psychoceramics: Pheromone sprays (was: phrenology)

["Andrew C. Bulhak" <acb @ zikzak.net>]

[BnJB--@a--.com]
> 
> I have heard a commercial on a couple of radio stations here in the southeast
> advertising a perfume, "...with PHERMONES, a secret, invisible scent that
> will drive members of the opposite sex wild with passion!"  - I guess these
> people are used to SEEING most scents??!!

Pheromone sprays are a common form of quackery, alongside Laundry CDs
and similar scams.  I read somewhere (it may have been New Scientist or
some similar publication) that the pheromone sprays for men actually
contain synthesized female pheromones, rather than male ones.  The 
theory is that the user will get the feeling of having recently had
intimate contact with a female, and will thus feel better/more
confident.  Of course, that's not quite as marketable as perfumes 
which irresistably attract the opposite sex.

-- 
 andrew c.'. bul+hac?k           "A thousand worlds and every world's a door.
 http://www.zikzak.net/~acb/      The lights go out; I think I think of you,
 -<----------------------->-      But in these times it's so hard to be sure."
                                        ( neil gaiman, "luther's villanelle" )