On a lonely stretch of Highway 50 in Nevada, a 70 foot tall cottonwood tree became a local landmark and a quirky bit of American humor.

On the campus of a large Southern university, two century+ old oak trees at a spot called Toomer’s Corner are the traditional site of student celebration.

What do these trees have in common? They are crime victims.

They are also the subject of Paging the Lorax, my guest post at The Working Stiffs.