Qatar steals cloud idea from The Simpsons

Uranus1
By Uranus1

The head of mechanical and industrial engineering at Qatar University announced plans this week to develop an "artificial cloud" that will be positioned in the sky to provide shade and help reduce the heat in stadiums for the 2022 World Cup. The incredible plan has made news around the world with many wondering how Qatar University could come up with such a fantastical concept. Well, it didn't. The Simpsons did.

In the legendary two-part 1995 episode entitled "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" nefarious power plant owner C. Montgomery Burns devises a plan to create a giant shield that will block the sun and keep Springfield in perpetual darkness. Springfield's wacky residents soon turn on Mr. Burns and the mystery of his shooting ensues. So, as Globoesporte points out, while Qatar may have added their own twist by making the artificial cloud remote controlled, the core idea is clearly ripped from a 16-year-old cartoon.

Even the idea of ripping off this idea isn't original, though. In 2002, South Park did an entire episode called "The Simpsons Already Did It" where Butters a.k.a. Professor Chaos plots to build a large structure to block out the sun (video clip here). But even Butters realizes the it isn't worth building once he's told that The Simpsons already did it. Apparently Qatar hasn't gotten that far yet.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Qatar-stole-its-ar...

By anonymous• 27 Mar 2011 10:57
anonymous

Homer Simpson is man in charge of WC 2022

By anonymous• 27 Mar 2011 10:00
anonymous

I don't understand the need for the remote-controlled artificial cloud. Wouldn't a folding roof do?

By ReninGeorge• 27 Mar 2011 09:50
ReninGeorge

The Simpsons did almost everything mann.... they been broadcasting for years...Simpsons Rockzz :)

By Suhail Shaker• 27 Mar 2011 09:26
Suhail Shaker

If it is doable, then it doesn't matter if it was a cartoon idea,...

By shaz_341• 27 Mar 2011 09:10
shaz_341

So what ?

By anonymous• 27 Mar 2011 09:07
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

I heard that they are going to have huge helium balloons which are movable with remotes. Each balloon will cost approximately 2 million Qatari Riyals.

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