[Paladin2]

I made the same discovery simultaneously with the white/ black thing. Just because the switch is off doesn't mean that the things it operates aren't hot.

Lots of electronics is run by "connecting" the ground. Turns out that house electricians like to do the same thing.

[raccoonnookkeeper]

Gack, a switch in the neutral is an egregious breach of both all code and common sense. But the DIY crowd cares not, so long as it works and blows no fuse.

Years after one particular DIY job (by a smart-@$$ relative the identity of whom I will not divulge) I discovered that touching the medicine cabinet and the faucet together with bathroom light off would shock you. Connecting the two with a jumper lead turned the bathroom light on. Yup, way before GFCIs.