two straight years, job creation seems to be slowing down. earnings for middle income americans fell some 7% in the past decade. and then there are investments. your i.r.a., your 401(k), your pensions. they re a second road to prosperity. that is complicated in this volatile market. for those of you looking for a safe harbor by investing in fixed income or parking money in the shelter of a bank, you re getting nothing. even our virtually nonexistent inflation is higher than what you re earning. you are being penalized for not taking risks. ironically, owning your home may be the one vehicle to personal wealth that shows signs of some brightness. home prices may have hit bottom and are finally bouncing back. if that s the case, then now is the best time to buy a home or refinance a loan. interest rates are at historic lows. but that s little consolation to scores of homeowners who have seen the value of their homes on average shrink by a quarter since the beginning of the rece