Real state, is a no brainer There is a post in a blog called "Start breaking free" or something like that. The author tell how he did a real state deal, a very cool one. If you like real state, send a PM and I will search my bookmarks for the link
I'd Deposit 50,000$ of it into Oanda and get the guys from Rove capital (http://www.rovecapital.com/home.html) to manage it.
completely bad risk if he knows nothing about the stock market...I heard on the news when the market crashed, i heard one person lost $5mil dollars...he could invest, and loose it all the next day... it does not matter what you invest in, if you are not a pro, or do not have an expert advisor, then you are taking a big risk...your $70k could turn into $10k...there is nothing wrong on where the money is at now...taking risks can have great rewards, or very bad ones... I imagine if i had $70,000 right now..i would pay off my home, and put a renter into it...so that renter would be actually paying my current rent, while the home gains equity... but be careful what you buy.. with the housing market, you can find some very good deals out there or you could just easily over buy the house if you do not know what you are doing.