1. When I was talikng about not needing to explain every little inconsistency with an "in-universe" explanation, I was only talking about minor things such as the inconsistent look of Klingons over the years -- I don't know how you can connect that argument with all of those other items.
Because you're trying to connect the change in Worf's appearance as being fine with the change in, well,
everything being ok just because of when the movie is being produced. I've noticed that there are no degrees with apologists.
2. The ship looks different because this film is being made in 2008.
No, it looks different because JJ Abrams thought it would be cool to redesign the ship to look like crap instead of staying true to form and updating where necessary in order to modernize and more more believable. Instead he went for a pulp '50s look. Yet I've noticed all you bitching about how the '60s are dated somehow even though no one I've seen here has been arguing for a return to the plastic and plywood look of the '60s.
There is no in-universe explanation required there either.
Yes, it's so much easier to suspend disbelief when no effort is given to explain why something would be radically different from what's supposed to be the same thing.
I'm perfectly OK with updating the aesthetics without needing to explain it on-screen. I have an imagination; if this film tells me it's the same ship, then I can imagine it being the same ship.
That just means you can suspend your disbelief much more easily than people who are complaining. Oh, and styling the ship after cars of the '50s and movie sets from the '70s isn't updating the design.
I would have rather the bridge architecture look more like the TOS bridge (in a basic sort of way), but what I want doesn't really matter that much (except, of course, I want a good movie...that matters.)
And for people who actually care that's part of what goes into making it "good".
3. The ages seem pretty close to me. Chris Pine is about 2 or 3 years younger than his character, and that's close enough.
He looks 12.
I can imagine him being the right age.
And I can imagine Wesley Crusher as a moody teenager with discipline problems and authority issues being given command of the Enterprise because a couple people like him for whatever reason.
Quinto is the perfect age.
He's ok, but I would've went with Adrian Brody, personally.
Urban is actually closer to the age McCoy was supposed to be than De Kelley was (TOS never outright said McCoy's age, but TNG and hints from TOS set McCoy's age to be about 6 to 8 years more than Kirk).
He's ok, too, but I would've gone with someone else whose name I can't think of off hand.
Pegg's age is perfect. Zoe Saldana is about the same age as Nichelle Nichols was at the start of TOS. John Cho is a bit old, but he looks young.
Same issue as with McCoy, but casting isn't a huge deal with the exception of Pine as Kirk.
Yelchin's age is perfect.
Except he looks 12, too.
4. The question as to are they where they should be career-wise is an interesting one. I'm not sure how this will all work out, but I'm willing to wait and see the film to decide whether or not this aspect of Abrams'/Orci's/Kurtzman's story makes sense.
Having a cadet with discipline problems who isn't even done with the Academy yet end up in command of a large ship with a large crew doesn't make much sense, let along the jump in 6 grades that goes along with it.