"Lee Michaels" wrote in message

Very common, folks unplug TV and touch picture tube in back. This
discharges a very large electrical charge and kills them.

I remember once when I was doing some dusting. Turned off the TV, sprayed
the Windex on the front TV screen and then went at it with a paper towel.
Zaaaaap! A bolt of static electricity made me jump three feet in air. Might
have been worse if I wasn't insulated from the floor by my rubber wheelchair
tires. Only time I dust the TV now is if it's been off for a number of hours
and even then I approach the thing like I'm sneaking up on a sleeping tiger.