Alamy You know better than to tell the stranger behind you in the Starbucks line your Social Security number, right? What about your mother's maiden name? You know, that little personal detail that's answers a common security question for many banking and credit card accounts? You wouldn't share that either, would you? It turns out some of you would. According to survey results just released by Visa, 14 percent of respondents admitted to sharing their mother's maiden name over social media -- and a shocking 7 percent had shared their Social Security number. The good news is most of us know that those pieces of information should be kept close to the vest, but what about sharing vacation plans on Facebook (FB)? Seems harmless, right? In the survey, 15 percent of folks had posted upcoming travel dates, and 20 percent shared their home address. Well, guess what? Your friends aren't the only ones who might want to hear about your vacation; Burglars do, too. Most of us make an effort to protect our homes while we're away -- setting alarms, putting lights on timers, having neighbors check in -- so why are so many of us giving criminals the dirt on just when and where to find a vulnerable house to hit? Share Smarter We live in an increasingly open society, where it seems natural to share everything. While it might seem like no big deal to share your birth date on Facebook (how else to get a wall full of birthday wishes?), your address on Twitter, and Instagram shots of your vacation, but all those bits of information could add up to enough for criminals -- cyber and otherwise -- to open an account in your name or gain access to ones you already have. So how do you avoid being overexposed? Think about the big picture. Decide up front what you'll share and what you won't and stick with it across all sites. (Hint: Your Social Security number, mother's maiden name, and passwords should be shared.) Check privacy settings. It's safest to share just with friends, not friends of friends. Who knows who's lurking around, or whether all of your friends are being as careful with their connections as you are? Recheck those settings regularly. Sites like Facebook change their policies all the time, so make sure your settings stay up to date. Be a little less friendly. Speaking of friends ... while it's nice to be popular, if you have hundreds or thousands of "friends" you've never met or barely know, you're at risking that some of them may be less than trustworthy. Consider doing a little housekeeping, or at least taking advantage of tools like Facebook's Lists, which allow you to identify your close friends, family members, coworkers, etc. and determine who can see what information. Save vacation snaps to post you get back. Even if you don't explicitly say where you are or how long you're gone, some photos have location data attached that could give you away, and "check in" sites like Foursquare will tell people exactly where you're not -- home. When you're out of town, it's best just to give your social media accounts a vacation too. Beware of bragging. Got diamond earrings for your birthday? A new TV for the big game? Lucky you! Now keep it to yourself. Posting photos of expensive items online is the new-fashioned equivalent of leaving the TV box out on the curb -- it tells thieves just whose house has the best loot. Get more clever with those security questions. We're increasingly being asked to provide answers to questions such as what your first pet's name was or where you went to elementary school. It isn't as hard to find some of that information as you might think, especially if you are very active on social media or have a blog. Here's a hint: When you set the answers to those questions, spell them backward to thwart imposters. Google yourself. It's not vanity if you do it in the name of security! By doing a few searches on yourself, you can check out what information is available to anyone for the asking. Social media has changed the world, and whether you are an avid Instagrammer or a Facebook-phobe, it's essential to be proactive in protecting your digital data. If you wouldn't share it with that guy behind you at Starbucks, better to keep it quiet online, too.
5 Best Safest Stocks For 2014: Goldman Sachs Group Inc.(The)
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides investment banking, securities, and investment management services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net-worth individuals worldwide. Its Investment Banking segment offers financial advisory, including advisory assignments with respect to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense, risk management, restructurings, and spin-offs; and underwriting securities, loans and other financial instruments, and derivative transactions. The company?s Institutional Client Services segment provides client execution activities, such as fixed income, currency, and commodities client execution related to making markets in interest rate products, credit products, mortgages, currencies, and commodities; and equities related to making markets in equity products, as well as commissions and fees from executing and clearing institutional client transactions on stock, options, and fu tures exchanges. This segment also engages in the securities services business providing financing, securities lending, and other prime brokerage services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, and foundations. Its Investing and Lending segment invests in debt securities, loans, public and private equity securities, real estate, consolidated investment entities, and power generation facilities. This segment also involves in the origination of loans to provide financing to clients. The company?s Investment Management segment provides investment management services and investment products to institutional and individual clients. This segment also offers wealth advisory services, including portfolio management and financial counseling, and brokerage and other transaction services to high-net-worth individuals and families. In addition, it provides global investment research services. The company was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
5 Best Safest Stocks For 2014: Under Armour Inc.(UA)
Under Armour, Inc. develops, markets, and distributes performance apparel, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and youth primarily in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It offers products made from moisture-wicking synthetic fabrics designed to regulate body temperature and enhance performance regardless of weather conditions. The company provides its products in three fit types: compression (tight fitting), fitted (athletic cut), and loose (relaxed) extending across the sporting goods, outdoor, and active lifestyle markets. Its footwear offerings comprise football, baseball, lacrosse, softball, and soccer cleats; slides; performance training footwear; and running footwear. The company also provides baseball batting, football, golf, and running gloves, as well as licenses bags, socks, headwear, custom-molded mouth guards, and eyewear that are designed to be used and worn before, during, and after competition. Under Armour sells its products through retai l stores, as well as directly to consumers through its own retail outlets and specialty stores, Website, and catalogs. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]
Under Armour is without a doubt a long-term winner, but the stock market is too hot right now for any real conviction, especially since Under Armour is trading at 49 times earnings. Nike wouldn�� be the best safe haven in a bear market, but it would be safer than Under Armour. That said, for investors who are capable of withstanding a hit and willing to purchase more on the way down if the stock gets hit, Under Armour is a long-term OUTPERFORM. This should be a safe long-term approach since Under Armour is highly likely to grow in the coming decades. It�� certainly not going anywhere.
- [By Steve Symington]
If you've ever lamented the day you had to give up your stylish 1990s workout gear, the creative minds at Under Armour (NYSE: UA ) have something awesome for you.
Top Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras(PBR)
Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. primarily engages in oil and natural gas exploration and production, refining, trade, and transportation businesses. The company?s Exploration and Production segment involves in the exploration, production, development, and production of oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas in Brazil. This segment supplies its products to the refineries in Brazil, as well as sells surplus petroleum and byproducts in domestic and foreign markets. Its Supply segment engages in the refining, logistics, transportation, and trade of oil and oil products; export of ethanol; and extraction and processing of schist, as well as holds interests in companies of the petrochemical sector in Brazil. The Gas and Energy segment involves in the transportation and trade of natural gas produced in or imported into Brazil; transportation and trade of LNG; and generation and trade of electric power. In addition, the segment has interests in natural gas transportation and d istribution companies; and thermoelectric power stations in Brazil, as well engages in fertilizer business. The Distribution segment distributes oil products, ethanol, and compressed natural gas in Brazil. The International segment involves in the exploration and production of oil and gas, as well as in supplying, gas and energy, and distribution operations in the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Further, the company involves in biofuel production business. Petroleo Brasileiro was founded in 1953 and is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tyler Crowe]
And the winner is ...
It all depends on your definition of "winning: to determine who came out on top of this auction. If your definition is most blocks won, then Petrobras (NYSE: PBR ) �took that prize running away. The company spent $268 million for rights on 35 blocks. The next closest in terms of bids won was OGX, which secured 13 blocks in the entire auction. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Petrobras was the most active in this auction. Not only is Petrobras Brazil's largest oil company, but it also just recently completed an $11 billion bond issuance, the largest corporate bond sale from an emerging market ever. Some of that money was probably pre-planned for both this auction and the next Brazilian auction to happen in October. This move will further secure Petrobras' position as the largest oil producer in the country.� - [By Arjun Sreekumar]
But over the past few years, the world's largest integrated oil companies have also joined the party. For instance, Brazilian oil major Petrobras (NYSE: PBR ) is preparing to drill exploration wells offshore Tanzania, where it holds 50% stakes in two offshore exploratory blocks, while ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM ) has turned its attention to exploratory prospects off the coast of South Africa, where it acquired a 75% stake in blocks owned by Impact Oil & Gas late last year.�
- [By Arjun Sreekumar]
Offshore exploration risk
Deepwater locations, especially off the coasts of Brazil and West Africa, have emerged as popular hotspots. For instance, Brazilian oil major Petrobras (NYSE: PBR ) is planning to drill exploratory wells off the coast of Tanzania, where it holds 50% stakes in two offshore exploratory blocks, while Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) recently announced that it will move forward with the development of the Moho Bilondo "phase 1 bis" and Moho Nord projects located offshore the Republic of Congo. - [By Tyler Crowe and Aimee Duffy]
Brazil's oil production numbers are up, but the 3.8% jump in April over the previous month doesn't sound as pretty when compared to year-over-year production, which is still down 4.9%. With Petrobras (NYSE: PBR ) bringing several of its aging offshore rigs back on line after maintenance, the renaissance of Brazil's oil business will not be found in its production numbers... not yet.
5 Best Safest Stocks For 2014: Fluor Corporation(FLR)
Fluor Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management services worldwide. Its Oil & Gas segment offers design, engineering, procurement, construction, and project management services to upstream oil and gas production, downstream refining, chemicals, and petrochemicals industries. This segment also provides consulting services comprising feasibility studies, process assessment, and project finance structuring and studies. The company?s Industrial & Infrastructure segment offers design, engineering, procurement, and construction services to the transportation, wind power, mining and metals, life sciences, manufacturing, commercial and institutional, telecommunications, microelectronics, and healthcare sectors. Its Government segment provides engineering, construction, logistics support, contingency response, management, and operations services to the United States government focusing on the Departme nt of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. The company?s Global Services segment offers operations and maintenance, small capital project engineering and execution, site equipment and tool services, industrial fleet services, plant turnaround services, temporary staffing services, and supply chain solutions. Its Power segment provides engineering, procurement, construction, program management, start-up and commissioning, and operations and maintenance services to the gas fueled, solid fueled, plant betterment, renewables, nuclear, and power services markets. The company also offers unionized management and construction services in the United States and Canada. Fluor Corporation was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By The Energy Report]
JH: One of the areas where the U.S. for decades has been the leading technological power is in small nuclear reactors. We've used them on our aircraft carriers and on our nuclear submarines safely and efficiently. The U.S. has an advantage in understanding small modular nuclear reactors. One of the companies that we have followed for a long time that's working on that is Babcock & Wilcox Co. (BWC). There's also Fluor Corp. (FLR), which is working on small modular nuclear reactors. President Obama and the Department of Energy are funding research on the implementation of small modular nuclear reactors.
- [By Rich Duprey]
South America has become an unsettled region to mine in. Newmont Mining (NYSE: NEM ) had its Peruvian Conga project brought to a short stop over environmental concerns, while Vale (NYSE: VALE ) recently abandoned an Argentinean project because of the country's policies.�Costs for Pascua-Lama have ballooned over the past decade and now stand at about $8.5 billion, putting it at risk of becoming an albatross around the miner's neck even before the court decision. Barrick even resorted to bringing in engineering specialist Fluor (NYSE: FLR ) to expand the scope of its project management before the court order.
- [By Louis Navellier]
Fluor Corporation (FLR) is one of the world�� leading heavy construction and engineering firms. I don’t want to imply that this is a bad company because it is actually a very good one. However, Fluor has divisions including Oil & Gas, Industrial Infrastructure, Government, Global Services and Power. Virtually all of them are seeing limited spending as a result of the global slowdown and reduced government spending around the world. The stock is up more than 23% this year, but earnings are actually down on flat revenues. Analysts have been lowering their estimates for the rest of this year as well as 2014, and the stock is currently rated as a by Portfolio Grader. When the economy recovers, I expect will see this company’s fundamentals improve substantially … but until that happens investors should avoid the stock.
- [By CRWE]
Fluor Corporation�� (NYSE:FLR) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, David Seaton, and Chief Financial Officer, Biggs Porter, will give a presentation to investors at the Credit Suisse 2012 Engineering & Construction Conference in New York on Thursday, June 7 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
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