Date:    12/17/1999  3:29 PM
Subject: File No. S7-24-99

Dear persons.
     
     
It is just appalling to me that, in the light of the new era, the day in 
which ONLINE trading is as easy to begin as a trip to the grocery store, 
the United States Government has not stepped in to provide protection
to the consumer and new investor.
     
Large brokerage firms are getting away with manipulative and otherwise 
considered illegal behavior within the stock market.  The practice of "Naked 
Shorting"
of OTC BB stocks is as common as the dust in the corner of your office.
     
     
This has got to stop.  The Federal Government of the United States of 
America
must step in and provide regulation to curtail such behavior, and VERY STIFF 
penalties for those who are guilty of fraudulent or otherwise unlawful 
behavior.
     
The market is getting hurt, and American companies with good products, 
ethics,
integrity, and hard working people are getting hurt because they have a 
chance to rise
to the level of their competition in this new found market rise, but can not 
due to the behavior
of certain financial institutions that control large amounts of money and 
are able to create
and instill "panic" in a new investor, forcing that person to sell at a 
tremendous loss.
     
Please do something about this.
     
     
Thank you.
     
Liam Carolan