Take it, JC

In Russia, in the 1860's or 70's, one would have written, "The tiny village of X, a hundred and twenty versts from Moscow, was mentioned in the encyclopedia as the place where a landowner had successfully bred a dog with a cat."  In France, a little earlier, one would have written, "Le peu que nous savons de la petite ville de B____, nous savons que la se trouve un homme a deux tetes."  In my own country, in the fifties and early sixties, one would have written, "The little mill town of Pearl River was one of those small industrial communities that welcome the driver with a sign saying 'OLD IN TRADITION, YOUTHFUL IN GROWTH' and that are covered by a single Zip Code."  Today we are, thank God, spared these euphemisms and can say succinctly, "The little village of Pearl River was an asshole."