The red, white, and blue-colored stripes on the barbershop pole are actually a vestige from an era when barbershops were used for bloodletting? Bloodletting was a medical procedure from the Middle Ages that involved cutting one’s veins open and letting blood drain away in the hopes of curing a wide variety of maladies. The procedure was originally performed by monks, but after the church stopped them, people had to turn to barbers. Barbershops were essentially outpatient clinics. They used to cut hair, do some bloodletting, set broken bones, and pull bad teeth.

The red color on the barber pole represents the blood, while the white color represents the bandages. The pole itself represents a special stick that people would hold onto during the bloodletting procedure.

Later, in America, after much of the bloodletting tradition was forgotten, the blue stripe was added to the barber shop pole to match the American flag.

Daily Wisecracks & Wisdom

February 27, 2026February 22, 2026 tolleystopicsLeave a comment

Light travels faster than sound. This is why
some people appear bright until
you hear them speak.
Alan Dundes

THE SPHINX—MAINE

February 27, 2026February 26, 2026 tolleystopicsLeave a comment

SO LONG OLYMPICS.

https://townhall.com/columnists/derekhunter/2026/02/24/usa-hockeys-gold-redeemed-the-otherwise-awful-olympics-n2671778

*****

IRAN

https://redstate.com/wardclark/2026/02/25/new-us-f-22s-land-in-israel-amid-iran-nuclear-showdown-n2199569

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/02/25/iranian-opposition-group-attacked-khameneis-compound-heavy-clashes-tehran/

*****

Who knew Washington state had a police force ?

https://www.foxnews.com/us/washington-state-stabbing-rampage-leaves-5-dead-including-suspect-shot-deputies

*****

A land without law enforcement.

https://nypost.com/2026/02/11/us-news/another-illegal-nyc-encampment-flourishes-in-the-bronx-with-toilets-emptied-into-the-streets/

*****

Baby Trump and The Supremes.

ANOTHER SCAM FROM OBAMA.

After stealing land from a public park for his ugly building, the public will now have to pay for the piece of feces.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/02/21/report-chicago-taxpayers-stuck-with-rising-costs-for-obamas-presidential-center/

*****

Canadians are poorer than Alabamians.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/02/21/out-of-nowhere-canadians-are-now-poorer-than-alabamians-n2671681

https://redstate.com/ben-smith/2026/02/21/canada-didnt-expect-to-lose-to-alabama-n2199400

*****

NATIONAL

Ilhan’s guest broke the rules. Cry us a river. How is her family’s 30 million dollar income investigation coming ?

https://redstate.com/rusty-weiss/2026/02/26/furious-ilhan-omar-demands-probe-after-her-radical-sotu-guest-is-arrestedshe-might-look-familiar-to-you-n2199592

Who knew ?

https://nypost.com/2026/02/16/tech/this-ultra-wealthy-community-has-been-hidden-from-prying-eyes-and-google-maps-for-decadesuntil-now/

This smells.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/02/22/exclusive-ex-biden-dhs-officials-behind-record-border-failures-now-advising-cbp-on-high%e2%80%91risk-traveler-screening/

How did this get under the radar ?

https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2026/02/22/newsom-unveils-239m-scandinavian-redesign-of-notorious-prison-looks-nicer-than-most-ca-schools-n2199442

Very old news.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-study-puts-hominins-in-israel-1-9-million-years-ago-rewriting-earliest-human-migration/

Trump and Putin still negotiating.

https://tolleystopics.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/18575.jpg

SCIENCE

Democrats like science if they can make it up.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/amy-curtis/2026/02/24/whole-milk-white-supremacist-dog-whistle-n2671765

Be aware of your situation.

https://nypost.com/2026/02/24/us-news/college-student-from-long-island-killed-by-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-while-charging-phone-in-car-during-historic-blizzard/

*****

Mamstinky the joker.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2026/02/24/watch-zohran-mamdani-fall-apart-when-asked-about-voter-id-n2671817

*****

The Pine Tree Editor: Does Maine have a scenic environment, LL ?

The Lighthouse Cat: They sure do. I think they have more moose than people.

https://www.mainetourism.com/things-to-do/

State symbols.

https://statesymbolsusa.org/states/united-states/maine

State song.

It is about time.

https://genesiustimes.com/rep-sarah-mcbride-wins-mansplainer-of-the-year-award-for-keynote-at-what-its-like-to-be-a-woman-conference/

https://www.newscentermaine.com/

*****

How will the newly alive people vote ?

https://genesiustimes.com/democrats-sound-alarm-over-alarming-plunge-in-murder-rate-under-trump/

https://www.newsmax.com/

Astronomy Picture of the Day

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026 kenmitchell92Leave a comment

Sharpless 249 and the Jellyfish Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Katelyn Beecroft

Explanation: Normally faint and elusive, the Jellyfish Nebula is caught in this alluring telescopic field of view. Floating in the interstellar sea, the nebula is anchored right and left by two bright stars, Mu and Eta Geminorum, at the foot of the celestial twins. The Jellyfish Nebula itself is right of center, seen as a brighter arcing ridge of emission with dangling tentacles. In fact, this cosmic jellyfish is part of bubble-shaped supernova remnant IC 443, the expanding debris cloud from a massive star that exploded. Light from the explosion first reached planet Earth over 30,000 years ago. Like its cousin in astrophysical waters the Crab Nebula supernova remnant, the Jellyfish Nebula is known to harbor a neutron star, the ultradense remnant of the collapsed stellar core. An emission nebula cataloged as Sharpless 249 fills the field at the upper left. The Jellyfish Nebula is about 5,000 light-years away. At that distance, this image would be about 300 light-years across.