ITIN para pagar impuestos y desgravar sin Seguro Social

ITIN para pagar impuestos y desgravar sin Seguro Social En Estados Unidos, el ITIN es un nã ºmero de identificaciã ³n monetary. Es utilizado por extranjeros que no child elegibles para obtener un Nã ºmero del Seguro Social (SSN, por sus siglas en inglã ©s). ITIN significa Nã ºmero de Identificaciã ³n de Contribuyente Individual, por su nombre en inglã ©s, y se utiliza con dos fines distintos. En groundwork lugar, para pagar impuestos por los ingresos obtenidos en Estados Unidos. Las leyes federales establecen la obligaciã ³n de pagar impuestos paraâ toda persona que recibe ingresos en el paã ­s sin que importe su estatus migratorio.â  En segundo lugar, el ITIN sirve para identificar a cã ³nyuges e hijos dependientes que no tienen SSN para que las personas que agnostic impuestos puedan desgravar por esos familiares. En este artã ­culo se informa sobre los puntos bsicos del ITIN, quiã ©nes pueden solicitar ese nã ºmero, cã ³mo se hace, cã ³mo se renueva y para quã © puede ser utilizado y para quã © no.  ¿Quià ©nes pueden solicitarel ITIN? Pueden solicitar el ITIN personas en distintas situaciones. Por ejemplo, los extranjeros que residen habitualmente fuera de Estados Unidos pero que estn obligados presentar sus planillas de impuestos federales. Por ejemplo, inversionistas o empresarios de otros paã ­ses que tienen dinero invertido o un negocio en EE.UU. Otro grupo que puede solicitar el ITIN es el de extranjeros no residentes en Estados Unidos que pueden solicitar un beneficio monetary al amparo de un tratado internacional. Asimismo, otro grupo que debe solicitar el ITIN es el los estudiantes internacionales que viven en Estados Unidos por un tiempo suficiente para ser considerados como residentes an efectos fiscales. Es muy importante entender que esto no los convierte en residentes an efectos de inmigraciã ³n, es decir, no por eso pueden obtener una tarjeta de residencia permanente. Sin ban, si el IRS considera an un extranjero como residente an efectos de pagar impuestos, pues debe hacerlo. Otro grupo de personas para los que es conveniente tener un ITIN es el conformado por cã ³nyuges eâ hijos dependientes de ciudadanos americanos o residentes permanentes legales que no pueden sacar la tarjeta del seguro social. Un ejemplo de esta situaciã ³n es el caso de esposos u otros dependientes que viven habitualmente fuera de Estados Unidos. Es conveniente que esas personas tengan un ITIN cada uno porque de esta manera los ciudadanos y los residentes permanentesâ pueden desgravar por ellos como dependientes cuando presentan la planilla la planilla de los impuestos. Asimismo, pueden solicitar el ITIN el cã ³nyuge y los hijos dependientes de las personas con una visa fleeting. Un caso muy tã ­pico es el de la visa H-1B para profesionales y modelos que permite a cierto grupo de extranjeros trabajar en EEUU y estar acompaã ±ados en el paã ­s por su familia inmediata, pero estos no pueden trabajar ni obtener un SSN. El camino para obtener posibles beneficios fiscales desgravando por dependientes a la hora de declarar ingresos es identificando con un ITIN a dichos dependientes. El ITIN es muy frecuentemente solicitado por los migrantes indocumentados. La razã ³n es que por ley estn obligados a pagar impuestos por sus ingresos en Estados Unidos, aunque no tienen permiso para trabajar legalmente.â Algunos migrantes sienten miedo porque temen que el ITIN puede ser utilizado por las autoridades migratorias para localizarlos pero esto no es asã ­. Segã ºn la Secciã ³n 6103 del Cã ³digo del IRS, las autoridades fiscales no estn autorizadas a proveer informaciã ³n sobre quiã ©n paga impuestos a ninguna otra agencia del gobierno.â Roughage dos excepciones an esa regla. En groundwork lugar, cuando el Departamento de Tesoro investiga un posible fraude monetary y, en segundo lugar, cuando existe una orden legal para que el IRS revele esos datos porque se est realizando una investigaciã ³n. Finalmente, tambiã ©n pueden solicitar el ITIN personas en estatus migratorio lawful pero que no pueden solicitar, por el momento, un SSN como, por ejemplo, algunas vã ­ctimas de violencia domã ©stica. Informaciã ³n bsica del ITIN El ITIN se creo en 1996 y es un nã ºmero compuesto por nueve dã ­gitos. Siempre comienza por el nã ºmero 9 y en el cuarto lugar aparece el nã ºmero 7 o el 8. En la actualidad, el ITIN tiene una validez de cinco aã ±os. Segã ºn datos del IRS, cada aã ±o financial ms de cuatro millones de personas utilizan el ITIN para presentar su planilla de impuestos, conocida en EE.UU. como assessment forms pagando casi 14 mil millones de dã ³lares. Segã ºn datos del centro de estudios Taxation and Economic Policy, ubicado en Washington D.C. aproximadamente el 50 por ciento de los indocumentados en EE.UU. paga assessment forms utilizando un ITIN.  ¿Cà ³mo se solicita el ITIN por primera vez? El ITIN se puede solicitarâ por correo enviando la solicitud utilizando la planilla W7. Adems, debe incluirse la planilla de impuestos yâ documentos originales o certificados por la autoridad que los emite yâ que prueben su identidad y su condiciã ³n de extranjero. Si se envã ­an documentos originales, estos sern devueltos en 60 dã ­as desde que se recibiã ³ la solicitud. La direcciã ³n a la que enviar la solicitudâ desde EE.UU. o desde otro paã ­s e: Inner Revenue ServiceAustin Service CenterITIN OperationP.O. Box 149342Austin, TX 78714-9342 Pero una forma ms fcil y conveniente de solicitar el ITIN cerrando una cita conâ un agente autorizadoâ algunos de los cuales estn ubicados fuera de los Estados Unidos (Acceptance Agent) o visitando un Centro de Asistencia al Contribuyente (TACs, por sus siglas en inglã ©s), donde una persona especializada podr ayudarâ en este proceso yâ verificar la autenticidad de los documentos.â Si necesita ayuda especã ­fica para su caso para solicitar el ITIN, adems de poder acudir a los TACs se puede marcar al 1-800-829-1040. Documentos admisibles para acompaã ±ar la solicitud del ITIN Para solicitar el ITIN debe probarse la identidad del solicitante y su carcter de extranjero. Se admiten 13 documentos entre los que se encuentran: pasaporte, cã ©dula de identificaciã ³n, licencia de manejar de EEUU o del paã ­s de origen, partida oficial de nacimiento para menores de 18 aã ±os, ID card de un estado estadounidense, visa, tarjeta militar Yankee folklore o extranjera o la tarjeta de votante extranjero. Para que cualquiera de estos documentos ocean admisible es necesarioâ presentar el unique o copia certificada por la entidad que los emite. Otra opciã ³n es verificarlos en un TACs o con un Acceptance Agent. Adems, no pueden estar expiradosâ y que en ellos debe aparecerâ claramente el nombre del solicitante,â una foto del mismo y deben servir como prueba de su carcter de extranjero. Cunto tiempo se demoraen procesarse el ITIN En general, se recibir el nã ºmero de identificaciã ³n monetary dentro de las seis semanas siguientes a haber formulado la peticiã ³n, siempre y cuando la aplicaciã ³n estã © completa y no falte ningã ºn documento. Si no se recibe contestaciã ³n en ese plazo de tiempo se puede llamar gratuitamente al telã ©fono seã ±alado anteriormente para averiguar sobre el estado del trmite. Expiraciã ³n del ITIN y su renovaciã ³n En la actualidad, tasks los ITIN child vlidos solamente por cinco aã ±os. Se renuevan de la misma forma que se solicitan por primera vez. La à ºnica diferencia es que al renovar no feed que presentar un government form. Adems, cabe destacar que si el ITIN pierde validez automticamente si no se utiliza por tres aã ±os consecutivos.â Si se presenta un expense forms con el ITIN caducado, la declaraciã ³n de impuestos se va a tramitar pero no se tendrn en cuenta exenciones o crã ©ditos solicitados ni tampoco se devolver dinero al contribuyente al que le corresponderã ­a mientras no se presente un ITIN vlido.â  ¿Para quã © puede utilizarse el ITIN y para quã © no? A pesar de ser un nã ºmeroâ emitido oficialmente por una agencia del Departamento del Tesoro de los Estados Unidos, el ITIN no puede utilizarse como identificaciã ³n ni, en ningã ºn caso, como un sustituto del nã ºmero social.â â Nunca jams el ITIN prueba de que se est autorizado para trabajar. No es uno de los documentos admitidos en la planilla I-9â que se completan al comenzar a trabajar en una empresa. Adems, si la compa㠱ã ­a utiliza el sistema e-check, serã ­a evidente que no se tiene permiso para trabajar. El pago de impuestos con un ITIN no da derecho a solicitar el crã ©dito financial que se conoce como Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC, por sus siglas en inglã ©s), y que es el ms solicitado por las familias trabajadores de bajos ingresos. Tampoco se puede obtener beneficios del sistema del seguro social ni de Medicare, a pesar de haber contribuido con los impuestos an esos fondos. El ITIN se utiliza para pagar impuestos, porque es una obligaciã ³n que establece la ley. Tambiã ©n se usa porque brinda algunos beneficios. Por ejemplo, las personas que agnostic impuestos con un ITIN pueden solicitar un Child Tax Credit por sus hijos dependientes, con un mximo de $2.000 por menor. Sin ban en la actualidad se requiere que dichos dependientes tengan un nã ºmero del seguro social propio. Adems, cuando un migrante cambia de estatus migratorio, el pago de impuestos con ITIN podrã ­a servir para probar aã ±os de residencia en el paã ­s. Asimismo, podrã ­a dar derecho a contabilizar los pagos ya hechos a Medicare y al sistema del seguro social una vez que ya tiene un nã ºmero social. Este punto, debido

My Life-Changing Decision

MY LIFE CHANGING DECISION ROSS BROWN ENGL 1301-270 SUSAN ROBBINS 4/2/2013 It was the start of spring around two years back a wet and bleak day. I was thirty two years of age, unstable on meth and destitute. Gone to jail for the third time, I was confronted with an extraordinary choice, â€Å"do I turn myself in† or â€Å"do I continue running and take my chances†. It was a choice that would influence the ones I love the most, my kids. As I sat in the forested areas behind an overview, tranquilize pervaded inn, I shut my eyes and everything I could see were the tears in my children eyes each opportunity they came to see me in prison.The ones that relied upon me for adoration and security, were presently dismal and terrified of me. They were as lost as I seemed to be. Considerations started to go through my mind, â€Å"have I bombed my youngsters as a father†, â€Å"do I need them to go down a similar way I went down† or â€Å"do I need to give them a futur e and a dad to be pleased of†. Carrying on with the way of life I lived for a long time, showed me not to confide in individuals. Particularly authority figures. So the idea of turning myself in didn’t sound like a smart thought to me at that point. It left me bewildered and scared.I could continue running, yet the previous ten years had been only a continoues cycle that consistently landed me back in jail and left my kids without a dad. I’ve consistently been known for taking risks. Turning myself in would require taking the greatest risk of my life, believing a power figure and the framework that I thought had just bombed me. My Pastor had consistently let me know â€Å"recovery needs to begin some place son†. At that point, in light of my youngsters, I had settled on my choice. I was going to turn myself in.As I opened my eyes, tears spilling down my face, the day appeared to abandon wet and bleak, to quiet and clear. I got my telephone and decided. I w as to hand myself over to the specialists inside about fourteen days. On April 20,2011 I strolled into the Federal Halfway House. I was worn out, truly and intellectually. I didn't have the foggiest idea what's in store or what was anticipated from me. They gave me three suppers every day and a hard tangle to rest on. They gave transportation and the chance to get steady, on the off chance that you needed it. I needed it terrible! It would require a great deal of exertion and assurance to endure the framework successfully.Not numerous ex criminals make it. They took a gander at me as another measurement when I previously showed up. You just have a specific measure of time to find a new line of work and start your recuperation. I battled, no one needed to enlist a recouping ex con. I was beginning to think I was not going to make it. I was toward the finish of the dead line, they were needing feel free to send me back to jail. On the absolute a day ago the telephone rang, it was Bill Orr with Gym Bleacher Boards. He requested that I come in immediately for a meeting. I needed to land authorization from the position facilitator with the goal for that to happen.He was not having any desire to give me this last possibility at finding a new line of work. At that point all of a sudden my case manager, Ms. Woodson, appeared and said â€Å" simply give him this one final possibility before you send him back†. At the point when I showed up at Gym Bleacher Boards, I was anxious and had blended feelings about everything. As I stayed there looking out for my meeting with Bill, I said a little petition to myself, â€Å" Lord, it would be ideal if you let me land this position, not for me, yet for my children†. Bill came out of his office and called me in and I cleared the air regarding everything.By the time the meeting was finished, we were talking as though we had known each other for a considerable length of time. At that point he investigated at me and st ated, â€Å" Ross, everyone merits another opportunity at life, you are hired†. Inside two months I had the option to get my own place and out of the Federal Halfway House. Presently, after two years I recovered my family, a great job, and a lot of multi month old twin little girls. As I think back on the day I settled on my choice, I understand I took a risk that transformed me. Presently, I am ready to give my youngsters a future and a dad to be pleased with.

Self-Assessment Test for Alcoholics

Self-Assessment Test for Alcoholics Addiction Alcohol Use Print Take a Self-Assessment Test to Determine If You Are an Alcoholic Alcohol Use Disorder Symptoms By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on June 16, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on September 16, 2018 RyersonClark / Getty Images More in Addiction Alcohol Use Binge Drinking Withdrawal and Relapse Children of Alcoholics Drunk Driving Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Do you wonder whether your drinking is becoming a problem? Alcohol use can turn into alcohol abuse, and a casual drinker might cross the line into being a problem drinker or alcoholic. Its good to take a few minutes and look at your drinking and spot whether or not it has become a problem.?? By recognizing when your habits have become potentially harmful, you can take steps to address them before they cause more damage to your life. Alcohol Use Disorder Self-Assessment Online Test Answering  11  questions will give you an idea if your drinking patterns are safe, risky or harmful.?? The test is completely confidential and anonymous; your results are not recorded and are available only to you. Youre not asked for any personal identifying information. This quiz does not provide a diagnosis of alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, or alcoholism, or what are now considered alcohol use disorders. The results cannot substitute for a full evaluation by a healthcare professional and should only be used as a guide to understanding your alcohol use and the potential health issues involved with it. When answering the questions, use the last 12 months of your life as a frame of reference. Be honest with yourself, only you will see the results of your test. Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder Alcoholism is now termed severe alcohol use disorder.?? What used to be termed alcohol dependence  and alcohol abuse are now classified together as alcohol use disorder and ranked as mild, moderate or severe. The questions in the self-assessment quiz are based on the 11 symptoms listed for alcohol abuse disorder in the American Psychiatric Associations    Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMâ€"5).?? If you display  only two to three of these symptoms (as indicated by a yes response to the questions) you can be diagnosed with a mild alcohol use disorder.  If you have four to five of the symptoms youre considered to have a moderate alcohol use disorder. If you have six or more symptoms, youre diagnosed with a severe alcohol use disorder.?? Do you sometimes drink more than you planned to drink?Have you ever tried to quit drinking and were unsuccessful?How much time do you spend each week drinking?Do you ever get an urge to drink or a craving for alcohol?Do you often miss work or school or obligations at home due to drinking?Has your drinking negatively affected your social or family relationships?Have you given up hobbies or activities you used to enjoy?Does your drinking ever put you in dangerous situations?Has drinking caused you any persistent health problems?Does alcohol still give you the same feeling?When you go without alcohol, do you get withdrawal symptoms? If Youre Worried That You Could Be an Alcoholic If you think you might have a  problem with alcohol, even if your score indicates you probably arent an alcoholic, there may be habits you want to change.?? Has your drinking pattern changed lately? Did you have an episode, even just one, that made you feel unsafe or out of control? If you have a concern about your drinking, you may want to mention it to your healthcare provider and perhaps get a professional assessment.

High Fidelity and Music Essay - 1648 Words

High Fidelity and Music In High Fidelity, Rob, the protagonist and narrator, says â€Å"I find myself worrying away at that stuff about pop music again, whether I like it because I’m unhappy, or whether I’m unhappy because I like it† (168). It is obvious to the reader that Rob has a very strong relationship to pop music but also that this relationship is not as simple as the either-or dichotomy he describes it as. At first, it is an obsession that is almost pathological; by the end, it is an aid to his relationships and his idea of who he is. Rob’s relationship to music helps us understand Rob as a character through the different ways he uses it to interact in his environment – either as a crutch inhibiting his growth or as a way to aid†¦show more content†¦It is as if he is saying â€Å"here, this is me; this is who I am† so if the woman likes the tape, that means she likes him, which would mean she is condoning who he is, which in turn would cause him to weave the music that got this approval even more closely into his sense of self. Thus Rob is defined by music and women he dates rather than through his own eyes. One gets a better idea of this when Rob and Laura are arguing and Laura says she doesn’t like music as much as she used to. Rob says, â€Å"But you see... That’s all there is of me. There isn’t anything else. If you’ve lost interest in that, you’ve lost interest in everything. What’s the point of us?† (265). Here Rob is basically admitting that he is using Laura to condone a definition of himself that has been created by, that entirely consists of, music. If she can’t do that anymore, there is no point of the relationship. Another example of this is when Rob wants to sleep with Marie. The pathological aspect of this is that part of the reason he is attracted to her is that he has always wanted to sleep with a musician. This would be like circumventing the process of defining himself with music and then getting a woman to condone this definition and just getting a definition and an approval from the same source. The reader can see how Rob mingles music with Marie’s personality when he says, â€Å"She describes the set-up and her knock-back with wisdom and honesty and a dry,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Nick Hornbys High Fidelity970 Words   |  4 PagesNick Hornbys High Fidelity In Nick Hornbys High Fidelity, the main character, Rob, relates music to every aspect of his life. He utilizes music as an escape from his anxieties regarding his failing record store, relationship, and sense of self. Music provides Rob with the inspiration that keeps him going: Records have helped me to fall in love, no question. I hear something new, with a chord change that melts my guts, and before I know it Im looking for someone. (169) Music prompts RobRead MoreThe Evolution And Importance Of Sound1434 Words   |  6 Pagesperformances and visual entertainment all throughout history, and more recently, with interactive media in video games. Sound is an integral part of the user experience and helps solidify immersion and realism. With the rapid increase of visual fidelity in film/television, and the rapid growth of graphical power in video games and animation, sound plays a more important role than ever. In these visual and interactive medias, the image you see is considered the most important factor. However, bothRead MoreThe Prolific Canadian Pianist : Glenn Gould1591 Words   |  7 Pagesimmersed in music early on in his life. Even before Gould’s birth his mother, a musician herself, played him music during her pregnancy. When he was still an infant he was known to hum along to music and wiggle his fingers in apparent chord patterns, leading a doctor to say he would end up †either a physician or a pianist†(Ostwald 40). When Glen was three his mother realized that he possessed tremendous musical talent, including absolute pitch as well as the ability to read staff music notation.Read MoreCompare and Contrast High Fidelity Novel and Film1649 Words   |  7 PagesCompare and Contrast High Fidelity Novel and Film High Fidelity, the novel written by Nick Hornby, and the film adaptation, directed by Stephen Frears, both portrayed the vital information for the plot however, Hornby was able to convey the ideas better through literary techniques. The novel was adapted into a feature film in 2000 starring John Cusack as Rob and directed by Stephen Frears. The movie was accurate in portraying the novel to a certain extent. The film was able to successfully representRead MoreThe Book Smarter s Is Pointed Out By Robert Stam1493 Words   |  6 Pagescomparing a novel and itÊ ¼s cinematic adaptation. Therefore, a clear focus on the loss rather than a gain can be detected.1 The notion of fidelity between a novel and the adaptation seems to generally have a high importance to the masses; one can be disappointed if the adaptation does not meet personal expectations such as narrative, thematic and aesthetic features.2 Fidelity between a literary and a cinematic work might, according to Stam, be imposs ible due to automatic differences in change of mediumRead MoreCase Study Essay1141 Words   |  5 Pagesthan a year and the price is $200 less than PS3. Thus, as the production needs to create more advance games and interesting features to win Xbox 360, the management should consider about pricing in the market. If the product has the same quality with high price in the competitive market, the consumers would not give consideration to purchase. So, even the price of the product is a little bit more expensive and quality is in higher level, it is worth to purchase and the sale will surely be increasedRead More MP3 - A Controversial Technology Essay560 Words   |  3 Pagestechnology. The question arises should the music industry embrace the opportunities MP3’s can offer or fight it. MP3 is an audio compression that speeds up the transfer of digital music files. By shrinking the size of the track, downloads take only a fraction of the time that they used to. MP3’s also feature solid-state technology, flash memory and the ability to download and store high fidelity music. With an MP3 you not only create your own personalized music soundtracks you can email them to friendsRead More School of Rock: Selling it to the Man? Essay1274 Words   |  6 Pages Jack Black is very funny. He steals movies where he has supporting parts like High Fidelity, and his performance with Will Ferrell at the Oscars was the highlight of a very predictable awards show. Black’s persona is a fascinating paradox; I like the oxymoron that Entertainment Weekly recently created for him: the frenetic slacker. Black’s characters seem to be very passionate, but that energy is reserved for activities that seem to serve little â€Å"productive† value in our current ec onomic order.Read MoreEssay on The History of Music Industry 1611 Words   |  7 PagesIn the past, music has been a costly business, where only people with a lot of money could enter and be successful in the industry. Changes in the music industry coupled with new computer technology have made it much easier for people without a lot of money to compose, produce, and distribute their creation. In order to get a better understanding of the music industry in comparison to 2014, one has to look at its history. There were many things that happened from the 1980’s onward, and they broughtRead More high fidelity Essay1090 Words   |  5 Pages High Fidelity nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Rob, the main character in the movie High Fidelity, is experiencing a mid life crisis in his mid 30’s. He is beginning to question whether or not his current job is right for him and if t is as fulfilling as he wants it to be; he also begins to question his past relationship and evaluate what went wrong with them. This mid life crisis is onset by his stable live in girlfriend leaving him because of many things but it was mainly triggered by feelings of

Moral And Ethical Issues In Frankenstein Essay - 1492 Words

The guiding question of all science fiction can be summed up by this sentence: â€Å"‘If this goes on, where will it lead?’†(Sawyer) By asking this basic, yet perplexing question, writers extrapolate on a known scientific principle to its most extreme case, and thereby create a catalyst for the events of the stories they write. Inside this story, the innate natures and behaviors of human beings are revealed through the characters’ reaction to the new threat that an advance in technology or scientific knowledge presents. The moral and ethical dilemmas created in these hypothetical futures allows the reader to better understand and examine the enigmatic state of the human condition. An example of this type of literature is the novel Frankenstein.†¦show more content†¦A company willingly uses time travel as a business venture, wholly knowing that the most minute change in the past could irreparably alter the present, and goes back to the cretaceous pe riod to hunt a tyrannosaurus rex. While there, a traveler accidentally takes a misstep and crushes a butterfly. When the travelers return to the future, the language being used in the country has changed and the outcome of an election has been altered by the traveller’s misstep. Science Fiction has the capability to serve as a cautionary tale about future technological advancements by exploring the ethical responsibilities of scientific advancement, and demonstrating the negative capacity of the pursuit of knowledge, revealing human societies’ arrogance towards the limits of their capabilities. With greater knowledge about the properties and functions of the world, the ethical responsibilities of scientists in their application of this knowledge are paramount to preserving the well-being of human civilization as well as the sanity of their scientists. When disregarded, the repercussions can be numerous and grim. Victor’s monster’s destructive and murderous actions are an example of the consequences of unethical scientific advancement. Victor uses his knowledge of animation to hastily create a being who craved sympathy and love, similar to a human being, but formed him as to create abhorrence in any who looked upon him. This deprived the monster of aShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1527 Words   |  7 Pageshowever, for in contrast to the power of beauty which works to contain and maintain social distinctions, the sublime in Frankenstein opens the way for the excluded to challenge the dominant discourse and this appears to be one of man y things the creature substantially appears to represent.1 There is a critique of beauty in Frankenstein on anaesthetic grounds as well as what is ethical. 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It teaches us repercussions of love and secrecy like in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the dangers of messing with nature and pursuit of human knowledge as in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, and gives us an insight into the use of Revenge such as in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. These textsRead MorePolitics and The English Language: George Orwell ´s Literature3705 Words   |  15 Pagessociety and to reinstate the integrity of the writer. Orwell’s essays have sparked a plethora of adverse and auxiliary opinions regarding the imperishability of his work, from those whom believe that his efforts are archaic, to those who believe that his craftsmanship of language addresses issues which had once been hidden. No matter what side of the social spectrum one categorises themselves in, it is undeniable that Orwell’s essays resonate a certain quality of genuine concern for society whichRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein 1863 Words   |  8 Pagesboth mankind and his creation [p. 20 – Frankenstein, Modern Interpretation]. An innovator works on their creation haphazardly in order to discover an identifiable outcome. To look for this outcome, there are no efforts in debating with an ethical approach. As Shelley presents Victor as a conventional romantic who conveys powerful emotion when he is mostly alone, Russian author Turgenev also presents a similar character reminiscent to Shelley’s Frankenstein. [Add Transition] Bestolarides 7 Bazarov’sRead MoreMetamorphoses Within Frankenstein14861 Words   |  60 PagesThe Critical Metamorphoses of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein You must excuse a trif ling d eviation, From Mrs. Shelley’s marvellous narration — from th e musical Frankenstein; or, The Vamp ire’s Victim (1849) Like Coleridge’ s Ancient Mariner , who erupts into Mary Sh elley’s text as o ccasionally and inev itably as th e Monster into Victor Frankenstein’s lif e, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometh eus passes, like night, from land to land and w ith stang ely ad aptable powers of speech Read MoreFrankenstein Study Guide14107 Words   |  57 PagesTHE GLENCOE LITERATURE LIBRARY Study Guide for Frankenstein by Mary Shelley i To the Teachern The Glencoe Literature Library presents full-length novels and plays bound together with shorter selections of various genres that relate by theme or topic to the main reading. Each work in the Library has a two-part Study Guide that contains a variety of resources for both you and your students. Use the Guide to plan your instruction of the work and enrich your classroom presentations. InRead MoreEthical And Philosophical Nature Of Human Rights2452 Words   |  10 Pagessecondly Origins and Politics of human rights. However, recent progression in genetics and genetic engineering have made it possible to change the very nature of the mankind, thus uprising many questions of ethical and philosophical nature. Personally speaking, in choosing the topic for the essay I were mainly interested in the human rights and its nature, how far it could go beyond its origins and control, therefore, addressing age-old questions and concerns. Does the person have the right to changeRead MoreHow To Write Literary Analysis4174 Words   |  17 PagesHow To Write Literary Analysis The Literary Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide When you read for pleasure, your only goal is enjoyment. You might find yourself reading to get caught up in an exciting story, to learn about an interesting time or place, or just to pass time. Maybe you’re looking for inspiration, guidance, or a reflection of your own life. There are as many different, valid ways of reading a book as there are books in the world. When you read a work of literature in an English classRead MoreEssay on Our Posthuman Future: The Philosophical Implications2960 Words   |  12 PagesIntroduction This essay is about the philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and it will delve deep into the question of the many philosophical implications of AI. In this paper, I will argue that a machine being able to think and the possibility of an emerging post human future due to the hypothetical invention of AI has philosophical implications for the future of humanity. The intersection of strong and weak AI with human consciousness is also explored through the examples of IBM’s AI systems

The Tipping Point Free Essays

In the novel, The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell epidemics are meant to include smoking, crime and even Hush Puppies. People you know can spread social or medical epidemics. Epidemic: Spreading rapidly and extensively by infection and affecting many individuals in an area or a population at the same time. We will write a custom essay sample on The Tipping Point or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the novel, The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell he explains many epidemics that have effected everyone in one way or another. For example, Hush Puppies, teenage smoking, and crime in cities. It is said that there are three people involved in the spread of many epidemics. These people are mavens, salesmen, and connectors. Mavens are people who live to learn. Maven comes from the Yiddish, it means one who accumulates knowledge. (60) It is said that mavens are â€Å"obsessed† with getting the best deal on items. Also involved in spreading an epidemic is a â€Å"salesman. † This person has the skills to persuade other people that are unconvinced of the idea we are hearing. (70) The last and most commonly heard is a connector. A connector is one person who knows a wide range of people. â€Å"Sprinkled amount every walk of life, in other words, are a handful of people with a truly extraordinary knack of making friends and acquaintances. They are Connectors. † (41) Two significant men in the novel are Bernard Goetz, and Roger Horchow. Horchow is described as a Connector, whereas Goetz would be considered a salesman. A Successful business man in the area of Dallas, Roger Horchow is a prime example of a connector. Horchow has backed popular Broadway plays such as Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. Horchow had scored a 98 on a list of randomly selected names from a Manhattan phonebook, the average score was not that high. What makes him know so many people? He told Gladwell, that he was not using his range of people as a business strategy, and he did not consider it a collection (43) but for him to know. Horchow has the memory to remember the little boys he played with when he young. Remembering every name, and address of the person. (44) When in the business world you meet many different people. If you are a true business man and this person you have met would help you succeed, one would remember them. I know many connectors that are in my life, but when writing this one comes into mind. Phil Marcario, or as me and my friends had come to know him, Uncle Phil. He owns a restaurant that is known by many. Uncle Phil moves around a lot, from Cutchogue, to Wading River, to Rocky Point, and now to Jamesport, and Florida. Holidays and occasions as he talks about the people he knows, I constantly ask him â€Å"How do you know so many people†. He simply answers, â€Å"People owe me a lot of favors. That could be the Italian in him speaking, but after reading the Tipping Point, I often wonder if he is a connector and has started epidemics. â€Å"Perhaps it is best to call the Connector impulse simply that- an impulse, just one of the many personality traits that distinguish one human being from another. † (46) December, 22 1984, something unthinkable happened on a subwa y in New York City. Bernard Goetz shot four young boys who were attempting to mug Goetz. (134) Some would say he was asking to be mugged by sitting next to the boys when the car was completely empty. But was he demonstrating something to the other subway goers? This man was considered a hero by many. He had shown people that there is a way to stop being mugged, although it was violent and illegal. Illegal and ungodly, sure, but the city’s crime rate reached â€Å"epidemic proportions. † (135) Murders had now seem to drop by two thirds of what they had been. A salesmen is someone who persuades and convinces other people to buy, or believe something. How is Goetz a salesmen? He sold the idea that there is a way of lower the crime in New York City. This shooting open doors for subways. The Graffiti was symbolic of the collapse of the system. † (142) Soon enough the subway companies brought in David Gunn to help with this problem. Every night the cars would be painted over covering the fresh graffiti that youths had done. No car that was dirty would be used on the tracks. A salesman makes emotional sense of an idea or an object. (200) A salesman convinces the unco nvinced, and teaches the uneducated. Goetz taught New York City officials about the crime in a violent matter, but both my mother and Goetz taught a person, or a while city by doing. Connecters, Mavens, and Salesman fall into one of the three laws that were described in the book The law of the Few. This law says that those three categories of people are the ones responsible for spreading epidemics. So if one were ever thinking of spreading a word-of-mouth epidemic, you would want them to be your prime resource. (256) Roger Horchow and Bernard Goetz two men who had spread or had the ability to spread epidemics make you think that there are many people close to you that can too spread social and public epidemics. How to cite The Tipping Point, Papers

Strategic Managerial Accounting Income Statement

Questions: 1. Prepare journal entries for the September transactions. 2. Prepare the income statement of Best Foot Forward, Inc., for the month ended September 20XX. 3. Prepare the entitys statement of retained earnings for the month ended September 30, 20XX. Answers: 1. Journal Entries Particulars Dr Cr Particulars Dr Cr Particulars Dr Cr Cash a/c 20,000 Cash a/c 700 Accounts Payable a/c 8000 Common stock a/c 20,000 Service Revenue a/c 700 Cash a/c 8000 Particulars Dr Cr Particulars Dr Cr Particulars Dr Cr Supplies a/c 1000 Cash a/c 1000 Cash a/c 1000 Accounts Payable a/c 1000 Accounts Receivables a/c 1000 Common stock a/c 1000 Particulars Dr Cr Particulars Dr Cr Particulars Dr Cr Accounts Receivables a/c 3000 office rent a/c 900 advertising a/c 100 Service Revenue a/c 3000 cash a/c 900 cash a/c 100 Particulars Dr Cr Particulars Dr Cr drawings a/c 1500 cash a/c 100 cash a/c 1500 supplies a/c 100 2. Income Statement Best Foot Forward Inc. Income Statement Month Ended September 30, 20XX Revenues Service revenue ($700 + $3,000) $ 3,700.00 Expenses Rent expense $ 900.00 Advertising expense $ 100.00 Total expenses $ 1,000.00 Net income $ 2,700.00 Equity Statement Best Foot Forward Inc. Statement of Owners Equity Month Ended September 30, 20XX Particulars Amount Amount Marilyn Crone, capital, August 31, 20XX $7,700 Add: Investments by owner ($20,000 + $1,000) 21,000 Net income for the month 2,700 31,400 Less Withdrawals by owner (1,500) Marilyn Crone, capital, September 30, 20XX $29,900 3. Balance Sheet Best Foot Forward Inc. Balance Sheet At September 30, 20XX ASSETS Amount LIABILITIES Amount Cash $14,500 Accounts payable $1,000 Accounts receivable 3,500 Supplies 900 OWNERS EQUITY Land 12,000 Marilyn Crone, capital 29,900 Total liabilities and Total assets $30,900 owners equity $30,900 References Jones, Tracy, Helen Atkinson, and Angela Lorenz.Strategic Managerial Accounting. Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers Ltd, 2012. Print. Needles, Belverd E, and Marian Powers.Financial Accounting. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. Shim, Jae K, Joel G Siegel, and Jae K Shim.Financial Accounting. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print. Weygandt, Jerry J, Donald E Kieso, and Paul D Kimmel.Financial Accounting. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley, 2012. Print.

Edmund Kemper Essays - Edmund Kemper, Necrophiles, Kemper

Edmund Kemper On May 7, 1972 Edmund Kemper began his series of murders. His first two victims were both students at Fresno State College. They were hitchhiking to Stanford University, but they made the tragic mistake of excepting a ride from Kemper. After driving them around for while, he pulled into a remote deserted area. He forced Anita Luchese into the trunk of the car, and turned his attention to his first victim Mary Ann Pesce. He put in the back seat face down, and placed a plastic bag over her head. He then attempted to try to strangle her with a piece of cloth. But, his efforts were not successful at first, because even though she was handcuffed, she was able to bite a hole in the bag and to make Kemper even angrier the cloth broke. By this time Kemper became extremely frustrated with his efforts. He then proceeded to pull a knife and repeatedly stabbed Mary Ann, and eventually slashed her throat. Anita's death was much quicker, after Kemper removed her from the trunk he stabbed her with a different and larger knife. She fought and screamed for little bit, but finally wore down, and she to died a senseless death. Afterward, Kemper drove around for a while with the bodies still in his car, while trying to decide what to do with the bodies. He eventually brought Anita's body into his apartment, where he undressed her and dissected her body. He then beheaded both women's bodies. Kemper disposed of Mary Ann's body in the plastic bag he tried to suffocate her with, and buried her body. Kemper later lead the police to the location of her body. He kept their heads for a while before dumping them into a ravine. Anita's remains were never found. Kemper drew no suspicion from these two murders, so he continued to prowl. On September 14, 1972, he picked up Aiko Koo, a fifteen-year-old dancer of Korean descent. She was on her way to dance class when she became tired of waiting for the bus and decide to hitchhike. Like his first two victims Aiko made the fatal mistake of hitching a ride with Edmund Kemper. Aiko figured Kemper's plan out and began to panic. Kemper was able to convince her that he was going to shoot himself, and if she did not try to signal the police she would not be harmed. He then drove the two of them into the mountains and turned the car off of the main road. He tried to suffocate her by taping her mouth shut and sticking his fingers in her nostrils. But this did not kill her, it only rendered her unconscious and she awoke moments later. Kemper then began to suffocate her again, and this time he did not stop until she ceased to breathe completely. He then pulled her out of the car and raped her limp body. He proceeded to strangle her with her own scarf, and when he was positive she was dead he placed her body in the trunk and drove away from the scene. From there, he left for his mother's house, but not before stopping at a local bar for a couple of beers. Periodically he would open the trunk and admire his great conquest. Later that night he took Aiko's body into his apartment and placed it on his bed. He then dissected her body as he had done to Mary Ann and Anita, and disposed of her head and hands in a different location than the rest of her body. Very few parts of her remains were ever found, and her disappearance was not thought to be associated with that of Mary Ann and Anita. Four months had gone by. Victims of other murderers had turned up, but still Kemper drew no suspicion. Even though Kemper was legally aloud to buy a gun do to a prior crime, he had no problem purchasing a .22 caliber handgun. But he feared that the police would find out about the gun, and that lead him to step up his killing activities beginning that very day. He picked up a woman named Cindy and drove her into the hills near Watsonville, where he placed her into the trunk and shot her with his brand new gun. Edmund brought the body to his mother's apartment in Aptos where had recently moved back in. He waited for his mother Clarnell to leave for work the next morning, and then he had sex with

Circulatory System essays

Circulatory System essays Circulatory system, cardiac location and structures, the heart is the driving force of the circulatory system, contracting about 70 times/minute to pump an adequate volume of blood with sufficient pressure to perfuse all body organs. The muscular organ weights from 300 to 400g, its located within the mediastinum of the thoratic cavity. Living things must be capable of transporting nutrients, wastes and gases to and from cells. Single-celled organisms use their cell surface as a point of exchange with outside environment. Multicellular organisms have developed transport and circulatory systems to deliver oxygen and food to cells and remove carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes. Sponges are the simplest animals, yet even they have a transport system. Seawater is the medium of transport and is propelled in and out of the songe by ciliary action. Simple animals, such as the hydra and planaria, lack specialized organs such as hearts and blood vessels, instead using their skin as exchange po ints for material. This, however, limits the size an animal can attain. To become larger, they need specialized organs and organs system. The heart has three tissue layers: the epicardium (outer layer), the myocardium (middle layer),and the endocardium (inner layer). The epicardium is the thin inner layer of the pericardium. The myocardium, thickest of the three tissue layers, is composed of muscle fibers that contract, creating the pumping effect of cardiac activity. The endcardium, a smooth, membranous layer that lines all cardiac chambers and value leaflets, is continuous with the intima, or lining, of the aorta and arteries. The hearts four chambers-the right and left atria ventricles-are separated by the interatrial and interventricular septa.the atria are thin walled, low-pressure chambers that serve primarily as reservoirs for blood flow into the ventricles. The ventricles are formed by muscle fibers that contract to eject blood to the pu...

Introduction to Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Introduction to Psychology - Essay Example This is the essence of implicit memory, namely that it is memory that doesn’t have to be consciously recalled but is immediately available to the thinker. Conversely, explicit memory is an aspect of memory that must be actively engaged. For instance, if one were to attempt to recall what they ate for breakfast or what they did for their twentieth birthday they would have to implement explicit memory, as this is not readily available to the thinker. In addition to explicit and implicit memory, there is also declarative and procedural memory. When considering these aspects of memory, it’s necessary to consider them in relation to the previously articulated concepts of implicit and explicit memory. For instance, declarative memory is memory that is both implicit and explicit in that it contains memories of facts or events. Conversely, procedural memory is understood as memory that is of specific actions or skills. For instance, one the ability to roller skate or to play th e piano are procedural skills that are learned and then added to one’s procedural memory bank. Upon acting out these skills one is then implementing their procedural memory. Within this context of memory it’s noted that it is difficult to recall the declarative aspects of the action. Therefore, the actions are referred to as an aspect of knowledge compilation, such that procedural memories are grouped within this segment of understanding. 2. Define and explain the difference between short-term and long-term memory. In further articulating the nature of memory, researchers have distinguished between both short and long term memory patterns. Related to the concept of short term memory is what scientists refer to as iconic memory. Iconic memory functions by allowing individuals to view a series of images and for a short period of time recollect them in the mind. While iconic memory refers to aspect of short term memory, scientists have also distinguished a category of mem ory called short-term memory. Short-term memory has been articulated not as a particular aspect of the mind that stores memories for a limited period, but rather the function of an individual focusing their cognitive mental energies on a specific icon or memory as a means of recalling it for a short period of time. Within short term memory there are then designated means of recollection. These include rehearsal and chunking techniques that function to allow the individual to focus their cognitive energy in a way that allows them to more remember the information. As there is short term memory, there also exists long-term memory on the opposite end of the spectrum. Within long-term memory is the body of knowledge that individuals ultimately associate with memory, as it is this body of knowledge that is recalled from an individual’s past experiences. In differentiating long-term from short-term memory the main distinguishing element is the nature of the memories storage (Jalomb 2000). In these regards, one can argue that short and long-term memory are not even the same thing, but entirely different mental processes. As described, short-term memory does not consist of a mental storage base, but is rather described as concentrated cognitive mental processing. Conversely, long-term memory actually contains elements of mental storage of which the individual then must implement their implicit or explicit

World Religions Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

World Religions Report - Essay Example It is possible to say that religion or religious inquiry — is something that virtually all people have in common. People have wondered about the meaning of life since Adam was a boy and they interested in this meaning to the present day. In all corners of the world and in all eras of history people have own beliefs, faith in higher power and question if there is anyone or anything â€Å"out there†. We have learned a lot of information about religion and as for me the best way to remember all information and understand its main essence is a personal connection with a real person who will explain major aspects of own religion and show its main advantages. I think that visitation of a real religious site will give me an opportunity to learn much more about chosen religion. Thereby, the main purposes of my paper are to interview person of chosen faith and than compare and contrast this faith with other religion that I was familiar with through my class. I chose Christianity and Islam as religions for my analysis. I think that in the first place it is necessary to remember the definition of concept â€Å"religion† and then it will be easier to talk about different kinds of religions and compare two of them.. According to Asad (1993), the concept ‘religion’ in general meaning â€Å"is a system of human thought which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner’s experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth†. The term â€Å"religion†, however, refers not only to the personal practices that directed to communal faith, but also it refers to different group rituals and communication stemming from shared religious convictions. The notion â€Å"religion† people sometimes use except the word â€Å"faith† and usually these words consider interchangeable variants. I think that there is one big differ ence between them and this difference is caused by the specific behaviors which are the part of religious system. In the beginning of this paragraph it is necessary to mention that all religions are an attempt of man to know the truth of God. Moreover, thinking about Christianity it is possible to suppose that Christianity is not a religion, but it is God’s answer to our questions. Christians believe that the true and full communion with God can be only through appearance of Christ before people. Of course, the ancient mystics and prophets, the Sufis, the Dervishes, the Indian Brahmins - all of them have their own mystical experience and they use it to be in some way closer to God, but all of this is done through human efforts, through human striving upwards. Only in one case, in the case of Christ, God is able to show own appearance before people. This is the single most direct revelation, and therefore salvation in Christ is a unique, and the most profound approaching to Go d. Despite the fact that historical interval between Christianity and Islam is about 600 years (I-VII century AD), Koran includes a lot of information about Christianity, moreover, it includes more than other religions facts about Christianity. It can be explained by the fact that both Christianity and Islam, and even Judaism have the same geographical region at various times - the Middle East; and all of them ( the above mentioned religions) were developed among the peoples of Semitic origin (Jews and Arabs). Comparing Christianity with Islam in the way of their appearance it is necessary to state that Christianity is the second world religions by the time of its occurrence. It originated as a sect of Judaism in I century BC in Palestine. This initial relationship

Tourism And Tourist Behavior In The Past Tourism Essay

Tourism And Tourist Behavior In The Past Tourism Essay Tourism industry is one of worlds fast-growing and gained economic benefits in many countries all around the world. In recent year, technology became important part in many industries particularly the internet in tourism industry. The development of the internet has increased dramatically and many countries in the world have made efforts to improve their internet service. On the demand side, the internet consumer base increases globally every day. Consequently, the use of internet and web technologies is important and is becoming a direct marketing tool for improving the success of a business in the online environment, which is very appropriate to adapt to tourism industry as call e-tourism (Khemthong Roperts, 2006) This paper is presents what are the effects of e-tourism on tourist behavior and how to manage it. It analyzes the role of tourist behavior before and after e-tourism came to Thailand. In addition, discussions on the benefits, disadvantages and trend of e-tourism in the next coming year. Tourism and tourist behavior in the past Tourists behavior involves a consideration of various important issues regarding current tourism trends. Tourism has many factors which can define as Leiper mention thirteen factors and antecedents such as nomadism, travel for trade and business, travel by scholars and scientists, resort tourism migratory and etc. In general, tourism can be defined in behavioral terms as persons who travel away from their normal residential region for a temporary period of at least one night. Their behavior involves a search for leisure experiences from interactions with features or characteristics of places they choose to visit (Leiper, 2004). Referring the Leipers statement, it can be confirmed that understanding tourist consumer behavior is not merely of academic interest but doing so would provide knowledge for effective tourism planning and marketing. Although some writers (e.g. Meethan, 2001; Jelincic, 1999) consider that understanding the behavior of tourism consumers is less important in the globalization era. The study of consumer behavior focuses on how individuals make decisions to spend their available resources (time, money, effort) on consumption-related items (Schiffman and Kanuk, 1997). Individuals and households decide how to spend their free or leisure time in many different ways, including domestic, outbound or inbound. Tourism before technology era, the Second World War, impeded the growth of international tourism even in 1939 fewer than 50 percent of British population spent more than one night away from home. In the inter war period, the cruise liner and air travel led to changing tastes and trend in holiday taking in. in post war, the demand for holiday had increase it seen from growth income, leisure time and opportunities for international travel. These travels cannot happen without tourist demand. The definitions of demand are concerned primarily with the schedule of the amount of any product or service which people e are willing and able to buy at each specific price during a specified period of time (Cooper, 1993). According to Uysal (1998), summarized the determinants of tourism demand as shown in Figure 1. It provides a general context for tourism demand, but does not adequately explain how and why people decide to select and participate in specific form of tourist. Key factor such as age and income are significant determinants of the demand for example, the amount of paid holiday and an individuals or familys income both have an important bearing on demand. Figure 1 Determinations of tourism demand (source: Uysal, 1998) The tourist, many factor to make a decision to serve the demand to travel but before the tourist design to have a trip they have to plan and find the information. Planning generally is concerned with predetermining a course of action to achieve a desired goal (Hayes-Roth Hayes-Roth, 1979) The planning and decision-making processes employed by tourists are complex, as a touring holiday involves assimilating information from many different sources and a continual assessment of options.(Becken Wilson, 2006). In primitive societies, for most people the world beyond home was a scary an unknown place.(Leiper, 2004) In the modern world, radio, TV, book and, to a lesser extent, attendance at schools have provided almost everyone with knowledge of places around the world that might be visited. Moreover, tour operator and travel agent can be a main assistant for tourist. Tour operators are businesses that combine two or more travel services (e.g. transport, accommodation, catering, entertainment, and/or sightseeing) and sell them through travel agencies or directly to final consumers as a single product (package tour). The components of a package tour might be pre-established, or can result from an a la carte procedure, where the visitor decides the combination of services s/he wishes to acquire. A tour operator is often described as an intermediary The principal role of intermediaries is to bring buyers and sellers together, either to create efficiently and thereby to expand market sizeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In all industries the task of intermediaries is to transform goods and services which consumers do not want, to a product that they do want. (Cooper et al. 1998:189) In Thailand, 1393 travel agency available (Association of Thai Travel Agents) and more than 100 books and magazines it shown that many tourist find the information by book or magazine and buy the product and service from travel agency. In the past, travel book (manual) is very popular because is the one of most we can find the information at book store. There is done in every province in Thailand and some country around the world where most Thai people like to visited as well. Moreover, map is another travel material that most tourists have on hand. Another factor that tourist would design to have a trip is experience sharing, this can be a main influence to travel. E-tourism In recent year, the trend of globalization and the advance of information and communication technology, particularly internet play an important role both for consumer and business in tourism industry. The growth rate in tourism have moved much faster than in the overall world economy, and this trend is not expected to slow down in the near future (The European e-Business Report, 2007) As the tourism industry expands globally, the need for expanding the communication networks to connect the customers and service providers has increased. ICTs have been utilized as a mean for communication widely over the past decade in the travel and tourism industry. It has been instrumental in helping the tourism sector to expand its market across the continent and has played a major role in helping the growth of the industry. Moreover, it is leading to a shift from product-oriented organizations to a flexible and responsive market place, where success depends on sensing and responding to rapidly cha nging customer needs, using for delivering the right product, at the right time, at the right price, to the right customer. E-tourism reflects the digitalization of all processes and value chains in the tourism, travel, hospitality and catering industries. The e-tourism concept includes all business functions (e.g. e-Commerce and e-Marketing, e-Finance and e-Accounting, e-HRM, e-Procurement, e-RD and e-Production) as well as e-Strategy, e-Planning and e-Management for all sectors of the tourism industry. As demonstrated in Figure 2, e-tourism bundles together three distinctive disciplines, namely Business IT/IS Tourism Figure 2 The e-tourism concept and e-tourism domains (source: Buhalis, 2003) E-tourism presenting by web, the web is a cost effective means for enterprises in the travel and tourism sector to directly market their offerings to a large customer population across the globe. It is also a very convenient means for the customers to gather information as well as data about the resources, history, social and economic structure of destinations. In this sense certain consumer groups are better equipped to engage in social interaction with locals and use their travel as a educational experience. Research of tourist demand proves that it has become more important for tourists how to spend an unforgettable holiday than where to spend it. Special events have to become a tourist product designed especially for tourists, which is already the case in successful tourist destinations in order to appear different on the market and create or strengthen their image and create a recognizable brand. In such cases the support of web design becomes crucial. (Bevanda, Grzinic Cervar, 2008) In general, tourism and hospitality websites tend to be easy to comprehend with a single level home page. There are different ways in which clients reach the webpage of a tourist facility, like direct access to a certain page, after which one reaches the web page through various advertisements or banners on portals. The picture is one of the most popular to present the product and service because the picture can explain by itself. These are summarized tourism website into two types. One stop service Website developed for use in information, advertising, communication and a system of reserve seats, accommodations and/or transportation. The tourist can find everything in website as one stop service. For example; www.agoda.co.th is online hotel reservation service and providing the lowest available hotel prices in every destination worldwide. www.kaoyai.info is another website that useful for tourist this website specific for who is interesting in Kaoyai and Nakhonratchasima. The website presented the general information, attraction, history, map, restaurant, and accommodation and also booking system for accommodation as well. These websites would help tourist to make a decision easier because the tourist can get the information from text and photo that the owner presented it and then the tourist may decide from these information and reserve it immediately. It is better than other websites that would not have the reservation system on the website because the tourist might change their decision. Advertising Businesses website development should be done with the purpose of providing information only do not have the channel for tourist to make a decision immediately. This website is appropriate with non-profit organization as the government or association such as Tourism Authority of Thailand (www.tourismthailand.org) or Thailand Incentive and Convention (www.tica.or.th). These website shown the general information to guide the tourist make a decision or for tourist knowledge. Moreover blogs and Bulletin boards (www.pantip.com) these are another website that most Thai people like to share their travel experience Advantages and Disadvantages Information technologies have a dramatic impact on the travel industry because they force this sector as a whole to rethink the way in which it organizes its business, its values or norm of behavior and the way in which it educates its workforces (Faulkner, Moscardo Laws, 2001). Tourism is another industry that has the competition intense especially in borderless communication era. Internet is tool condense of world community included businesses and consumers. Most people would use the internet as a communication channel with other people, find the information or do the business. This communication channel is very useful in tourism industry as many business and tourist have interaction in this channel. Marketing is another factor that effected many businesses uses this channel to do marketing with less cost but more efficiency and promote their business as well. This can be a one stop service which can find everything in one place and also comparing quality and price of product as w ell. This is an open source, everyone can access and higher possibility of new customers into the business 24 hours a day. Moreover, the consumers could see the product and service as many times also ask of help immediately by e-mail or call on working hour, it speedily and do not waste time. On the other hand, the internet also has the dark side, it easy to compared price and quality which more competition in the business. The consumer can access the internet at home or everywhere that has signal so they might lazier and forget how to participate like conversation on face to face. On the internet, the business may know the real feedback from their customers. The customer may give the real of not real feedback but how did they know the real feeling without see the face or lesson the voice. In addition, business online has less employee that affected to high unemployed. How tourist behaviors change? Tourist behavior has significantly changed in recent years. Increasing by tourism become much more sophisticated and discovering as they have experienced high levels of service and they enjoy advance of facilities. Tourism become demanding, requesting high quality products and value for both their money and time. Travel reservations are more likely to be made without using a travel agents expertise. The tendency is toward individualism due to the development of new computing techniques and especially through the possibilities of e-business. The technological age is the result of a series of sociocultural changes taking place in advanced societies that parallel postmodernism or post-Fordism (Ioannides Debbage, 1997; Lafferty Van Fossen, 2001; Smeral, 1998). Most people use the internet to search the tourism information and reservation by themselves it seem from internet user in Thailand was increased 12.89 million in 2007 to 16.1 million in 2008 (Nectec, 2009). In hotel industry, th e number of travel customers booked accommodations online in 2007, researched by Tourism International Association (TIA), was 75% which 40% from all leisure and 35% from business travel. We can see that customers, today, prefer to use the internet than book through agencies because of speed, choices and flexibility E-marketing is marketing on the internet, after the world smaller by internet this is the best way to do the marketing it less cost and published quickly. Tourism industry selected this way to promote tourism product to worldwide to increase tourist demand. In fact, it is found that many tourism reliant countries have developed various tourism products such as spas, natural-based resorts, and ecotourism destinations in order to supply the changing tourism demands. In this case, Thailand can be taken as an example. It is found that as a result of a current tourism trend in health-concerned tourism, Thailand has developed many spas and health-based tourism sites to supply the tourists demands (Circle of Asia, 2003). This shows an important of the e-tourism that people around the world can see what Thailand have as well as e-marketing. Moreover, it shows an important role of tourist consumer behavior in developing tourism products. It is possible to say here that understanding tourist c onsumer behavior is very beneficial for developing tourism products in order to supply the tourism demand. How to manage e-tourism? Innovative organization which respond to current and future challenges by designing new processes and adapting to new trends, will take advantage of the emerging opportunities and increase their market share. Corporations need to convert their operations from business functions to business processes, as well as redesign their distribution channels strategy. Even more significantly, this implies changes to long-term planning and strategy. Website is one of the main factors of e-tourism, most visitors to your website need to know and understand your message instantly from the very first page. If not, visitors can leave your site as quickly as they could press a button in their TV remote control. Your site must load quickly and immediately direct your visitors toward your message. Too much information on the opening page of your tourism site can make it appear cluttered and unorganized. As a general rule, keep your message simple and to the point. Moreover, domain name is also important, the name should be easy to remember and relate to your online presence, use your operations name whenever possible. Wed design is involved with customers decision; the graphics can be an important element on a tourism related website. A picture is worth a thousand words, particularly in this industry. Nevertheless, many of the people in your target market will be accessing your site from their computer; their speed connections maybe slow. Thus, the graphics that are too much consuming to download may cause visitors to leave your site before they get a chance to see it. Using your important keywords in your information and in your image tags will improve your ranking in search engines. E-Tourism Trends in Thailand in the next coming year In the future the tourism industrys challenge is to provide increased value for money either through innovation-driven cost reducing changes in production and marketing processes or through product changes providing more varied tourism experiences for quality-conscious and saturated multi-option customer (Weiermair, 2001). Therefore, Thai entrepreneurs have to adapt themselves to the e-tourism environment. First, they have to focus their business to serve niche markets such as trekking tours, eco-tourism, or cultural tourism instead of competing directly with large enterprises for general markets (e.g. air tickets, accommodations, and car rental). Second, they may have to join with large enterprises as subsidiaries to help them handle domestic business or niche products. Third, they must accommodate the special needs of innovative-driven markets such as e-commerce development, customer relationship management, mass customization, product differentiation, and community involvement. Travel agency products are usually sold as packages. Instead of offering only accommodation, they may include flight tickets, transfer fees and sightseeing. But if customers want to buy a package online, they may need to buy separate items and combine them which are not very convenient. These are some of the problems that the experts have noted. The effects of E-Tourism will be felt most seriously by the middlemen which, in this study, are the travel agencies. They need to adapt in order to stay in business. Human resources are also becoming critical for the success of tourism organizations of the future as they will need effective and innovative user of information and communication technology who can lead change in a dynamic and uncertain environment. Conclusion Tourists are defined as persons traveling away from their normal places to other unusual places (Leiper, 2004). Understanding consumer behavior is very useful for developing tourism products. It is also an integral source of information for promoting tourism products and highlights how to sell tourism products particularly in this era, in which the patterns of tourist traveling is highly influenced by global factors such as the mass media (Pembroke, 1996). In short, the study of consumers behavior is solely of not academic interest but it is also substantially beneficial when practicing managers have the need to know and respond to tourists needs and wants correctly.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 38

Damon had stopped and was kneeling behind an enormous broken tree branch. Stefan pul ed both girls to him and caught them so that they al three landed just behind his brother. Elena found herself staring at a very large tree trunk. Stillas big as it was, it was nowhere near as large as she had been expecting. It was true; the four of them certainly couldn't have held hands around it. But in the back of her mind had been lurking images of moons and trees and trunks that were as tal as skyscrapers, in which a star bal could be hidden on any â€Å"floor,†in any â€Å"room.† This was simply a grand oak tree trunk sitting in a sort of fairy circle – perhaps twenty feet in diameter on which no dead leaf had strayed. It was a paler color than the loam they had been running on, and even sparkled in a few places. Overal , Elena was relieved. More, she could even see the star bal . She'd feared – among other things – that it might be up too high to climb, that it might be so entangled with roots or branches that today, certainly after hundreds or even thousands of years, it would be impossible to chop out. But there it was, the greatest star bal that had ever been, ful y the size of a beach bal , and it nestled freely in the first crutch of the tree. Her mind was racing ahead. They'd done it; they'd found the star bal . But how much time would it take to get it back to where Sage was? Automatical y, she glanced at her compass and saw to her surprise that the needle now pointed southwest – in other words, back to the Gatehouse. That was a thoughtful touch of Sage's. And perhaps they didn't have to go through the trials backward; they could simply use their Master Key to go back to Fel ‘s Church, and then†¦Well, Mrs. Flowers would know what to do with it. If it came to that, maybe they could just blackmail Her, whoever She was, to go away forever in exchange for the star bal . Although – could they live with the thought that she might do this again – and again – and again to other towns? Even as she planned, Elena watched the expressions of her comrades: the childlike wonder on Bonnie's heart-shaped face; the keen assessment in Stefan's eyes; Damon's dangerous smile. They were viewing their hard-won reward, at last. But she couldn't look for too long. Things had to be done. Even as they watched, the star bal brightened, showing such bril iant, incandescent colors that Elena was half-blinded. She shielded her eyes just as she heard Bonnie inhaling sharply. â€Å"What?†Stefan asked, a hand in front of his eyes, which, of course were much more sensitive to light than human eyes. â€Å"Someone's using it right now!†Bonnie replied. â€Å"When it went bright like that, it sent out Power! A long, long way out!† â€Å"Things are heating up in what's left of poor old Fel ‘s Church,†said Damon, who was staring intently upward at the branches above him. â€Å"Don't talk about it like that!†Bonnie exclaimed. â€Å"It's our home. And now we can final y defend it!†Elena could practical y see what Bonnie was thinking: families embracing; neighbors smiling at neighbors again; the entire town working to fix the destruction. This is how great tragedies sometimes happen. People with a single goal, yet who are not in sync. Assumptions. Presumptions. And, maybe, most important of al , the failure to sit down and talk. Stefan tried, even though Elena could see that he was Stillblind from the bril iance of the star bal . He said quietly, â€Å"Let's talk this over for a while and brainstorm ways to get it – â€Å" But Bonnie was laughing at him, though not unkindly. She said, â€Å"I can get up there as fast as a squirrel. Al I need is someone strong to catch it when I knock it down. I know I can't climb down with it; I'm not that sil y. Come on, you guys, let's go!† That's how it happened. Different personalities, different modes of thinking. And one laughing, light-headed girl, who didn't have a precognition when it was needed. Elena, who was envying Meredith the fighting stave, didn't even see the beginning. She was watching Stefan, who was blinking rapidly to get his eyesight back. And Bonnie was scrambling as lightly as she had boasted, up on top of the dead tree branch that sheltered them. She even gave them a little laughing salute just before she leaped into the barren, sparkling circle around the tree. Then microseconds stretched infinitely. Elena felt her eyes slowly getting wider, even though she knew they were flying open. She saw Stefan leisurely reach across her to try to twine his fingers around Bonnie's leg, even though she knew that what she was seeing was a lightning-fast grab for the petite girl's ankle. She even heard Damon's instantaneous telepathy: No, little fool! as if he were speaking the words in his accustomed lazy tones of superiority. Then, Stillin slow motion, Bonnie's knees bent and she launched into the air above the circle. But she never touched the ground. Somehow, a black streak, stunningly fast even in the slow-motion horror film that Elena was watching, landed where Bonnie would have landed. And then Bonnie was being thrown, being hurled too fast for Elena's eyes to track, outside of the barren circle and then there was a dul thud – too fast for Elena's mind to track as being Bonnie's landing. Quite clearly, she heard Stefan cry â€Å"Damon!†in a terrible voice. And then Elena saw the thin dark objects – like curving lances – that were already shooting downward. Another thing her eyes couldn't fol ow. When her vision adjusted, she saw that they were long, curved black branches, spaced evenly around the tree like thirty spider legs, thirty long spears that were meant to either imprison someone inside them like the bars of a cel , or to – pin them into the strange sand beneath her feet. â€Å"Pin†was a good word. Elena liked the sound of it. Even as she was staring at the sharp recurved barbs on the branches, meant to keep anything caught by them held permanently in the ground, she was thinking of Damon's annoyance if a shaft had pierced his leather jacket. He would curse at them, and Bonnie would try to pretend he hadn't – and†¦ She was close enough by now to see that it wasn't as simple as that. The branch, which was proper javelin size, had gone through Damon's shoulder, which must hurt like hel , in addition to having splattered a blood drop right at the corner of his mouth. But far more annoying than that was the fact that he had closed his eyes against her. That was how Elena thought of it. He was shutting them out deliberately – maybe because he was angry; maybe because of the pain in his shoulder. But it reminded her of the steel wal feeling she'd gotten the last time she'd tried to touch his mind – and, damn, couldn't he tell he was scaring them? â€Å"Open your eyes, Damon,†she said, flushing, because that was what he wanted her to say. He real y was the greatest manipulator of al . â€Å"Open your eyes, I said!†Now she was real y irritated. â€Å"Don't play possum, because you're not fooling anyone, and we've real y had enough!†She was about to shake him hard when something lifted her into the air, into Stefan's line of vision. Stefan was in pain, but surely not as badly as Damon, so she was looking back to curse Damon when Stefan said harshly, â€Å"Elena, he can't!† For just the tiniest fleeting instant the words sounded like nonsense to her. Not only garbled, but meaningless, like saying someone couldn't stop their appendix from doing – whatever it was an appendix did. That was al the respite that she got, and then she had to deal with what her eyes were showing her. Damon wasn't pinned by his shoulder. He'd been staked, just slightly to the left of center of his torso. Exactly where his heart was. Words drifted back to her. Words that someone had once said – although she couldn't remember who right now. â€Å"You can't kill a vampire so easily. We only die if you stake us through the heart†¦.† Die? Damon die? This was some kind of mistake†¦ â€Å"Open your eyes!†Ã¢â‚¬ Elena, he can't!† But she knew, without knowing how, that Damon wasn't dead. She wasn't surprised that Stefan didn't know it; it was a hum on a private frequency between her and Damon. â€Å"Come on, hurry, give me your axe,†she said, so desperately, and with such an air of knowledge that Stefan handed it over wordlessly, and obeyed when she told him to steady the curving spider-leg branch from above and below. Then with a few quick strokes of the axe she cut through the black branch that was thick enough in circumference that she couldn't have clasped her fingers around it. It was done in a spurt of pure adrenaline, but she knew it awed Stefan and al owed him to let her continue doing it. When she was finished, she had a loose spider-leg branch that drooped back to the tree, anchored to nothing – and something that looked more like a proper stake in Damon. It wasn't until she began pul ing upward on the stake that a horrified Stefan made her stop. â€Å"Elena! Elena, I wouldn't lie to you! This is just what these branches are for. For intruders who are vampires. Look, love – see.†He was showing her another of the spider legs that was anchored in the sand, and the barbs on it. Just like the backward-facing tines of a primitive stone arrowhead. â€Å"These branches are meant to be like this,†Stefan was saying. â€Å"And if you pul ed up on it hard enough, you'd just – just end up pul ing out chunks of – his heart.† Elena froze. She wasn't sure she real y could understand the words – she couldn't al ow herself to, or she might picture it. But it didn't matter. â€Å"I'l destroy it some other way,†she said shortly, looking at Stefan but not able to see the true green of his eyes because of the olive light. â€Å"You wait. Just wait and watch. I'l find a Wings power that wil dissolve this – this – damned abomination.†She could think of many other words to cal the stake, but she had to stay in some sort of control. â€Å"Elena.†Stefan whispered her name as if he could barely get it out. Even in the twilight she could see the tears on his cheeks. He continued, nonverbal y, Elena, look at his closed eyes. This Tree is a vicious killer, with wood like nothing I've ever seen, but I've heard about it. It's†¦it's spreading. Inside him. â€Å"Inside him?†Elena repeated stupidly. Along his arteries and veins – and his nerves – everything connected to his heart. He's – oh, God, Elena, just look at his eyes! Elena looked. Stefan had knelt and gently pul ed up the lids of Damon's eyes and Elena began screaming. Deep in the fathomless pupils that had held endless night skies ful of stars, there was a glimmer – not of starlight, but of green. It seemed to glow with its own hel ish luminescence. Stefan looked at her with agony and compassion. And now, with one gentle pass, Stefan was closing those eyes – forever, she knew he was thinking. Everything had become strange and dreamlike. Nothing made sense anymore. Stefan was careful y laying Damon's head down – he was letting Damon go. Even in her fuzzy world of nonsense Elena knew she could never do that. And then, a miracle happened. Elena heard a voice in her mind that wasn't hers. All this is rather unexpected. I acted, for once, without thinking. And this is my reward. The voice was a hum on their private frequency, Damon's and hers. Elena ripped herself away from Stefan, who was trying to restrain her, and fel , grasping Damon's shoulders with her hands. I knew it! I knew you couldn't be dead! It was only then that she realized that her face was dripping wet, and she used her soft leather sleeve to wipe it. Oh, Damon, you gave me such a scare! Don't you ever, ever do that again! I think I can give my word on that, Damon sent – in different tones than his usual ones – sober but at the same time whimsical. But you have to give me something in return. Yes, of course, Elena said. Just let me get some of my hair off my neck. It worked best like this when Stefan was lying down – when we were carrying him out on his pallet from the prison – Not that, Damon told her. For once, angel, I don't want your blood. I need you to give me your most solemn word that you will try to be brave. If it helps at all, I know that females are better than males at this sort of thing. They're less cowardly at facing – what you have to face now. Elena didn't like the tone of these words. The dizziness that was making her lips numb was traveling al over her body. There was nothing to be brave about. Damon could stand pain. She would find a Wings power that would obliterate al that wood that was poisoning him. It might hurt, but it would save his life. Don't talk to me like that! she snapped harshly, before she could remember to be gentle. Everything had begun to float, and she couldn't even remember why she had to be gentle, but there was a reason. Still, it was difficult, when she was using every ounce of her concentration and strength to search for a Wings power she had never heard of. Purification? Would that take away the wood or would it just leave Damon without his wicked smile? There was no harm in trying it, anyway, and she was getting desperate – because Damon's face was so pale. But even the stance for Wings of Purification eluded her. Suddenly, a huge shudder – a convulsion – went through Damon's entire body. Elena heard broken words behind her. â€Å"Love, love – you real y have to let him go. He's living in – in intolerable pain, just because you're keeping him here,†the voice said, and it was Stefan's. Stefan, who would never lie to her. For just an instant Elena wavered, but then a blazing rage came rushing up through her body. It gave her the strength to cry hoarsely, â€Å"I†¦ won't! I won't ever let him go! Damn you, Damon, you have to fight! Let me help you! My blood – it's special. It'l give you strength. You drink it!† She fumbled for her knife. Her blood was magical. Maybe if she gave enough, it would give Damon the strength to fight off the wooden fibers that were Stillspreading through his body. Elena slashed at her throat. Maybe subconsciously she avoided doing more than nicking her carotid artery, but if so it was entirely subconsciously. She simply reached down, found a metal knife, and with one sweep set the blood to gushing out. Bright red arterial blood, that even in the semi-darkness was the color of hope. â€Å"Here, Damon. Here! Drink this. As much as you want – al you need to heal yourself.†She got into the best position that she could, hearing but not hearing Stefan's horrified gasp behind her at the recklessness of her slashing, not heeding his grip on her. But – Damon didn't drink. Not even the heady blood of his Princess of Darkness – and how did the phrase go? It was like rocket fuel compared to the gasoline found in other girls'veins. Now it just ran out of the sides of his mouth. It flowed onto his pale face, soaking his black shirt and pooling in his leather jacket. No†¦ Damon, Elena sent, please. I'm – begging you. Please. I'm begging you for me, for Elena. Please drink. We can do this – together. Damon didn't move. Blood spil ed into the mouth she'd opened and it fil ed and spil ed out again. It was as if Damon were taunting her, saying, â€Å"You wanted me to give up human blood? Well, I have – forever.† Oh, dear God, please†¦ Elena was dizzier than ever now. Outside events passed dimly around her, like an ocean that only slightly bobbed a person out deep in the swell s. She was entirely focused on Damon. But one thing she did feel. Her bravery – Damon had been wrong about that. Huge sobs were rising from somewhere deep inside her. She had made Stefan let go of her and now she couldn't hold herself up any longer. She fel right on top of her blood and Damon's body. Her cheek fel against his cheek. And his cheek was cold. Even under the blood, it was cold. Elena never knew when the hysterics began. She simply found herself shrieking and sobbing, beating on Damon's shoulders, cursing him. She had never properly cursed him before, not directly to his face. As for the shrieking, that wasn't just a sound. She was once again screaming at him to find some way to fight. And final y, she began the promises. Promises that deep in her heart, she now knew were lies. She was going to find a way to fix him in a moment. She already felt a new Wings power coming to save him. Anything so as to not face the truth. â€Å"Damon? Please?†It was an interlude in the shrieking, when she was talking softly in her new husky, hoarse voice. â€Å"Damon, just do one thing for me. Just squeeze my hand. I know you can do that. Just squeeze one of my hands.† But there was no pressure on either of her hands. Only blood that was turning sticky. And then the miracle happened and she once again heard Damon's voice – very faintly – in her head. Elena? Don't†¦cry, darling. It's not†¦as bad as Stefan said. I don't feel much of anything, except on my face. I†¦feel your tears. No more weeping†¦please, angel. Because of the miracle, Elena steadied herself. He'd cal ed Stefan â€Å"Stefan†and not â€Å"little brother.†But she had other things to think about right now. He could Stillfeel things on his face! This was important information, valuable information. Elena immediately cupped his cheeks with her hands and kissed him on the lips. I just kissed you. I'm kissing you again. Can you feel that? Forever, Elena, Damon said. I'll†¦take that with me. It's part of me now†¦do you see? Elena didn't want to see. She kissed his lips – icy cold – again. And again. She wanted to give him something else. Something good to think about. Damon, do you remember when we first met? At school, after the lights went out, when I was measuring for the Haunted House decorations. I almost let you kiss me then – before I even knew your name – when you just came drifting out of the darkness. Damon surprised her by answering immediately. Yes†¦and you†¦you astonished me by being the first girl I couldn't Influence right away. We had†¦fun together – didn't we? Some good times? We went to a party†¦and we danced together. I'll take that with me too. Through her daze, Elena had one thought. Don't confuse him anymore. They'd gone to that â€Å"party†only to save Stefan's life. She told him, We had fun. You're a good dancer. Imagine us waltzing! Damon sent slowly, fuzzily, I'm sorry†¦I've been so horrible lately. Tell†¦her that. Bonnie. Tell her†¦ Elena steadied herself. I'll tell her. I'm kissing you again. Can you feel me kissing you? It was a rhetorical question, so she got a shock, when Damon only answered slowly and sleepily. Did I†¦take a vow to tell you the truth? Yes, Elena lied instantly. She needed the truth from him. Then†¦no, to be honest†¦I can't. I don't seem to have†¦a body now. It's comfortable and warm, and nothing hurts anymore. And – I almost feel as if I'm not alone. Don't laugh. You're not alone! Oh, Damon, don't you know that? I'll never, ever let you be alone. Elena choked, wondering how to make him believe her. Just for a few more seconds†¦now. Here, she sent in a telepathic whisper, I'll give you my precious secret. I'll never tell anyone else. Do you remember the motel we stayed in on our road trip, and how everyone – even you – wondered what happened that night? A†¦motel? A road trip? He was sounding very unsure now. Oh†¦yes. I remember. And†¦the next morning – wondering. Because Shinichi took your memories, Elena said, hoping that hateful name would revivify Damon. But it didn't. Like Shinichi, Damon was done with the world now. Elena leaned her cheek against his cold and bloody one. I held you, darling, just like this – well, almost like this. All night. That was all you wanted, to not feel alone. There was a long pause and Elena began to panic in the few parts of her that were not numb or already hysterical. But then the words came slowly to her. Thank you†¦Elena. Thank you†¦for telling me your precious secret. Yes, and I'll tell you something even more precious. No one is alone. Not really. No one is ever alone. You're with me†¦so warm†¦nothing to worry about anymore†¦ Nothing more, Elena promised him. And I'll always be with you. No one is alone; I promise it. Elena†¦things are beginning to feel strange now. Not pain. But I have to tell you†¦what I know you already know†¦. How I fell in love with you†¦you'll remember, won't you? You won't forget me? Forget you? How could I ever forget you? But Damon was speaking on and suddenly Elena knew that he couldn't hear her, not even by telepathy anymore. Will you remember? For me? Just that†¦I loved once – just once, really, in my whole life. Can you remember that I loved you? That makes my life†¦worth†¦something†¦ His voice faded. Elena was so dizzy now. She knew she was Stilllosing blood fast. Too fast. Her mind was not sharp. And she was suddenly shaken by a fresh storm of sobbing. At least she would never yel again – there was no one to yel at. Damon had gone away. He had run away without her. She wanted to fol ow. Nothing was real. Didn't he understand? She could not imagine a universe, no matter how many dimensions there were, without a Damon in it. There was no world for her, if there was no Damon. He couldn't do this to her. Neither knowing nor caring what she was doing, she plunged deep, deep into Damon's mind, wielding her telepathy like a sword, slashing at the wooden connections that she found everywhere. And, at last, she found herself plunging into the very deepest part of him†¦where a little boy, the metaphor for Damon's unconscious, had once been loaded with chains and set to guard the great stone that Damon kept his feelings locked in. Oh, God, he must be so frightened, she thought. Whatever the cost, he must not be al owed to go away frightened†¦. Now she saw him. The child-Damon. As always, she could see in the sweetly rounded face, the sharp-cheekboned young man that Damon would become, in the wide black eyes, the potential for his look of fathomless darkness. But although he was not smiling, the child's look was open and welcoming, in a way that Damon's older self had never been. And the chains†¦the chains were gone. The great stone was gone too. â€Å"I knew you'd come,†the boy whispered, and Elena took him into her arms. Easy, Elena told herself. Easy. He's not real. He's what's left of Damon's mind, the deepest part of his hindbrain. But Still, he's even younger than Margaret, and he's just as soft and warm. No matter what, please God, don't let him know what's real y happening to him. But there was knowledge in the wide, dark child eyes that turned up to her face. â€Å"I'm so glad to see you,†he confided. â€Å"I thought that I might never talk to you again. And – he – you know – he left some messages with me. I don't think he could say anything more, so he sent them to me.† Elena understood. If there was anywhere the wood had not reached, it was into this last part of the brain, the most primitive part. Damon Stillcould speak to her – through this infant. But before she could speak herself, she saw that there were tears in the child's eyes and then his body spasmed and he bit his lip very hard – to keep from crying out, she guessed. â€Å"Does it hurt?†she asked, trying to believe that it didn't. Desperate to believe it. â€Å"Not so much.†But he was lying, she realized. Still, he hadn't shed any tears. He had his pride, this child-Damon. â€Å"I have a special message for you,†he said. â€Å"He told me to tel you that he'l always be with you. And that you're never alone. That no one is real y alone.†