Beware of the Stare

Today I was reading about the thousand-mile stare. Apparently if you're in a bar fight, you should watch out if the other guy gets this look on his face, because he's about to punch you. "The thousand-mile stare" is what cops call it. I tried doing it, staring unfocused into space and imagining I was looking at some guy, and it was amazing how it worked. I could feel the rage simmering to a head; it was like I was so angry I couldn't even look at him straight, just through him at where I was going to sink my fist. I think it's a real physiological phenomenon that allows people in a confrontation to dissociate themselves from the personal reality of their opponent, so they can overcome the social taboo of touching another person in order to - beat the crap out of him.