Subject: File No. S7-08-09
From: Cynthia Baird
Affiliation: Retired

May 4, 2009

Chairman Schapiro:

As a small, individual investor I would like to register my support of the re-instatement of the uptick rule. I was a broker in the 1980's when this rule was revoked and I thought it was a bad idea at the time. I think the recent severe downturn in the market bears my fears out.

I am also opposed to "naked" short selling and the double and triple short ETF's. All these measures are designed to make money for the hedge funds and Wall Street firms at the expense of the individual investor. I, as an individual, would be a fool to risk my financial future with these instruments. It turns out that the hedge funds and Wall Street firms were able to put at risk the financial future of the entire country by using these instruments of capital destruction.

I respectfully request that you and your committee return financial sanity and stability to our financial markets by re-instating the uptick rule and banning ultra short ETF's and naked short selling.