If the boy's problem with computers (or your correspondents' problems with watches) is due to static electricity, this is not at all the same thing as being magnetized.

Nobody doubts that the body can carry an electric charge. Everyone has experienced a shock touching a doorknob after walking across a carpet. That's not magnetism. It's static electricity.

A small amount of static can indeed disrupt computers, or even fry their electronics permanently. That's why the anti-static grounding mats mentioned in the article about the kid are made in the first place.

Personally, as far as the watches, I have an alternate solution: those people are buying cheap watches. I've had quite a few cheap watches crap out on me in a few weeks or months. More expensive ones generally don't.

The cheap watch theory makes a lot of sense. It also helps explain why the person in question has repeated problems: if you believe you have a magnetic field that damages watches, you would be much more likely to get cheap watches rather than expensive ones. So they crap out early, reinforcing the belief for the next watch.

It was always my expereince that the more expensive analog watches stopped earlier on me. The cheaper Timex watches were the best. Not the cheap watch in my case. Doesnt explain the car battery, computers going crazy, tv/cable truning off on changing channels. I think it was the electric shock when my heart was resussitated as a child.