This was my thinking as well, plus addressing the ‘solution for those without IT experience’ bit. Search for video/article on removing wireless connectivity hardware, grab your screwdriver and get to work.

Still takes some work, obviously, and a lot of people are scared to void warranties/open up consumer electronics, but from the outside it sounds more straight-forward than futzing about with network settings. IMO worth it if concerned about the connectivity bits, willing to do it and the price is right for the TV as a dumb TV.

Alternatively, use used dumb TVs for as long as you can.

Serious question: How much of a brick risk is opening up one of these smart tvs and ripping out the wifi card? Can’t connect to the internet if you don’t have the hardware to do so.

(Obviously pretty high if legit caveman-style ripping out. Could also be really hard, I have no idea).

Aaand Mill Street is now boycotted.

Illegal in Canada too - if it’s not 20 +/- 0.5 oz, you can’t call it a pint.

Can’t say I see the word ‘pint’ at pubs very often anymore, though.

Something I haven’t thought about in a while: In the early 2000s games where you made a direct connection to the other player without an intervening, third-party server were still a thing. You still see it in things like netplay functionality in emulators.

Is this still a thing at all in 2023? Imagine it would be very niche, but this comment made me curious.

The Matrix comment there gave me a moment of sudden clarity. Literally never considered that interpretation until now.

Pricing for the large scale theatre chains in Canada is similarly brutal.

The only movies I go to now are at the local independent cinema. Cheaper per ticket, membership that gets you access to two free members-only mystery screenings a month, the building itself is fucking gorgeous and I swear they grease their popcorn machine with crack.

Went a long time pretty much swearing off theatres entirely, but COVID gave me a bit of a “You need to support nice things that you want to keep existing” shake, so I’m happy to toss them a couple of bucks for the experience once and a while.