[There is a good spoof on Nixie displays at http://www.gpstime.com/nixie.html]
On high-impedance voltmeters and "ghost" readings, NEMA engineering bulletin 88 dated Oct 1998 suggesting a parallel resistor. The concept is valid but their recommended RESISTOR CAN BE DEADLY.
http://www.nema.org/engineering/papers/PhanBull88.html Their Feb 2003 revision of engineering bulletin 88
quietly axed the resistor suggestion.
http://www.nema.org/docuploads/97F7D189-813B-4EFB-95A878ADAD82F954//bul88.pdf
