Sideswipe: March 16: Don't paint over Dog

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“Dog has appeared atop Big King, a water tank you can see from Mt Eden Rd,” writes a reader. “For several years an unknown artist or artists have painted some beautiful pictures on the green, boring tank and the Auckland Council paints over them. Please don’t paint over this one, council.”

Students' wrongs put right

Teachers on funny answers from students that technically weren't wrong.

1. I asked, "When is a time you have used integrity?" He wrote down, "I wash my hands after going to the bathroom, even if no one is in there."

2. I was listening to a podcast about swearing, and this guy was saying that his daughter's class would just say "swear word" instead of actually swearing. But since swear words are about context and emotion, the school ended up banning "swear word" because students were using it as an oath.

3. My wife's a teacher. The kids were practising their two-times table and the question asked was along the lines of "John lives in his house with his mum, dad, brother and grandpa. How many total hands do the people in John's house have all together?" The answer they were looking for was 10 and they wanted the students to show that 25=10. This young man instead wrote, "Not enough information. What if someone lost a hand?" He wasn't wrong. My wife just wrote "Good thinking" on his assignment and gave him full credit.

4. I worked in a special needs class for a year and there was the one kid with a textbook case of Asperger's Syndrome. Very bright, very tough nut to crack.
I tried to tell him a corny joke once and he was not having it.
"Why did the chicken cross the road?" "He likely had business over there or was compelled by force." Well, ok. Easily my favorite memory of that class. (Via Reddit)

Morbid birthday to you

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Watercarelessness exposed

"For just on three weeks there has been a water leak bubbling up through a footpath concrete cut in Gills Rd, Bucklands Beach," writes Jim McCutcheon. "This has been going on prior to the heavy rain that we have recently experienced, so last Wednesday I contacted Watercareless to inform them of it. A faintly interested woman, after a search, informed me that it was on the list to repair. When I asked when that would be I was told "at the end of the week, or next week". Save water - bah."

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Cup and glass handling

Ladies, it's important to know the difference between right and wrong.

NOTE: It's from a Woman's Day magazine, I shoulda said, but then all you reverse sexism type wouldn't get to make you brilliant point in the comments. Sheesh.

Video: The cast of Sesame Street delivering great one-liners from famous films...

Got a Sideswipe? Send your pictures, links and anecdotes to Ana at ana.samways@nzherald.co.nz