https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=DrBradish 2026-05-02T06:05:13Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.30.0 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1469:_UV&diff=82011 2015-01-05T11:01:36Z

<p>DrBradish: Wrote the transcript.</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1469<br /> | date = January 5, 2015<br /> | title = UV<br /> | image = uv.png<br /> | titletext = Hey, why stop at our house? We could burn down ALL these houses for the insurance money.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Ruff draft. Nerds editing, lynx, and speciation.}}<br /> <br /> Ultraviolet (or UV, the title of the comic) light is a kind of light that is slightly more energetic than the visible light spectrum. Ultraviolet light is normally by itself invisible, but can induce fluorescing (glowing) of certain organic molecules. This is a means to detect small amounts of blood (as most television watchers know) and also urine. The first part of this comic focuses on Megan showing off her new UV flashlight to Cueball, who in this scenario lives with Megan, by revealing how disgusting their bathroom really is despite how clean it appears. She manages this due to UV light's special property of causing chemicals in urine to glow. Both Cueball and Megan are horrified by their discovery. A common meme with UV lights or other cleanliness tests resulting in over reaction to the normal state that didn't previously require extreme responses, but some how does when revealed. Feeling that their house will never be clean, Cueball and Megan resolve to burn it down for the insurance money ({{w|insurance fraud}}). The last panel of the comic reveals that the two hadn't purchased fire insurance beforehand, and plan on purchasing it now, only to make a claim immediately afterwards. This plan will not work, because insurance only covers fires that begin after purchasing the insurance, and does not cover anything that happens before purchasing the insurance or intentionally caused situations. <br /> <br /> The title text shows just how morally bankrupt the UV flashlight made Megan and Cueball, as one of them suggests burning down many houses in order to claim the insurance money. This plan also will not work. Even if insurance has been purchased for the other homes, the insurance companies will pay the owners of those homes, not Cueball and Megan (And Cueball and Megan would be arrested).<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> [Megan standing behind Cueball, who's sitting at a computer.]<br /> Megan: Our bathroom looks pretty clean, right?<br /> Cueball: I think so, why? <br /> Megan: I got a UV flashlight, come look.<br /> <br /> [Megan and Cueball are walking]<br /> <br /> [Megan and Cueball are offscreen]<br /> Cueball: Looks fine. <br /> *click click*<br /> Cueball: ...Oh my god.<br /> <br /> [Megan and Cueball walking in the opposite direction]<br /> Cueball: The toilet looked like the guy's chest after the alien broke out.<br /> Megan: What do we ''do''? <br /> <br /> [Megan and Cueball standing]<br /> Cueball: We clean. Clean and clean and never stop.<br /> Megan: It won't be enough. We should just burn the place down for the insurance money. <br /> <br /> [Cueball standing behind Megan, who's pouring gasoline onto the floor.]<br /> Cueball: Isn't that wrong?<br /> Megan: My morality evaporated under the harsh UV lught.<br /> <br /> [Megan and Cueball standing outside a burning building]<br /> <br /> [Megan and Cueball standing, Cueball looking at his phone]<br /> Cueball: Ok, I'm googling insurance companies. Which one do you think pays the most? <br /> Megan: Let's just try calling around.<br /> <br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div>

DrBradish