Apple's Tim Cook Tops Two Highest-Rated CEO Lists

"Although he's only had the job since last August, Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook came in No. 1 in both this year's Top 10 Tech CEOs list (shown at right) and in the 25 highest-rated CEO list scheduled to be released on Friday."

U.S. Growth Expected to Slow

"While the GDP grew at a healthy 3% at the end of 2011, most economists see slower growth at the start of 2012 and over the next two years."

Half of U.S.Households Own at Least One Apple Product

"Just over half of all households in the country own at least one Apple product, a new survey says, showing just how far the reach of the company has come in the last decade."

'Hacktivists' Stole 58% of Thieved Data in 2011

"Verizon's (VZ, Fortune 500) annual Data Breach Investigations Report, released Thursday, found that hacktivist groups were responsible for 58% of all data stolen last year. The telecom giant compiled data breach information from its customers and from law enforcement agencies in five countries."

Americans Now Watch More Online Movies Than DVDs

"U.S. movie buffs will pay to watch more movies online in 2012 than they will on physical video formats like DVD. That historic first marks a tipping point for Hollywood -- and its business model."

Nearly 40% of Women Today Have Never Been Married

"Nearly 40% of women have never been married, and fewer are in a first marriage, according to a new government report that takes a detailed look at first marriages and their chances for survival."

Pew: More Americans See 'Too Much' Religious Talk In Politics

"According to a new survey, 38 percent of Americans say there is too much 'expression of religious faith and prayer from political leaders.'"

Damage to World's Oceans 'to Reach $2 Trillion a Year'

"The cost of damage to the world's oceans from climate change could reach $2 trillion a year by 2100 if measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions are not stepped up, a study by marine experts said on Wednesday."

Texting is Ultimate Social Tool for Teens, Study Says

"Mobile devices often get accused of alienating people from the world around them. But for U.S. teens, cell phones (especially text messaging) are a key way to stay connected with friends and other people in their lives, according to new research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project."

Study: People With Lots of Facebook Friends More Likely to be Narcissists

"Research from Western Illinois University showed a link between the number of Facebook friends you have and how active you are on the site to the likelihood of being a "socially disruptive" narcissist."

Study Finds Electrotherapy Dampens Brain Connections

"Scientists have discovered how electroconvulsive or electric shock therapy - a controversial but effective treatment - acts on the brains of severely depressed people and say the finding could help improve diagnosis and treatment of mental illness."

Number of 'Dropout Factory' High Schools in the U.S. Drops, Reports Says

"The number of 'dropout factory' high schools in the United States is decreasing, according to a report from the Building a Grad Nation Summit being held this week in Washington."

Medical Debt Burdens 20 Percent in U.S.

"One-in-5 U.S. adults say they are burdened by medical debt and half of them are unable to pay the debt at all, federal health officials said."

Hiring Index Shows Broad Optimism

"U.S. employers are showing signs of widespread optimism about hiring across the country and in all work sectors, employment firm Manpower said Tuesday."

Study: Bees Have Distinct Personalities

"Some bees are thrill-seekers while others prefer to hang around the hive, according to new research published in the journal Science. The study shows that some honey bees are more eager to take on certain jobs than their comrades. And researchers say this could be down to differences in their personalities."

Study: Marriage Education Can Be Helpful

"A study of more than a dozen different marriage education classes showed the programs help couples improve communication, U.S. researchers said."

60% of Workers Have Less Than $25,000 Saved

"Only 14% of workers feel 'very confident' they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement, while 38% of workers say they are 'somewhat confident' and 23% say they are 'not at all confident,' according to a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute."

Wind Power Not Cost Effective, Study Says

"British investment in wind turbines is not cost effective for the amount of greenhouse gas emission reductions they would provide, a study indicated."

Great Lakes Ice Coverage Falls 71 Percent Over 40 Years

"Great Lakes ice coverage declined an average of 71 percent over the past 40 years, according to a report from the American Meteorological Society."

Teacher Survey Shows Morale Is at a Low Point

"More than half of teachers expressed at least some reservation about their jobs, their highest level of dissatisfaction since 1989, the survey found."

Trying to be Empathetic Key for Couples

"A man likes to know when his wife or girlfriend is happy, but a woman wants the man in her life to know when she is upset, U.S. researchers found."

Survey Finds Uptick in Economic Optimism

"The U.S. economy is improving faster than economists had expected. They now foresee slightly stronger growth and hiring than they did two months earlier."

Why Loneliness Can Be Deadly

"Loneliness can send a person down a path toward bad health, and even more intense loneliness, studies have shown. But while some have assumed the culprit was a dearth of others to remind a person to take care of himself or herself, new research suggests there's a direct biological link between being lonely and ill health."

Wealthy Americans Became Significantly Wealthier in 2011

"Taxpayers earning more than $250,000 saw their total adjusted gross incomes rise by 13.8%, while those bringing home between $200K and $250K enjoyed a 6.7% increase, according to a CNNMoney analysis. Middle-class Americans? Not so fortunate. Those making between $50K and $100K saw their incomes creep up only 1.5%."

Survey: Most U.S. Cell Phone Owners Have Smartphones

"As of February, more U.S. adults own smartphones than simpler feature phones, according to new research from the Pew Internet and American Life Project."

Study: Whites Have 20 Times More Household Wealth Than Blacks

"The median household wealth of blacks was a mere $5,677 in 2009, just 5% of the $113,149 median wealth of whites, according to the Pew Research Center."