# Spree killer "crazy eyes" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477 "2012-12-19T01:50:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/21 "2012-12-19T23:54:54Z")
Way off-topic … This is the second time this week I’ve heard the phrase, “Spicks and Specks.” That was the title of one of The Bee Gees first records (I saw it on the Bio Channel). What, in England and/or Australia is a “spick?” Because it means a whole different thing in the States. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/22 "2012-12-20T00:13:47Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > Yup, was just coming here to say that. Also, the photos we usually see in the news are mug shots or similarly posed ID photos. Everyone pause for a moment and check your driver’s license (or other ID) - crazy eyes? I’ll bet so… I think some people might not recognize the crazy eyes when they see them. It’s not about a “bad photograph.” It’s about an expression that normal people don’t make. Their eyes are bugged out as if they are in a horrible nightmare, and the fight-or-flight reflex is pumping in overdrive. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/23 "2012-12-20T00:35:32Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > What, in England and/or Australia is a “spick?” Because it means a whole different thing in the States. In Australia: nothing. Other than the phrase “spick and span”, and the song title, I don’t think I’ve heard it used. (ETA: the TV show takes its name from the song) ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/24 "2012-12-20T00:41:30Z")
It’s sort of ‘bits and pieces’. One reference says its from getting things out of woolen garments, ie the spicks being the easy bits, and the specks being the bits stuck in the garment. But not a lot on the Internet about it. I don’t think it’s used a lot now, because of the other use of the term. Otara ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/25 "2012-12-20T03:53:57Z")
It’s not just the eyes. It’s the entire facial expression. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/26 "2012-12-20T04:18:32Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > [Gotcha one better.](http://media.salon.com/2011/05/how_is_callista_gingrich_part_of_my_generation.jpg) GAaah! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/27 "2012-12-20T05:17:02Z")
Remember the [runaway bride](http://blogitude.com/tag/jennifer-wilbanks/)? ---
**Author:** ![snuffleupagus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@snuffleupagus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snuffleupagus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/28 "2012-12-21T00:16:48Z")
There is a superstition that calls [this](http://www.whale.to/c/sanpaku_eye.html) phenomenon [sanpaku](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanpaku) - [eyes](http://www.tofugu.com/2012/08/15/sanpaku/). Yin sanpaku is when you can see the whites of the eyes above the iris, and tradition says this is someone who has trouble from outside and often meet some kind of tragic end- they point to JFK and Marilyn Monroe. Yang sanpaku is seeing whites above the iris, and that is someone who is troubled from the inside and often psychotic or commits terrible crimes, a famous example is Charles Manson. Not that I personally believe this, just found it interesting, but it does seem that spree killers and other mentally unbalanced people have the ‘crazy eyes’. The only people in real life I have known with this were people who were energetic and workaholics to the point of seeming manic, so it may have to do with some kind of manic energy. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477/29 "2012-12-21T02:27:00Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Way off-topic … > > This is the second time this week I’ve heard the phrase, “Spicks and Specks.” That was the title of one of The Bee Gees first records (I saw it on the Bio Channel). And “Crazy Eyes” is a [song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEpQh8hWzj4) (and [album](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Eyes)) by [Poco](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poco). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spree-killer-crazy-eyes/644477.md?page=1)