Board Thread:Site Problems and Appearance/@comment-8161155-20150307131208/@comment-11643042-20150311023750

AbercrombieFizzwidget wrote: The twins are turning 13 at the end of the series. Since they were born c. 1999, this proves the 2012 debacle. No. The wiki says they were born in 1999 because we know the kids are turning 13 at the end of the summer, and we believe the series takes place in 2012. You're using that date to prove that the series takes place in 2012. You are using two arguments to support each other. That's called circular reasoning and it doesn't work.

A writing trick I've noticed among shows, movies, etc. that mention years in the distant future or past is that they like to keep the differences round. For example, if it's in 2012, the writers would make Blendin Blandin come from the year 20-snyeventy-12 because the difference is a round number. Same with 1982 and 3012 (the end of the world). If it's in 2013, the year 1863 (when Northwest supposedly founded the town) would be exactly 150 years ago. I personally believe it's 2012, but I could be wrong.

I say, leave well enough alone. The dates do say c. at the beginning, which stands for circa, which means approximately. We're close enough.