Daniel is from the past! That would explain why he could not remember why he was crying the first time we saw his flashback watching the news footage of the wreckage.

also why he is having trouble remembering the items that Charlotte was quizzing him on; however, if that is the case, how can he have his notebook with him. Desmond didn't seem to be able to flash with any items he had on, and he looked different.

He has done it so often that he has sustained some kind of brain damage? Like short term memory loss? Couple that with the fact that he never protected his head from the extreme radiation from his experiments.

1. Maybe he learned how to take objects with him, or he has planted objects for himself to find in the future.

2. Good point about the head thing. They definitely made it a point that he did not protect his head.

Considering the fact that he was already trying to figure that "memory time travel" thing BEFORE 1996 (Cause in the 1996 Desmond flashback he already had his machine), it is highly believable that when Desmond came to him in 1996, he found a way to go forward, even tough Des only go back.

On another train of toughts, maybe they are all from the past but I'm not sure that would actually make any sense.

Anyhoo, Daniel Faraday is, from far, the best character in Lost so far. Can't get enough of him!

Considering the fact that he was already trying to figure that "memory time travel" thing BEFORE 1996 (Cause in the 1996 Desmond flashback he already had his machine), it is highly believable that when Desmond came to him in 1996, he found a way to go forward, even tough Des only go back.

Erm, no. Desmond didn't go "back".

2004 Desmond's mind was, for a lack of a better term, stuck in "limbo" throughout most of the episode and was only restored to the corresponding body after the phone call with Penny.

It was 1996 Desmond's mint that kept leaping back and forth between the two time periods (even though this doesn't make much sense either).

Erm, no. Desmond didn't go "back".

2004 Desmond's mind was, for a lack of a better term, stuck in "limbo" throughout most of the episode and was only restored to the corresponding body after the phone call with Penny.

It was 1996 Desmond's mint that kept leaping back and forth between the two time periods (even though this doesn't make much sense either).

Yep - the Des in the episode was 1996 Des.

I wonder will we now see our Des back or has he now 'Lost' his memories of all that has happened to him since 1996?

Erm, no. Desmond didn't go "back".

2004 Desmond's mind was, for a lack of a better term, stuck in "limbo" throughout most of the episode and was only restored to the corresponding body after the phone call with Penny.

It was 1996 Desmond's mint that kept leaping back and forth between the two time periods (even though this doesn't make much sense either).
Exactly. What I'd like to know is WHERE 2004 Desmond's conciousness was during all that time? Was it wondering in a place around the island's zone? Some sort of Mind Horizon?
Then I wonder how that might relate to the whispers and to Jacob...

Daniel's memory is shot because he didn't protect his head from the radiation. He seemed to have an excellent memory back in 1996 and was very proud of that.

I think Desmond is back for good, to stay in 2004. He found his constant and he is cured of the "amnesia". At the end, when he said Sayid's name, he said it like he finally remembered who and where he was.