dlramon

There is a direct connection to someone else's death when we are referring to guns and we can assume that this death was the intended outcome. On the other hand, if someone consumes too much alcohol, drives and winds up killing someone else, unless there are extenuating circumstances, that death was unintended. Actually, the strongest counter against documenting # guns/ammo on last buy date is the opportunity by the documenter to build a data-base with name, address and number of guns and/or ammo bought. A list like this, in the wrong hands, could lead to unconstitutional confiscation and this needs to be mitigated against.

Item #2. Finding an acceptable definition for mental stability and an effective test to determine it will undoubtely be the toughest part of keeping individual medical records private. However, I'm confident that it will be possible to do so - any fair minded group of individuals could develop a 1st Draft, distributed for public opinion/comments (similar, for instance, to FCC rule change proposals). Item #4. My thought about including employment information was to demonstrate a means for providing income (e.g. less chance that potential gun buyer does not intend to use it for an armed robbery). Item #5. Date of last gun and/or ammunition purchase is to provide a tracking record of a potential buyer (non-dealer only) who is accumulating an excessive amount of weapons and/or ammo.

I did not say that I trust the Government to create and enforce a law which would inhibit a basic Constitutional right. Changes to the right to bear arms must be voted upon by the citizens. In other words, the draft contents of the background check needs to be reviewed by our Congressional representatives and a final version voted upon by the citizens. By what authority could the Government premptively disallow anyone from buying a firearm? I wouldn't be opposed to fingerprinting or the fee - payment for the background check has to come from somewhere. The following are my thoughts for a short list of firearm/ammunition purchase background check criteria: 1. Those with criminal records must meet a more strict critereon in order to gain approval to own either a firearm or ammunition of any type. A weighted scale considering all critereons determining approval/disapproval should be created - for example, a) manslaughter of an innocent victim (cashier killed during an armed robbery) should automatically be cause for gun ownership disapproval or b) driving under the influence should be assigned lower weights going toward zero given proof that treament (AA) and subsequent good driving record warrants, c) etc. 2. Since I believe an individual's health record should remain private and only viewable by the patient, caretaker and, to some level, the medical insurance company, all potential gun buyer's should be required to pass some level of a mental stability examination. 3. Proof of capability to operate the firearm safely must be demonstrated. 4. Age, home address, employment information (employer name, address, duration of employment), either proof of citizenship or valid work Visa 5. Date of last firearm or ammunition purchase. Investing a small amount of reflection upon the list above should result in the realization that there is a lot of work to do before the final background check version is ready for a citizenship vote. What we need to agree upon, without delay, is the need to start the generation of the background check critereon(s).

Americans live in a Democratic society - that is, we decide how we are to be governed. All of which started with our boilerplate, the Constitution; however, the Constitution, although a damn good piece of work which I've always been proud to be a part of the republic for which it stands, is still a work in progress. The right to bear arms for both peaceful and defensive purposes is something which I'll always stand up for but only for those individuals who are responsible enough to utilize weapons responsibly and with moral purpose. A background check on folks who want to buy guns makes good sense; there aren't any moral argument(s) against a mandatory background check to qualify to buy a gun.

Thank-you Cyberdman, apparently my dealership requires vehicle visability status training. I assume by your ETA response that I will never have an ETA. Would it be appropriate if I continued to ask for rail location status once every week until the car arrives at the dealership lot?

My vehicle, VIN 3FA6P0RUXDR290688, was shipped from Hermosillo on 4/5/2013 (Railcar # ETTX851037). Could you please provide an ETA at the Bob Maxey Ford dealership in Howell, MI? During the post order process period, I received conflicting information between web sites recommended on the Ford Fusion Hybrid Forum and my dealer. My dealer informed me that my car was built on 3/25/2013 when the window sticker site showed VIN assigned on 3/25/13; Ford Customer Service manager informed me that my car was scheduled to built during week of 4/1/2013. Etis web site statused my car build date as 4/4/2013. It seems that my dealer's information and the publically accessible information was not synchronized - about 1 week apart. Would it be possible for you to provide the actual production timeline - production start, finish, inspect and ready to ship?

It would be foolish to think that the NRA did not have an agenda. It would also be foolish that parents didn't have a legitimate agenda to protect their children from insane individuals who are killing children with legally bought weapons. Same foolish thought applies to concerned folks who do not want to continue being threatened by insane individuals with whatever dangerous agendas they might also have to do harm against others with gun related violence. Agendas aside, gun related violence in America must be reduced and eliminated if at all possible - this is just common sense; therefore it will happen. Background checks and bullet clip size limitation are going to become the norm in America, watch for it because its coming.

I recently did some $/mi calculations to justify whether or not I had made a good decision on buying the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid instead of the Ford Fusion Hybrid Plug-In. It would seem to be straight forward to conclude, w/o charging facilities on both ends, that when round-trip distances > ~20mi that Plug-in's can't be justified. As it turned out for my particular work-week daily round-trip (35 miles one way), the numbers did not support the additional $7K cost of the Plug-in. However, since the Plug-in's specified ~20mi EV range includes sufficient battery reserve to maintain the Hybrid fuel economy up to speeds of ~60 to 65mph (energy supplied from both electric motor and gas motor), making a PLUG-IN buy decision for circumstances involving shorter round-trips, really need to be made on a case-by-case basis.

From the article you referenced, yes they did base their first launch on a Lotus frame: "The rear-wheel drive car is composed of an aluminum chassis — based on the platform of the Lotus Elise — and a carbon-composite body. The lightweight materials mean the two-seat sports car weighs a trim 2,403 pounds." From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130404/AUTO01/304040340#ixzz2PnRj2zwc I was surprised to learn Detroit Electric, now resurrected, originally built electric cars from 1907 to 1939.

Actually, now that A123 was bought out by a company in China, its now named B456. Fisker, Tesla and now Detroit Electric all are trying to cater to a very small slice of the market - folks who can afford >$100K for a car and so not all of them are going to survive. In yesterday's Detroit News I read that Fisker is firing 75% of their workforce.

Yes, Fusion Titanium production has significantly ramped up. I've noticed it locally (Pinckney, MI) as I'm seeing more and more Titaniums every day. A friend at work has had his at least 3 weeks now. Mine is on its way - hope to get it before May gets here.

Until I decided on the Fusion Hybrid because of style and gas mileage, I seriously considered the Escape because I liked its styling and ability to carry passengers and/or extra cargo - of course a particular style is definetly never going to be unilaterally accepted by everyone.

Congrats on your new Fusion Titanium! Mine is now in-transit on a rail car - can't wait till it gets here.

I've got a 2013 Fusion Titanium Hybrid ordered. Its been about 3 or 4 weeks now since my order was placed into the Ford sales system. According to my salesman, production orders will start to be accepted the begining of January. I think the VIN will be assigned once the production order is entered into the build schedule at the actual vehicle assembly plant. Getting the VIN assigned is important because this will enable my Ford dealer to search for the best loan rate, which if not satisfactory to me, than triggers my own loan search. Personal car loan interest rates are not going to stay low forever so I would like to get it locked in ASAP.