[HPforGrownups] Re: Dumbledore's age

[Random832]

No: HPFGUIDX 176638

Cathy Drolet wrote:
> Renee:
> Then this is probably not going to help: If DD died at the end of
> Harry's sixth year, 1996 ought to be 1997.  
> 
> 
> Yes, Renee, I caught that too, but I just can't keep up with all of her mistakes in time to
> send one e-mail to the list.  It is absolutely nuts.  If I was that bad in math (and I probably am
> close) and was writing a book that depended upon mathematical formulas, birthdates, etc., I would
> have at least one person close to me who was very, very good at math, double and triple checking
> everything I wrote.

Why not just NOT write a book that depends on mathematical formulas, 
birthdates, etc.? I'm a bit confused with your assertion that the HP 
series _does_ to any significant extent depend on such things.

The reason it gets so much emphasis in fandom is because it's easy - 
every amateur critic can jump in and look up the full moons for 1993, or 
days of the week, or where mars was, and they can provide hard PROOF for 
how this is a mistake, so no-one can argue with them like they can for 
ships or snape or anything else. It's a cheap shot. Put simply, it's lame.

To a lesser extent, so do arguments based on the interview quotes. So is 
it any surprise that we see those issues get so much play on forums nad 
lists like this one?