>>>There's one valid point in the article, though, about lots of big money eager to be invested. That money is a force to be aware of - it can ruin so many things (just like it caused the dot com blow and blow up), regardless of it being imaginary money. As long as sufficient number of people believe in it, that money can buy a lot. Politicians, laws, bread, oil, lives...
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>>Still, with us being nearer the end of working than start, the question is how to manage at least the amount exchanged for own work and earmarked for retirement. My work was already devalued heavily er, taxed, and the government[s] gamble, borrow and print away buying power. As I do not get a couple of K€ retirement after only a few years "service" as elected politicians do here, I need this accumulated work force already spent/exchanged, especially as I never entered gov retirement schemes, even if they are part Ponzi. And the part forced into insurance through tax benefits is already being sapped/devalued by forcing insurance companies to buy even heavier into "safe" gov bonds via legislation of post-2008. So guessing correctly if inflation or deflation is coming might be more relevant to me ;-)
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>We bought a piece of land in a nearby village. I'm finally eating REAL tomatoes, not the plastic you get in supermarkets (US, and now here as well). And I have a still to make my own brandy. This time of the year, we grow about 70% of our food.

a city boy/old man at this end - looking to buy some more rent space, but not too much,
as backsliding population would evaporate the worth - depending much if future politicians allow working foreigners
into germany when our population hump will become even more painful.

Also looking to get some agriculture land, but planning to get others do the sweating...
Similar with forest area - if oil does not stop, no problem but not much gain, still hedged against inflation.
Not that dependant on population density as well.
As Facebook lets out steam on WebBubble2, still lokking for some stocks - mainly in developing nations now.
Spreading out into different currencies, trying to loan directly if possible.
Some hard gold, but mostly for dire emergencies, not a s inflation hedge.

>So even if the savings evaporate at some point, we'll survive. Retirement? Not expecting much, if any.

Don't want to fight managment for the rest of my life ;-)
Might code for much longer than 67 if the fun factor is alive or try my hand as active biz angel for small fry -
but not for the pressure to HAVE to earn money, even if kiddie cost pressure is gone.
I have seen 90+ ages in 3 of my grandparents, the other one also coming from a long-lived family but not surviving WW2.
Also I see cost rising dramatically in the area of 85+ and don't plan to have to start getting money from others at that age...
Still hoping for survival in style even if hair is thin or gone ;-)