So DTL, can the investors simply request that their share certificate be delivered to them from the brokerage house?  If they do that, at some point the sellers will have to produce their "sold position certificates," wouldn't they?  And when they cannot produce then the brokerage gets into trouble with the SEC as complaints would be filed by investors who didn't get their share certs and yet show a paid for share number via their statement transaction.  This action would then cause panic in the short sellers market as they would then be called on to cover or deliver the shares to the broker that they sold.  When they cannot do that, the broker will receive a call for their margin and all heck will break lose as their credit lines will be attached by the large clearing houses.  If this is pretty close to what might happen, perhaps we should all request our share certificate from our broker dealer.  That would absolutely fry the shorters, and the brokers who allowed them to participate in the sham.