The Lost Lowdown

Horace tells Locke that he has been dead for 12 years. We know from Ben's flashback last season that Horace dies in the purge. This means the purge was 12 years ago. Danielle's ship showed up 16 years ago. So her ship of people showed up when Dharma was functional. Did they never run into Dharma. Also, we're to believe that Ben took Alex four years prior to the purge? Wouldn't his dad have wondered were he got the baby? Did Alex hang out with the others until after the purge?

Rousseau is a liar.

I agree with you that there are problems with Rousseau's story (although I think she's just crazy rather than lying). But wouldn't it seem like that part of her story -- her claim to have arrived on the island 16 years ago -- is supported by the fact that Alex is a teenager rather than a 12 year old? Tania Raymonde (the actress who plays Alex) is 20 years old, so if there's going to be an inaccuracy in Rousseau's story, it makes more sense that she has actually been on the island longer than she claims... It may be that "time" may be the problem here. Groan.

I'm not necessarily saying that she didn't arrive on the island 16 years ago. I'm just thinking that maybe her relationship with the Others and Dharma was different than what she told us. What if she joined the Others and than got banished for some reason?
There could be a lot of things other than how long she's been on the island that she could be lying about. When we see the Rousseau flashback in season 5 I guarantee there well be a few twists and surprises. I agree there might also be something going on with time, but it's only part of her story.

wasn't it sayid that figured out that the transmission had been repeating for 16 years? i recall a dumbstruck rousseau, "has it been thatlong?" when sayid told her how long the transmission had been looping.