Know a few people with surface pro. I did want one, but not so much any more. Failure rate can be high, keyboard not for everyone.
Consider a Lenovo thinkpad, the E490 looks a good deal
https://www.lenovo.com/nz/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-edge/E490/p/20N8CTO1WWENNZ3/customize?
It's as close to a consensus as you can get in here 
. Dollars to doughnuts there are some major upsets and the finishing order looks nothing like this
Blues balls?
Sanders
Chiefs
Blues
Canes
Landers
@chimoaus said in Student Loans:
@Bovidae said in Student Loans:
This piqued my interest:
In 2018, overdue student loan debt was $1.5 billion, with overseas-based borrowers owing 91 per cent of that.
Clearly those overseas-based people who are paying back their student loans are a very small minority.
What would be interesting is how many of those 91% want to return to NZ but their debt is so overwhelming they choose to ignore it. So instead of the scheme keeping talent in NZ it may actually be keeping it out.
Remember if they come back, it goes interest free. So probably not many
@Toddy said in Blues 2020:
What did Hansen say that was bad? Or was it just that he was singled out?
**"It's the same problem he's always had," said the All Blacks coach. "He came into the season probably not as fit as he could have been, and played every game for the Blues at the same time as trying to get fit.
"He's a tired athlete. Did we see the best of him? I don't think we did in Super Rugby and other people played particularly well and put themselves in front of him."
"We know what's under the surface but we just need him to take ownership of that and turn up and say 'I'm in'. Once he does that I'm sure he'll get selected one day.
"At the moment he hasn't done that. You can only lead a horse to water – you can't make it drink. He's got to decide to get thirsty."**
@Rembrandt said in Student Loans:
What I'd love to see is some sort of financial literacy being covered in highschool so at least 17 year olds without decent guidance might have a fighting chance...that's not to say I would have listened at the time but at least then I wouldn't have any sympathy now.
Holy crap, this! Compounding interest should be drilled into people's heads - the terms some folk sign up for absolutely bamboozle me.
@taniwharugby said in Blues 2020:
my comments above re 'mentally weak' relate to the fact we were lead to believe Akira knew where he stood, knew what he needed to do, but wasnt able to do what was required and then was distraught when he didnt make the RWC squad?
Sometimes people need a real wakeup call. Aaron Smith, Waisake Naholo - neither shone in the Blues wider training group/team. It took getting dropped to really turn them into stars. You never know, the same may happen to Akira.
I disagree with @Tim; I don't think Steve H went for character assassination (and comparing someone to Jerome makes it pretty clear how highly they regard him). I think he was just frustrated at not getting through, and wanted to try and get the kick up the arse that Akira needed. The worrying thing for me is that Akira has gone backwards in the last few years. He's got all the gifts to be a global superstar, IF he can get his head right. Kind of like Peter Saili, Sione Lauaki ....
@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2020:
@Nepia said in Blues 2020:
@KiwiMurph I'm such an old man I don't know what those emojis/pics/whatever they're called mean.
I imagine it means "A bit of food for thought"
thanks, I read it as a bit of bread and eggs for something. Now I feel old.
@voodoo said in Student Loans:
Why on earth should somebody pay a PENALTY to work overseas? That's so small-minded, I'm just staggered.
At the time, Labour wanted graduates to stay in NZ. Presumably it's economic activity they want - but the only-in-NZ-no-interest was there from the start.
Personally, I'd have a happy medium of lower interest for student loans, and leave the rest alone. Something like 2-3% makes a massive difference to the cost, incentivises payback, but isn't as crippling as the 7-10% that floated about for a few years.
@Mokey said in Alternative needed from the absolute crap of stuff.co.nz:
@voodoo Your point is stupid. Those who remain in NZ are contributing to the government and economy via taxes (PAYE, GST etc) those who leave contribute nothing. Why should they get the same benefit?
from 2005
Why are you keeping interest for students when they go overseas?
We want to encourage as many graduates as possible to stay in New Zealand. If
graduates are working here and making repayments on their loans, it is in our
interest to reward that.
How will you ensure that graduates who are overseas will pay back their
loans?
There will be financial penalties for people who go overseas and do not make
payments. We are offering an amnesty on penalties to graduates who return to
NZ in 2006 or who enter into acceptable payment arrangements with IRD for
repayment.
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/Student support information.pdf