How did the black AC wires ever get away from being ground (or a pseudo-equivalent) given that everyone else uses black for ground?(Almost killed me)
Touch White, you'll be alright.
Touch Black, it'll set you back.
I, for one, welcome our new Electrical Overlords /.
Or think "to be burned black." Some old wiring jobs are so faded that it's almost impossible to tell what the white and black wires are.
And technically, even if wiring was all done properly to code, you can STILL get knocked on your can by touching a separated white (and a ground). It might be carrying the return from a circuit that's live with something plugged in that always carries current.