The crash was in September 2004. The freighter had a 2004 calender. Desmond called Penny on Christmas Eve 2004. Charlie had a real time connection from the Looking Glass to Penny. The Losties have been on Island for a little over three months.

But, to get on/off Island you need to pass a time barrier? Is it the mind only that makes the jump, not the body?

Imagine the barrier as a bubble. Now, divide the bubble into sections. One section maybe 31 minutes (rocket) another section may be a day and a half (helicopter). That could mean you could pass through a section that took 10 years to pass through. Now to the person passing through it would be instantanious. Now to the outside world AND the island you would be gone, paused in time/space, if you will. If you left the island in 2004, you would be paused to everyone and then in 2014 you would appear again. You would think it was 2004 and not have any idea how 10 years went by.

This could easily explain Richard not visually aging between meeting young Ben and older Ben. This may explain taller, older Walt but I'm not sure. I think it would actually work the other way around, like Walt could stay 10 years old, 50 years from now. I don't know, but it definately explains Richard!

When Charlie spoke/saw penny from the Looking Glass she knew nothing of the boat. But Minowski told Desmond that he had radio calls from Penny, what's up?
100%
So if Penny had said "what boat" and Minkowski had said he had radio contact with her, which boat was he on when he spoke to her and in what time was his mind in?

Also, whay does Faraday always wear a tie?