of The Gentleman (Ne-Yo)
Raising Sand (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)
In Rainbows (Radiohead)

Record Of The Year:
“Chasing Pavements” (Adele)
“Viva La Vida” (Coldplay)
“Bleeding Love” (Leona Lewis)
“Paper Planes” (M.I.A.)
“Please Read The Letter” (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)

Song Of The Year:
“American Boy,” William Adams, Keith Harris, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, John Stephens, Estelle Swaray & Kanye West, songwriters (Estelle Featuring Kanye West, artist)
“Chasing Pavements,” Adele Adkins & Eg White, songwriters (Adele, artist)
“I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz, songwriter (Jason Mraz, artist)
“Love Song,” Sara Bareilles, songwriter (Sara Bareilles, artist)
“Viva La Vida,” Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay, artist)

Best New Artist:
Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:
“Viva La Vida” by Coldplay
“Waiting In The Weeds” by Eagles
“Going On” by Gnarls Barkley
“Won’t Go Home Without You” by Maroon 5
“Apologize” by OneRepublic

Best Rock Album:
Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends by Coldplay
Rock N Roll Jesus by Kid Rock
Only By The Night by Kings Of Leon
Death Magnetic by Metallica
Consolers Of The Lonely by the Raconteurs

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals:
“Ribbon In The Sky” by Boyz II Men
“Words” by Anthony David Featuring Indie.Arie
“Stay With Me (By The Sea)” by Al Green Featuring John Legend
“I’m His Only Woman” by Jennifer Hudson Featuring Fantasia
“Never Give You Up” by Raphael Saadiq Featuring Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton

Best Rap Album:
American Gangster by Jay-Z
Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
The Cool by Lupe Fiasco
Nas by Nas
Paper Trail by T.I.

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals:
“Shiftwork” by Kenny Chesney & George Strait
“Killing The Blues” by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
“House Of Cash” by George Strait & Patty Loveless
“Life In A Northern Town” by Sugarland, Jake Owen & Little Big Town
“Let The Wind Chase You” by Trisha Yearwood & Keith Urban

To check out the full list, visit grammy.com.

A few have legitimate excuses. The Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars, for instance, simply haven’t been around all that long.

But what about some other clubs with longer bloodlines? A few of these guys have some explaining to do, and and answers probably aren’t going to be all that good. Consider, for instance, that the Cardinals franchise started in Chicago, had a long layover in St. Louis, and has been in Arizona for two decades..with little to show for any of it.

Here’s a list of the NFL teams with the fewest playoff victories:

1. Arizona Cardinals: 2

T1. New Orleans Saints: 2

3. Baltimore Ravens: 5

T3. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5

5. Atlanta Falcons:6

T5. Carolina Panthers: 6

T5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6

8. Detroit Lions: 7

T8. Seattle Seahawks: 7

10. New York Jets: 8

Source: 2008 NFL Record & Fact Book

That’s the view, at least, from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has targeted a few fields where the news doesn’t appear to be quite so grim.

As usual, Forbes is on top of such things. With the help of some BLS figures, the editors have come up with a short list of industries that seem primed for good times.

Here goes:

– Professional and Business Services

– Health Care and Social Assistance

– Leisure and Hospitality

– State and Local Government

– Construction

– Educational Services

Curious why these fields are in position to buck the current trend? Check out more information, and a slideshow, at Forbes.

Sure, that’s pretty subjective, but that minor detail didn’t prevent the folks at Cracked.com from making fun of some pseudonyms it found lacking. More than a few have long since faded from the charts. But if, as they say, there’s no such thing as bad publicity, Cracked offers one last look at a few acts who’ve come and gone.

Here’s a sampling from the list:

– Lil’ Scrappy

– 69 Boyz

– Chamillionaire

– Bubba Sparxxx

– Birdman

– Snow

– Vanilla Ice

– Young Black Teenagers

– Kidz in the Hall

– Dreddy Kruger

– Cunninlynguists

– Noreaga

Not enough? Find more, plus pictures and commentary, at Cracked.com.

Here are the songs on Beyonce’s I Am…Sasha Fierce (Deluxe):

Disc 1

1. If I Were A Boy –  $0.99 download now
2. Halo — $0.99 download now
3. Disappear — $0.99 download now
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6. Smash Into You — $0.99 download now
7. Satellites — $0.99 download now
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Disc 2

1. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) — $0.99 download now
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4. Sweet Dreams — $0.99 download now
5. Video Phone — $0.99 download now
6. Hello — $0.99 download now
7. Ego — $0.99 download now
8. Scared Of Lonely — $0.99 download now

1.  Yamaha JR1 ($129.99 Street)

2.  Taylor Baby Taylor ($299 Street)

3.  Taylor Baby Taylor Mahogany ($299 Street)

4.  Martin LX1 Little Martin ($299 Street)

5.  Fender Squier MA-1 ($99 Street)

Source:  Fretbase