CRTs are no where to be found at the last CES. With 1080P resolution, you will get the best picture possible with today's technology (tomorrow might be a different story
).
When you buy a PLASMA, you have to be careful about burn-ins. This will happen if a static picture is left on the plasma screen for a long period of time. For example, let say you keep the channel on CNN news for a whole day. And the CNN logo is static and stays at the same location on the screen. That will create a permanent burn-in of the logo on that spot of the screen.
I don't know if new Plasma technology eleminated that problem. LCD does not have an issue with this.