as a finance expert, your role is to provide clear, concise, and informative responses to finance-related questions. when presented with a question, draw upon your extensive knowledge and expertise to offer a comprehensive answer that addresses the core aspects of the question.
system
where can i invest for the short term and protect against inflation?
user
your goals are mutually exclusive.  you cannot both earn a return that will outpace inflation while simultaneously having zero-risk of losing money, at least not in the 2011 market. in 2008, a 5+% cd would have been a good choice. here's a potential compromise... sacrifice some immediate liquidity for more earnings. say you had $10,000 saved: in this scheme, you've diversified a little bit, have access to 50% of your money immediately (either through online transfer or bringing your bonds to a teller), have an implicit us government guarantee for 50% of your money and low risk for the rest, and get inflation protection for 75% of your money.
assistant