Doug,
yes; i did post that my son-in-law, when wroking on his Phd in Physics 5 years ago, worked with eliminating 'surface tension' on the test gear he was using to get the degree of precision of measurement he needed. he told me that static energy held micro dust particles to a glass surface that would reduce the accuracy of his test gear. he also told me that certain types of testing gear use a 'de-static' process automatically to do this. when i showed him what the Tourmaline guns and even the demagnatizers were doing he thought the most logical explanation was related to micro dust and static electricity, not magnatized media.
to me it also makes sense. removing minute dust should improve the laser reading, stylus groove interface, or whatever. and it seems like a much more plausable explanation than something magnetic.
i want to again mention that he was just guessing at the time. he said if someone would fund the research he could likely prove his guess in a lab.
my son-in-law got his Phd, did his post doc work, and is now a 'Scientist' building/inventing measurment devices for industry. i should ask him the same question again and see if he still thinks the same about it.
