Spell check's revealing insights on local celebs

What's in a name? Plenty, at least according to the spell-checking device on my computer.

Spell check Gov. Frank Keating, for example, and you'll be offered "chatting," "quoting" and "citing," all obvious attributes of our top elected official. (We won't mention the "cheating," "quitting" and "kowtowing," Mr. Governor).

Spell check Oklahoma City architect Jim Bruza and you'll find he's a "breezy" "bruiser" with a little "bryozoa" -- a moss-like sea creature -- thrown in for good measure. Bryozoa? Must be a reference to Jim's skill in wading MAPS' troubled waters.

Watson Moyers, who just switched from Price Waterhouse to Coopers & Lybrand, is Oklahoma City's "merriest" "mover," according to the spell checker. He's also a "mower," which might explain his memberships at both Quail Creek and the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club.

Mike Turpin? We'll skip right over the "turpitude" in favor of "tarpon," a large, silvery game fish that, like Mike, doesn't shirk hot water.

Tiana Douglas brings up "tiara," which is certainly appropriate for the queen of Oklahoma City development.

Mayor Ron Norick draws "nor walk," a perfect tag for his city's unfriendly crosswalk lights, and Luke Corbett is no longer "curbed" now that he's been chosen as Kerr-McGee's new chairman. But with "carbon" as a second hit, Luke, you'd better keep an eye on that coal unit.

The Bank of Oklahoma's Mark Funke? He's "funky," of course, but also "fancy" and "faience," which is itself a fancy word for Italian pottery.

No "finance," though, and Mark's name is German for "spark," so we're still studying the Italian thing.

Advertising exec Jeanette Gamba brings up "gumption," which is certainly on the money, but the spell checker falls short with "gamma," Greek for all things third, since everyone knows Jordan and Associates is actually the second largest agency in the state.

And Kominicki, you ask?

You "commence" with "Comanche" and end up with "kamikaze," which, my friends at Rotary will tell you, is painfully right on target.

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