Why does Homer handle a rod of uranium in the opening?











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In The Simpsons opening Homer handles a rod of uranium, that he gets rid of while commuting to home afterward. However, as he works as a safety inspector, it doesn't seem to be part of his work responsibility to deal with uranium directly. Is there any explanation why he does that?










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  • 7




    events in the opening aren't canon anyway ;)
    – NKCampbell
    Nov 15 at 22:32








  • 4




    @NKCampbell [citation needed] -- I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious what your basis for the statement is.
    – KlaymenDK
    Nov 16 at 21:01






  • 4




    Is there any explanation why he wouldn't do that? Homer hasn't generally been shown to be an extremely competent Nukulur Safety Inspector. ...or an extremely competent anything (so long as that Crayon is in his nose anyways).
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 16 at 21:48










  • Also neither do actual nuclear power plants have any nuclear fuel rods in this form, nor do they handle the nuclear fuel in this way, nor does the nuclear fuel glow green. The entire scene is a combination of silly clichés.
    – Loong
    Nov 17 at 10:23










  • Why wouldn't it be a plutonium rod, and why couldn't it just be a stray one?
    – amI
    Nov 18 at 6:09















up vote
36
down vote

favorite
6












In The Simpsons opening Homer handles a rod of uranium, that he gets rid of while commuting to home afterward. However, as he works as a safety inspector, it doesn't seem to be part of his work responsibility to deal with uranium directly. Is there any explanation why he does that?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Aleksandr Medvedev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 7




    events in the opening aren't canon anyway ;)
    – NKCampbell
    Nov 15 at 22:32








  • 4




    @NKCampbell [citation needed] -- I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious what your basis for the statement is.
    – KlaymenDK
    Nov 16 at 21:01






  • 4




    Is there any explanation why he wouldn't do that? Homer hasn't generally been shown to be an extremely competent Nukulur Safety Inspector. ...or an extremely competent anything (so long as that Crayon is in his nose anyways).
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 16 at 21:48










  • Also neither do actual nuclear power plants have any nuclear fuel rods in this form, nor do they handle the nuclear fuel in this way, nor does the nuclear fuel glow green. The entire scene is a combination of silly clichés.
    – Loong
    Nov 17 at 10:23










  • Why wouldn't it be a plutonium rod, and why couldn't it just be a stray one?
    – amI
    Nov 18 at 6:09













up vote
36
down vote

favorite
6









up vote
36
down vote

favorite
6






6





In The Simpsons opening Homer handles a rod of uranium, that he gets rid of while commuting to home afterward. However, as he works as a safety inspector, it doesn't seem to be part of his work responsibility to deal with uranium directly. Is there any explanation why he does that?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Aleksandr Medvedev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











In The Simpsons opening Homer handles a rod of uranium, that he gets rid of while commuting to home afterward. However, as he works as a safety inspector, it doesn't seem to be part of his work responsibility to deal with uranium directly. Is there any explanation why he does that?







plot-explanation the-simpsons






share|improve this question









New contributor




Aleksandr Medvedev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Aleksandr Medvedev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Nov 16 at 6:39









Ankit Sharma

69.1k58360567




69.1k58360567






New contributor




Aleksandr Medvedev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked Nov 15 at 17:05









Aleksandr Medvedev

295126




295126




New contributor




Aleksandr Medvedev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Aleksandr Medvedev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Aleksandr Medvedev is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 7




    events in the opening aren't canon anyway ;)
    – NKCampbell
    Nov 15 at 22:32








  • 4




    @NKCampbell [citation needed] -- I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious what your basis for the statement is.
    – KlaymenDK
    Nov 16 at 21:01






  • 4




    Is there any explanation why he wouldn't do that? Homer hasn't generally been shown to be an extremely competent Nukulur Safety Inspector. ...or an extremely competent anything (so long as that Crayon is in his nose anyways).
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 16 at 21:48










  • Also neither do actual nuclear power plants have any nuclear fuel rods in this form, nor do they handle the nuclear fuel in this way, nor does the nuclear fuel glow green. The entire scene is a combination of silly clichés.
    – Loong
    Nov 17 at 10:23










  • Why wouldn't it be a plutonium rod, and why couldn't it just be a stray one?
    – amI
    Nov 18 at 6:09














  • 7




    events in the opening aren't canon anyway ;)
    – NKCampbell
    Nov 15 at 22:32








  • 4




    @NKCampbell [citation needed] -- I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious what your basis for the statement is.
    – KlaymenDK
    Nov 16 at 21:01






  • 4




    Is there any explanation why he wouldn't do that? Homer hasn't generally been shown to be an extremely competent Nukulur Safety Inspector. ...or an extremely competent anything (so long as that Crayon is in his nose anyways).
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 16 at 21:48










  • Also neither do actual nuclear power plants have any nuclear fuel rods in this form, nor do they handle the nuclear fuel in this way, nor does the nuclear fuel glow green. The entire scene is a combination of silly clichés.
    – Loong
    Nov 17 at 10:23










  • Why wouldn't it be a plutonium rod, and why couldn't it just be a stray one?
    – amI
    Nov 18 at 6:09








7




7




events in the opening aren't canon anyway ;)
– NKCampbell
Nov 15 at 22:32






events in the opening aren't canon anyway ;)
– NKCampbell
Nov 15 at 22:32






4




4




@NKCampbell [citation needed] -- I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious what your basis for the statement is.
– KlaymenDK
Nov 16 at 21:01




@NKCampbell [citation needed] -- I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just curious what your basis for the statement is.
– KlaymenDK
Nov 16 at 21:01




4




4




Is there any explanation why he wouldn't do that? Homer hasn't generally been shown to be an extremely competent Nukulur Safety Inspector. ...or an extremely competent anything (so long as that Crayon is in his nose anyways).
– BruceWayne
Nov 16 at 21:48




Is there any explanation why he wouldn't do that? Homer hasn't generally been shown to be an extremely competent Nukulur Safety Inspector. ...or an extremely competent anything (so long as that Crayon is in his nose anyways).
– BruceWayne
Nov 16 at 21:48












Also neither do actual nuclear power plants have any nuclear fuel rods in this form, nor do they handle the nuclear fuel in this way, nor does the nuclear fuel glow green. The entire scene is a combination of silly clichés.
– Loong
Nov 17 at 10:23




Also neither do actual nuclear power plants have any nuclear fuel rods in this form, nor do they handle the nuclear fuel in this way, nor does the nuclear fuel glow green. The entire scene is a combination of silly clichés.
– Loong
Nov 17 at 10:23












Why wouldn't it be a plutonium rod, and why couldn't it just be a stray one?
– amI
Nov 18 at 6:09




Why wouldn't it be a plutonium rod, and why couldn't it just be a stray one?
– amI
Nov 18 at 6:09










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
75
down vote



accepted










Homer's first job was actually not a Nuclear Safety Inspector. He was a "nuclear technician" or "technical supervisor" (No one really knows. Not even him). In S01E03, he is fired from this job. He eventually becomes a "safety crusader" after witnessing all the safety violations the plant commits. Mr. Burns re-hires him as a safety inspector to shut him up.



That part of the opening sequence has been unchanged for the entire span of the show. What you're actually seeing is Homer at his original "Nuclear Technician" job before he became a safety inspector.






share|improve this answer

















  • 4




    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey_(The_Simpsons)
    – Paulie_D
    Nov 15 at 17:23






  • 25




    (It's spelled "Nukulur") :P
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 15 at 21:15






  • 2




    I thought he was a supervising technician? (as opposed to nucular technician)
    – colmde
    Nov 16 at 7:59






  • 4




    @colmde I think the joke was his job was so meaningless that nobody actually knew what it was.
    – DeeV
    Nov 16 at 13:41






  • 9




    @Studoku Technical supervising assistant to the assistant supervising technician.
    – R.M.
    Nov 16 at 15:19


















up vote
22
down vote













DeeV answered it quite well but one more update it's not even rod of uranium but a carbon rod. And to be accurate Inanimate carbon rod.



There were two such rods prominent in the show as detailed in linked wikia. And it shows he is less valuable to the plant than an inanimate object and also during NASA mission history repeat itself.



And he did use to work in Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, so having a carbon rod is not so strange especially when you envy it so much.






share|improve this answer



















  • 27




    To be even more accurate: an animated inanimate carbon rod.
    – T.J. Crowder
    Nov 16 at 10:46






  • 3




    @T.J.Crowder Whereas, if I drew such a rod in the style of The Simpsons, it would be an imitated animated inanimate rod.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 16 at 19:11






  • 3




    The rod in the opening appears to be glowing, while the inanimate carbon rod pictured in the wiki article does not seem to be. Are we sure they're the same thing?
    – Zach Lipton
    Nov 17 at 3:51






  • 5




    @ZachLipton Fuel rods don't glow either.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 17 at 11:41










  • They do if underwater, Cherenkov radiation and all...
    – Drunken Code Monkey
    Nov 18 at 12:58



















2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
75
down vote



accepted










Homer's first job was actually not a Nuclear Safety Inspector. He was a "nuclear technician" or "technical supervisor" (No one really knows. Not even him). In S01E03, he is fired from this job. He eventually becomes a "safety crusader" after witnessing all the safety violations the plant commits. Mr. Burns re-hires him as a safety inspector to shut him up.



That part of the opening sequence has been unchanged for the entire span of the show. What you're actually seeing is Homer at his original "Nuclear Technician" job before he became a safety inspector.






share|improve this answer

















  • 4




    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey_(The_Simpsons)
    – Paulie_D
    Nov 15 at 17:23






  • 25




    (It's spelled "Nukulur") :P
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 15 at 21:15






  • 2




    I thought he was a supervising technician? (as opposed to nucular technician)
    – colmde
    Nov 16 at 7:59






  • 4




    @colmde I think the joke was his job was so meaningless that nobody actually knew what it was.
    – DeeV
    Nov 16 at 13:41






  • 9




    @Studoku Technical supervising assistant to the assistant supervising technician.
    – R.M.
    Nov 16 at 15:19















up vote
75
down vote



accepted










Homer's first job was actually not a Nuclear Safety Inspector. He was a "nuclear technician" or "technical supervisor" (No one really knows. Not even him). In S01E03, he is fired from this job. He eventually becomes a "safety crusader" after witnessing all the safety violations the plant commits. Mr. Burns re-hires him as a safety inspector to shut him up.



That part of the opening sequence has been unchanged for the entire span of the show. What you're actually seeing is Homer at his original "Nuclear Technician" job before he became a safety inspector.






share|improve this answer

















  • 4




    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey_(The_Simpsons)
    – Paulie_D
    Nov 15 at 17:23






  • 25




    (It's spelled "Nukulur") :P
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 15 at 21:15






  • 2




    I thought he was a supervising technician? (as opposed to nucular technician)
    – colmde
    Nov 16 at 7:59






  • 4




    @colmde I think the joke was his job was so meaningless that nobody actually knew what it was.
    – DeeV
    Nov 16 at 13:41






  • 9




    @Studoku Technical supervising assistant to the assistant supervising technician.
    – R.M.
    Nov 16 at 15:19













up vote
75
down vote



accepted







up vote
75
down vote



accepted






Homer's first job was actually not a Nuclear Safety Inspector. He was a "nuclear technician" or "technical supervisor" (No one really knows. Not even him). In S01E03, he is fired from this job. He eventually becomes a "safety crusader" after witnessing all the safety violations the plant commits. Mr. Burns re-hires him as a safety inspector to shut him up.



That part of the opening sequence has been unchanged for the entire span of the show. What you're actually seeing is Homer at his original "Nuclear Technician" job before he became a safety inspector.






share|improve this answer












Homer's first job was actually not a Nuclear Safety Inspector. He was a "nuclear technician" or "technical supervisor" (No one really knows. Not even him). In S01E03, he is fired from this job. He eventually becomes a "safety crusader" after witnessing all the safety violations the plant commits. Mr. Burns re-hires him as a safety inspector to shut him up.



That part of the opening sequence has been unchanged for the entire span of the show. What you're actually seeing is Homer at his original "Nuclear Technician" job before he became a safety inspector.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered Nov 15 at 17:23









DeeV

2,59811015




2,59811015








  • 4




    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey_(The_Simpsons)
    – Paulie_D
    Nov 15 at 17:23






  • 25




    (It's spelled "Nukulur") :P
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 15 at 21:15






  • 2




    I thought he was a supervising technician? (as opposed to nucular technician)
    – colmde
    Nov 16 at 7:59






  • 4




    @colmde I think the joke was his job was so meaningless that nobody actually knew what it was.
    – DeeV
    Nov 16 at 13:41






  • 9




    @Studoku Technical supervising assistant to the assistant supervising technician.
    – R.M.
    Nov 16 at 15:19














  • 4




    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey_(The_Simpsons)
    – Paulie_D
    Nov 15 at 17:23






  • 25




    (It's spelled "Nukulur") :P
    – BruceWayne
    Nov 15 at 21:15






  • 2




    I thought he was a supervising technician? (as opposed to nucular technician)
    – colmde
    Nov 16 at 7:59






  • 4




    @colmde I think the joke was his job was so meaningless that nobody actually knew what it was.
    – DeeV
    Nov 16 at 13:41






  • 9




    @Studoku Technical supervising assistant to the assistant supervising technician.
    – R.M.
    Nov 16 at 15:19








4




4




en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey_(The_Simpsons)
– Paulie_D
Nov 15 at 17:23




en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer%27s_Odyssey_(The_Simpsons)
– Paulie_D
Nov 15 at 17:23




25




25




(It's spelled "Nukulur") :P
– BruceWayne
Nov 15 at 21:15




(It's spelled "Nukulur") :P
– BruceWayne
Nov 15 at 21:15




2




2




I thought he was a supervising technician? (as opposed to nucular technician)
– colmde
Nov 16 at 7:59




I thought he was a supervising technician? (as opposed to nucular technician)
– colmde
Nov 16 at 7:59




4




4




@colmde I think the joke was his job was so meaningless that nobody actually knew what it was.
– DeeV
Nov 16 at 13:41




@colmde I think the joke was his job was so meaningless that nobody actually knew what it was.
– DeeV
Nov 16 at 13:41




9




9




@Studoku Technical supervising assistant to the assistant supervising technician.
– R.M.
Nov 16 at 15:19




@Studoku Technical supervising assistant to the assistant supervising technician.
– R.M.
Nov 16 at 15:19










up vote
22
down vote













DeeV answered it quite well but one more update it's not even rod of uranium but a carbon rod. And to be accurate Inanimate carbon rod.



There were two such rods prominent in the show as detailed in linked wikia. And it shows he is less valuable to the plant than an inanimate object and also during NASA mission history repeat itself.



And he did use to work in Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, so having a carbon rod is not so strange especially when you envy it so much.






share|improve this answer



















  • 27




    To be even more accurate: an animated inanimate carbon rod.
    – T.J. Crowder
    Nov 16 at 10:46






  • 3




    @T.J.Crowder Whereas, if I drew such a rod in the style of The Simpsons, it would be an imitated animated inanimate rod.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 16 at 19:11






  • 3




    The rod in the opening appears to be glowing, while the inanimate carbon rod pictured in the wiki article does not seem to be. Are we sure they're the same thing?
    – Zach Lipton
    Nov 17 at 3:51






  • 5




    @ZachLipton Fuel rods don't glow either.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 17 at 11:41










  • They do if underwater, Cherenkov radiation and all...
    – Drunken Code Monkey
    Nov 18 at 12:58















up vote
22
down vote













DeeV answered it quite well but one more update it's not even rod of uranium but a carbon rod. And to be accurate Inanimate carbon rod.



There were two such rods prominent in the show as detailed in linked wikia. And it shows he is less valuable to the plant than an inanimate object and also during NASA mission history repeat itself.



And he did use to work in Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, so having a carbon rod is not so strange especially when you envy it so much.






share|improve this answer



















  • 27




    To be even more accurate: an animated inanimate carbon rod.
    – T.J. Crowder
    Nov 16 at 10:46






  • 3




    @T.J.Crowder Whereas, if I drew such a rod in the style of The Simpsons, it would be an imitated animated inanimate rod.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 16 at 19:11






  • 3




    The rod in the opening appears to be glowing, while the inanimate carbon rod pictured in the wiki article does not seem to be. Are we sure they're the same thing?
    – Zach Lipton
    Nov 17 at 3:51






  • 5




    @ZachLipton Fuel rods don't glow either.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 17 at 11:41










  • They do if underwater, Cherenkov radiation and all...
    – Drunken Code Monkey
    Nov 18 at 12:58













up vote
22
down vote










up vote
22
down vote









DeeV answered it quite well but one more update it's not even rod of uranium but a carbon rod. And to be accurate Inanimate carbon rod.



There were two such rods prominent in the show as detailed in linked wikia. And it shows he is less valuable to the plant than an inanimate object and also during NASA mission history repeat itself.



And he did use to work in Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, so having a carbon rod is not so strange especially when you envy it so much.






share|improve this answer














DeeV answered it quite well but one more update it's not even rod of uranium but a carbon rod. And to be accurate Inanimate carbon rod.



There were two such rods prominent in the show as detailed in linked wikia. And it shows he is less valuable to the plant than an inanimate object and also during NASA mission history repeat itself.



And he did use to work in Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, so having a carbon rod is not so strange especially when you envy it so much.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited Nov 16 at 8:52









A J

39.4k15209221




39.4k15209221










answered Nov 16 at 6:38









Ankit Sharma

69.1k58360567




69.1k58360567








  • 27




    To be even more accurate: an animated inanimate carbon rod.
    – T.J. Crowder
    Nov 16 at 10:46






  • 3




    @T.J.Crowder Whereas, if I drew such a rod in the style of The Simpsons, it would be an imitated animated inanimate rod.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 16 at 19:11






  • 3




    The rod in the opening appears to be glowing, while the inanimate carbon rod pictured in the wiki article does not seem to be. Are we sure they're the same thing?
    – Zach Lipton
    Nov 17 at 3:51






  • 5




    @ZachLipton Fuel rods don't glow either.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 17 at 11:41










  • They do if underwater, Cherenkov radiation and all...
    – Drunken Code Monkey
    Nov 18 at 12:58














  • 27




    To be even more accurate: an animated inanimate carbon rod.
    – T.J. Crowder
    Nov 16 at 10:46






  • 3




    @T.J.Crowder Whereas, if I drew such a rod in the style of The Simpsons, it would be an imitated animated inanimate rod.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 16 at 19:11






  • 3




    The rod in the opening appears to be glowing, while the inanimate carbon rod pictured in the wiki article does not seem to be. Are we sure they're the same thing?
    – Zach Lipton
    Nov 17 at 3:51






  • 5




    @ZachLipton Fuel rods don't glow either.
    – David Richerby
    Nov 17 at 11:41










  • They do if underwater, Cherenkov radiation and all...
    – Drunken Code Monkey
    Nov 18 at 12:58








27




27




To be even more accurate: an animated inanimate carbon rod.
– T.J. Crowder
Nov 16 at 10:46




To be even more accurate: an animated inanimate carbon rod.
– T.J. Crowder
Nov 16 at 10:46




3




3




@T.J.Crowder Whereas, if I drew such a rod in the style of The Simpsons, it would be an imitated animated inanimate rod.
– David Richerby
Nov 16 at 19:11




@T.J.Crowder Whereas, if I drew such a rod in the style of The Simpsons, it would be an imitated animated inanimate rod.
– David Richerby
Nov 16 at 19:11




3




3




The rod in the opening appears to be glowing, while the inanimate carbon rod pictured in the wiki article does not seem to be. Are we sure they're the same thing?
– Zach Lipton
Nov 17 at 3:51




The rod in the opening appears to be glowing, while the inanimate carbon rod pictured in the wiki article does not seem to be. Are we sure they're the same thing?
– Zach Lipton
Nov 17 at 3:51




5




5




@ZachLipton Fuel rods don't glow either.
– David Richerby
Nov 17 at 11:41




@ZachLipton Fuel rods don't glow either.
– David Richerby
Nov 17 at 11:41












They do if underwater, Cherenkov radiation and all...
– Drunken Code Monkey
Nov 18 at 12:58




They do if underwater, Cherenkov radiation and all...
– Drunken Code Monkey
Nov 18 at 12:58



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