Date:    01/31/2000  6:37 AM

Subject: Short sale rules

Dear SEC,
     
Please level the playing field. Many individual investors get burned by 
these incredible runups in stock prices that only market makers can 
short. The brokerages pump up these stocks and their trading desks dump 
them.
     
I urge you to eliminate current restrictions on short selling, and allow 
the public to sell short by the same rules as market makers.
     
     
Sincerely,
     
Jim Mika