early and often

Sheldon Silver Is a ‘Glorious Flute’

Sheldon Silver

Photo: Getty Images

God Bless the New York Sun. The paper has always had great immigrant-group coverage, with reporters who speak the languages of many of New York’s diverse ethnic communities. As a result, it uncovers true moments of genius, like this one today about State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, whose Lower East Side district includes Chinatown:

When Chinese-language newspapers write about Mr. Silver, they use Chinese characters that approximate the sound of his name as “siu-hwa.” In Chinese, siu-hwa can be interpreted as “glorious flute.”


Okay, “glorious” is subject to interpretation. But “flute”? Look at the guy! Surely they meant newt.

Chinatown’s ‘Glorious Flute’ Facing an Unusual Primary Challenge [NYS]

Sheldon Silver Is a ‘Glorious Flute’