Penang Bridge Traffic info via SMS

While crossing the Bridge this morning, staff gave out little bookmarks re the launching of the "Online Traffic Information Management System" (OTIM) via SMS; thought I'd share it...

SMS:
(to Penang) OTIM kepen OR OTIM topen
(to Seberang Perai) OTIM keprai OR OTIM toprai

to one of these numbers: 012 344 6900; 013 388 3131; 016 339 0999

I gave it a try and here's what I received:

OTIM
CODE:toprai
DEST:To Seberang Perai
INFO:Bayan Baru=Clear; Udini=Clear; Main Span=Clear; Juru=Clear; Seberang Jaya=Clear
[Estimated time travel on the bridge: 15 minutes]>
Drive carefully & wishing you a safe journey!

Mmm, cool. I hope this one doesn't break down ever!

S.H.E. 中国话

谨此将这首歌，献给所有看不起中文，看不起华校生，看不起会说中文的人的人们。

中国话
唱：S.H.E.
曲：郑楠 词：郑楠／施人诚

伦敦玛莉莲 买了件旗袍送妈妈
莫斯科的夫司基 爱上牛肉面疙瘩
各种颜色的皮肤 各种颜色的头发
嘴里念的说的开始流行中国话
多少年我们苦练英文发音和文法
这几年换他们卷著舌头学平上去入的变化
平平仄仄平平仄 (仄仄平平仄仄平)
好聪明的中国人 好优美的中国话

扁担宽 板凳长
扁担想绑在板凳上
板凳不让扁担绑在板凳上
扁担偏要绑在板凳上
板凳偏偏不让扁担绑在那板凳上
到底扁担宽还是板凳长
哥哥弟弟坡前坐
坡上卧著一只鹅
坡下流著一条河
哥哥说 宽宽的河
弟弟说 白白的鹅
鹅要过河 河要渡鹅
不知是那鹅过河
还是河渡鹅

全世界都在学中国话
孔夫子的话 越来越国际化
全世界都在讲中国话
我们说的话 让世界都认真听话

纽约苏珊娜 开了间禅风Lounge Bar
柏林来的沃夫冈 拿胡琴配著电吉他
各种颜色的皮肤 各种颜色的头发
嘴里念的说的开始流行中国话

有个小孩叫小杜
上街打醋又买布
买了布 打了醋
回头看见鹰抓兔
放下布 搁下醋
上前去追鹰和兔
飞了鹰 跑了兔
洒了醋 湿了布
嘴说腿 腿说嘴
嘴说腿 爱跑腿
腿说嘴 爱卖嘴
光动嘴 不动腿
光动腿 不动嘴
不如不长腿和嘴
到底是那嘴说腿 还是腿说嘴

折纸 Origami

I know of at least one reader of this blog who'll click on this link: Star Wars Origami.

其他较合我口味的折纸：

• Joseph Wu's Origami
• Origami Database
• WannaLearn: Origami
• British Origami Society
  

News about the Bridge Closure

News story about the Penang Bridge closure in International Herald Tribune

Another official of the Penang Bridge Sdn. Bhd. ... said it was not immediately clear how badly traffic had been affected because of the move.

[Insert 10 expletives of your choice here]

Not immediately clear. Not immediately clear? NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR???? Holy schmolly, didn't you even try putting your head out the window?!?!!?! Wait, I thought you even had a real time camera trained on various spots on the Penang Bridge and roads leading to it!!

Update on 5 April: A more coherent story from the Star. I'd say for a very possible bomb threat, 2.5 hours closure was quite short. Well done. (...or is it the low-M'sian-expectation bar at work again?)

Bomb Scare on Penang Bridge

...So I left the lab at 5.10pm. So the bridge was closed to traffic. D*mn.

So I turned off and headed towards the ferry terminal. I mean, inched towards the ferry terminal.

7.40pm I'm finally in front of the LHDN building!!!

7:50pm D*mnd*mnd*mnd*mn they closed off the junction to turn right into the ferry terminal!! More pileup to endure, arrgh!

8:05pm Sara SMS'ed me back and seems that the bridge was re-opened.

8:07pm Mom called, she heard on the news that they received a report about a BOMB on the bridge, hence the closure earlier.

8:20pm THAT'S IT I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!

So I turned off towards Pulau Tikus and got past Penang GH and turned towards Bayan Lepas, to get to the bridge via Green Lane.

9:20pm Woo-hoo!! Butterworth!! Roti Telur dinner at Zamrud@Raja Uda!!

...but I still don't know if there was really a bomb. And I'm not in the mood to listen to news on the TV right now. Well I guess I'll read all about it in the morning.

鸟语花香