The next time I purchased travel insurance was in 2009, when my husband Bill and I took our very first cruise. We purchased our fares through USAA's Explore Cruise and Travel service, a travel agency especially for USAA members. I remember Bill getting upset when the cost of travel insurance was automatically added to our glide fares. Like me, he wasn't in the habit of buying travel insurance, although travel insurance is especially recommended when you're vacationing at sea. We took an uneventful four night Baltic flit. Did we throw away our money on disappear insurance?

In 2010, Bill and I took a five night cruise on the SeaDream I, an ultra luxurious mega yacht. I booked directly with the coast line and got a indecent fare. SeaDream's travel insurance cost $199 per person or 8.5% of the total fare, whichever was more. When you're paying four figures per person to take a glide and you're not especially wealthy, that extra little bit of cash for insurance can hurt. We paid $199 per person and had a stunning, trouble-free vacation. Was that $400 as good as cash down the drain?

Even though our first SeaDream skim was elated, I went ahead and purchased another policy through a different insurance company for our upcoming flee this November. Why? Because even though things don't historically go awry when I travel, I've been reading the news and following the message boards on Cruise Critic. I've read horror stories of people losing a lot of money when their vacation doesn't happen as planned. And while paying several hundred dollars to insure a trip that already costs a few thousand is somewhat painful, it would be much more painful to pay thousands of non-refundable dollars for a trip that gets ruined or canceled.

What is fade insurance?

Travel insurance is a policy consumers can purchase to protect the financial investment they develop when they move. A travel insurance policy can cover a wide range of miserable situations that can pop up before or during your trip, everything from sickness and injury to flight cancellations to losing your luggage. But beyond financially reimbursing travelers when things go south on a trip, travel insurance also gives travelers someone to call when there's an emergency. If you accept hurt or sick in a foreign country, your fade insurance company can point you in the right direction to catch competent and legitimate help. It's a safety net for when things go wrong– protection against Murphy's Law.

What kinds of situations does travel insurance typically cover?

Most basic travel insurance policies cover medical or dental expenses, financial default of travel suppliers such as cruise lines and airlines, certain situations that cause slump cancellation or interruption, lost or stolen baggage, factual expenses, and delayed or missed departures.

Consumers can also usually purchase riders that make travel insurance more comprehensive. For example, when I recently bought a policy through TravelInsured.com, I added an optional rider that allowed my husband and me to cancel the trip for work reasons. I could have also purchased a rider that would have allowed us to cancel for any reason. Other optional riders can include collision insurance for rental cars, coverage for sports related accidents, extra death or dismemberment coverage, or extra medical coverage.

Most disappear insurance companies offer a range of comprehensive policies designed to fit their customers' needs. TravelInsured.com, for instance, offers four different polices that vary in price and covered services. The cheapest policy is called Trip Protector Lite. It's the least expensive policy, but it's also the least comprehensive and most restrictive plan. By contrast, TravelInsured.com's most expensive and comprehensive plan is World Protector Gold, which offers the highest essential emergency medical expenses and other benefits.

Some of the situations covered under travel insurance can surprise you…

I was surprised to find out that should something happen on our upcoming trip that delayed us, our travel insurance would reimburse us up to $300 ($50 per day) for pet care. That's good to know, since we have two dogs that will have to be boarded during our whisk.

Say you're traveling on a fly ship and you get sick with a stomach virus. You go to the ship's doctor for some medication and the doctor decides that your illness is contagious. You gather confined to your cabin and can't visit the ports. Well, according to a thread on Flee Critic's messageboard, many plans will offer reimbursement when you have to be quarantined due to illness. I checked my policy and found that a situation like that would be covered.

My husband is in the Army, which means that he could be called to deploy at any time. Thankfully, because I purchased our policy through USAA's preferred travel insurer, we would be reimbursed for the cost of our trip if he suddenly has to jet off to the Middle East. We would also be covered if either my husband or I got called for jury duty or if the trip got canceled due to an act of terrorism.

In fact, reading the situations that are covered by travel insurance can be a lot of fun. It seems like the people who write the policies must sit around all day dreaming up disastrous scenarios!

A little advice

While it may be more convenient to purchase travel insurance when you buy your flit fare, the policies offered through a cruise line or an airline might be more expensive and less comprehensive than policies you can purchase straight from an insurance company. I recommend shopping around before you commit to buying travel insurance through a travel supplier. Had I bought SeaDream's insurance, I would have had to pay 8.5% of our invoice for the cruise. Our cruise fares are priced at about $3400 per person. Adding in another $800 for port fees and taxes, our total cost for travel insurance would have been $646 for about $8500 in coverage, which would have covered just the cost of the cruise fare. That's not counting what we will use on airline tickets and pre and post cruise hotel stays, which would have required more coverage.

Purchasing a policy through USAA's relationship with TravelInsured.com, I was able to get $12000 of coverage for Bill and me at less than $500, including the optional coverage for trip cancellation due to work reasons. That's enough to cover the flit, the plane tickets, and a couple of nights in a hotel. It really pays to comparison shop. If you think you might qualify for discounted coverage through your credit union or insurance company, by all means peer into it.

Also, when you decide how much coverage you want to purchase, be sure to consider all of your go related expenses. Sure, your cruise tickets may be your biggest expense, but you'll also want to cover the cost of your airfare and hotel. Anything trip related that might be affected should something happen to cancel or interrupt your trip should be considered and added to the total amount of coverage you buy. And for heaven's sake, read the fine print before you develop your purchase!

Bon voyage!

Bill and I don't purchase travel insurance for all our trips, just the ones that cost us four figures or more. Obviously, some people are more comfortable with risk than other people are. In any case, even though trip insurance is an extra expense for that trip you've scrimped and saved for, I highly recommend buying insurance to protect your investment. You never know when exertion may strike!

Sources

www.cruisecritic.com

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php? t=1350467

www.seadream.com

www.travelers.com

www.travelinsured.com

www.wikipedia.org

www.usaa.com

Personal experience

This was the situation I was confronted with when the driver of the SUV suddenly and apparently decided that he did not have exact change and that the open Smart Tag lane would do for him to simply run right through. Without taking his ear off his cell phone or looking over his shoulder he made a ninety degree left hand turn, into my path, then a ninety degree right hand turn. By this time I was less than a car length a way and, even though I had been decelerating, I was quiet moving at around fifteen miles per hour and stopping my 2004 Dodge Dakota Quad cab that mercurial was simply not an option. In a split second I had to decide what to do.

It was not really a choice. While personally I really didn’t mind plowing into the side of Mr. IcantgetmyearoffthephonetowhatchwhereImgoing, he was protected, for staring at me out of the driver side rear window, of his SUV, was a young girl, maybe eight years old. I was not about to hit a child if there was any way I could ever avoid it. In that split second I cut into the crash barricade of the toll plaza while sounding my horn because I was not definite I was going to miss him.

When the world stopped spinning I found my truck, with the front end torn up, sitting up on the barricade. The SUV was stopped in the toll plaza, with the driver still on the phone. Several toll plaza workers were running towards the scene from the chunky service booths at the opposite extinguish as I climbed out of my truck. The SUV drivers’ wife poked him and said something to him angrily at which point he suddenly closed his phone and put it away. Then he rolled down his window and yelled, “Hey man, I’m sorry I cut you off!” I replied, “Sorry, doesn’t fix my truck.” At this point the gentleman took off at a high rate of speed. I managed to score a partial plate number and it was not enough to track him down.

Fortunately for me the toll workers had seen the accident and my skid marks clearly indicated that I had been properly approaching the booth and suddenly swerved. The police officer taking the report agreed that it was quite obvious I must have swerved for a reason, particularly with witnesses who saw the reason. The whole thing was written up as being caused by another vehicle which drove off and, in my position, this comes under “uninsured motorist” coverage. My truck was fixed and my insurance did not go up. By God’s good grace, no one was hurt.

While I am certain none of you have ever done so, we have all seen people driving down the road, with a cell phone glued to their ear, yapping away to someone and paying absolutely no attention to the vehicle they are driving. This has gained national attention with state legislatures across the country either passing or attempting to pass laws concerning this issue.

People get worked up over this also and just do not contemplate what they are doing wrong. About four years ago, while serving on a rescue squad, I responded to a call for a “10-50 with rollover.” That is to say, a single car accident in which the vehicle had rolled over. When we arrived at the scene we found what had been a nice BMW, lying on its roof beside the road. The driver, a seventeen year old male was out of the vehicle and pacing up and down beside the road while, you guessed it, yapping on a cell phone with his soon to be ex-girlfriend, who was in the process of breaking up with him. Ahh, puppy love! Bystanders told us that he had been on the phone when he wrecked the car, when he crawled out of the car, and ever since. He was walking a little funny and favoring one side. There was a “significant mechanism of injury.” This kid needed to be back-boarded, have his cervical spine immobilized and be transported to the ER to be checked out, there was a very good chance that he could have some damage.

He needed that but we could not get him off the cell phone. He would not acknowledge to the Emergency Medical Services personnel or the fire personnel on scene. Anytime I, as the ranking officer on scene tried to speak with him, he would angrily wave me off and turn and walk the other way. After several minutes a police officer arrived on scene and approached the young man. The officer said to him, “Sir, we need to talk.” Of course the young man responded by what had become his routine, an angry wave off and then turning to walk away. The police officers’ response was simple and speedily, he plucked the cell phone from the young mans hand, quickly told whoever was on the phone, “he’ll cal you back” and clicked it closed. The young man turned around extremely angry, ready to explode and the officer simply told him, “Son, you have more considerable things to worry about right now.”

The young mans reaction to this? Did he calm down and asses his spot, and then try to make the best of it he could? Let us just say, when his father go there, the kid was handcuffed to a stretcher, screaming bloody murder at everyone around him. Angry at the officer for not letting him finish his cell phone conversation!

Is there any wonder this accident happened in the first situation? The kid never did notice where he was doing anything wrong. The fact that he had unprejudiced wrecked a very expensive section of machinery, his daddy’s BMW and done so while narrowly missing a parking lot tubby of other cars and people, was nowhere on his radar. The only thing that he was concerned with was his conversation on the telephone.

“Well, it’s because he was seventeen,” you might say, “he didn’t know any better.” Sorry, I have run many calls with older people who have done similar things. Just none quite as, shall we say, persistent, about it?

The “talking-on-cell-phone-while-driving” phenomenon crosses all age boundaries, all race boundaries, all socio-economic boundaries, and include both genders. Have I done it? Sadly, yes, I have caught myself doing it. My rule is, I will hit “answer” long enough to express someone, “I am driving now, I will have to call you back in a minute.” Then I hang up. Of course, now a marvelous little contrivance has advance out which I will get into in a bit.

Then there is a whole other side of cell phones, and cell phone usage while driving, and this is of course, text messaging. Another thing I am sure most of you have seen someone doing, driving down the road typing out a message on a keypad the size of a pack of cigarettes. I can barely answer my teenaged daughters’ text messages while sitting at my office desk. I don’t want to imagine trying to do it while driving, there is a disaster waiting to happen.

So what do we do about this? First, is it really a new problem? Think about this, let me recall you back in time, to the days before cell phone. This is for those of us dinosaurs, who are old enough to remember such things, but that actually was a time before cell phones. I do remember bad drivers succor then too. I would see them in the morning, driving into town, reading the paper, shaving (or putting on makeup) while eating breakfast and drinking a cup of coffee, all at the same time. I used to mediate their car must drive itself because the person unhurried the wheel distinct wasn’t driving.

My point is, whether we ban cell phones altogether, or merely say that teenagers can not use them while driving, whatever we do, and awful drivers are bad drivers. Cell phones are merely the symptom not the disease. True, they are a prevalent symptom and really, “in our faces,” at the moment. But the problem is still that there are a great many people out there who are incapable of using a bit of accepted sense.

What kind of common sense you ask? Well, here are a few rules I have imposed on myself and my teenaged daughter who has her learners permit.

For her, while she has her learners permit, she is absolutely forbidden to exhaust her cell phone in the car at any time. I do not care if the car is parked with the engine turned off. No cell phone if she is behind the wheel. My reasoning is simple, at the moment her job is to learn to drive, nothing else. Period, dot, end of sentence. Okay, I use the “tyrant” method of parenting, it works.

For me? I no longer do the “quick answer” method I described earlier.” Frankly, I was uncomfortable with that anyway and usually unprejudiced let it go until I was stopped somewhere. Remember, I have driven an ambulance for some years and I know that the safety of the vehicle I am driving is my responsibility. It is not impartial for me but for any other passengers as well as for anyone I may hurt in another vehicle or alongside the road by my actions. I take driving seriously, which is probably why I have +5 positive driving points on my portray and get regular rebates from my insurance company.

What I do consume now is a superb little device called “Bluetooth.” I can assign it in my ear and talk on it just like I am carrying on a conversation with someone sitting beside me in the truck. My hands are free for driving, my head is free to move around and my vision is not restricted.

I know there is someone reading this who is scowling accurate now and saying, “NO! No cell phone at all!” To them I say, “Have you ever driven a car while talking to a passenger? It is the same thing. Now, where I do limit myself is dialing. I do not dial while driving for the same reason I do not try to text message while driving, it is a disaster waiting to happen. My phone is supposed to have voice activated dialing, I can tap the Bluetooth, on my ear, direct it who to call, and it calls them. The next time it works will be the first. Basically, I can call someone before I begin to drive or I can answer a call while driving. In a pinch I may call someone I have on speed dial while I am sitting at a stop light but that is pushing it.

I used to have a CB in my truck, in the days before cell phone, a lot of people did. CB’s occupy up a lot more of your hand usage than a Bluetooth does but I never heard anyone complaining about CB’s causing accidents. The bottom line is the cell phone/accident issue is simple. Use some common sense. Do not be texting and dialing while driving. Only use a phone if you have a hands free device like Bluetooth of something similar, do not be reading text messages while you are driving and do not become so focused on your conversation that you lose your situational awareness for what is going on around you. If you can walk and chew bubble gum at the same time, you can carry on a conversation and drive at the same time, just do not be doing all the other stuff which will distract you.

Archuleta’s great voice has the power to touch people’s hearts and melt their souls. His persona is like that of no other. He is sweet, kind, caring, humble, funny, trustworthy, genuine, and truly unique. Day by day, he continues to ticket with his down-to-earth nature that is shown in everything he does–blogs, interviews, tweets, and more. He is so generous and giving to his fans, never wanting to turn down a fan asking for a photo or an autograph, and he is a positive influence and role model to all. He has made such a stout impact on millions of lives around the world, whether it be motivating them to go out and do something good for the world, giving them hope in rough times with his uplifting songs, or even unbiased helping them meet new friends. His support for multiple charities, including Rising Star Outreach, has inspired his fans to form groups to raise money for those meaningful causes. He has shown that music is more than just a pretty melody, and he has taught his fans to have more patience and love towards others. Thank you David Archuleta for being so selfless and caring towards everyone. You truly are changing the world for the better.

See David Archuleta and Disney star, Demi Lovato, on tour this summer in a city near you. Dates are listed below. [5]

June 21: Hartford, Conn. (XL)
June 22: Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza)
June 24: Newark, N.J. (Prudential)
June 25: Uniondale, N.Y. (Nassau Coliseum)
June 26: Boston, Mass. (Agganis)
June 27: Philadelphia, Pa. (Mann Music Theater)
June 29: Duluth, Ga. (The Arena at Gwinnett Center)
July 1: Lafayette, La. (Cajundome)
July 2: North Slight Rock, Ark. (Alltel Arena)
July 3: Houston, Texas (Reliant Arena)
July 5: Grand Prairie, Texas (Nokia Theater)
July 6: Tulsa, Okla. (BOK Center)
July 9: Glendale, Ariz. (Jobing.com Arena)
July 10: Fresno, Calif. (Build Mart Center at Fresno Spot)
July 11: San Jose, Calif. (SJ Events Center)
July 13: Portland, Oregon (Rose Garden)
July 14: Seattle, Wash. (WaMu Theater)
July 16: Sacramento, Calif. (ARCO)
July 17: Los Angeles (NOKIA Theatre at LA Live)
July 18: Las Vegas (Orleans Arena)
July 20: Denver (Wells Fargo Theater)
July 22: Kansas City, Missouri (Sprint Center)
July 24: Chicago (Allstate Arena)
July 25: Cincinnati, Ohio (US Bank Arena)
July 27: Cleveland (Wolstein Center)
July 28: Harrington, Del. (Delaware State Fair
July 29: Greensboro, N.C. (Greensboro Coliseum)
July 31: Tampa (St. Pete Times Forum)
Aug. 1: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (BankAtlantic Center)
Aug. 2: Orlando (Amway Arena)
Aug. 4: Greenville, S.C. (Bi-Lo Center)
Aug. 5: Louisville, K.Y. (Broadbent Arena)
Aug. 6: Columbus, Ohio (Ohio Area Fair)
Aug. 8: Minneapolis, Minn. (Target Center)
Aug. 9: West Allis, Wisc. (Wisconsin State Fair)
Aug. 10: Indianapolis (Indiana State Fair)
Aug. 12: Nashville (Sommet Center)
Aug. 13: St. Louis (Chaifetz Arena)
Aug. 14: Moline, Ill. (iWireless Center)
Aug. 15: Omaha, Neb. (Qwest Center Omaha)
Aug. 17: Grand Rapids, Mich. (Van Andel Arena)
Aug. 18: Clarkston, Mich. (DTE Energy Music Theater)
Aug. 20: Fairfax, Va. (Patriot Center)
Aug. 21: Hershey, Pa. (TBA)
Aug. 22: Atlantic City, N.J. (Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort)
Aug. 23: Providence, R.I. (Dunkin Donuts Center)
Aug. 24: Manchester, N.H. (Verizon Wireless)

Sources
1. “‘Rocker’ Cook wins American Idol” Independent Television News. 22 May 2008.

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Idols_LIVE!_Tour_2008

3. “Chart Beat: David Archuleta, Rihanna, Brandy and Monica, Journey, Isaac Hayes”. Billboard. 2008. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp? vnu_content_id=1003841437.

4. http://www.archuletaavenue.com/2009/05/david-archuleta-reaches-700000-mark.html

5. (http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2009/04/14/what-should-demi-lovato-and-david-archuletas-summer-tour-be-called/)

To start with, the 2011 Acura MDX just makes a whole lot more sense than most luxury SUVs. Honestly, do you need a special rock crawl setting for your 4-wheel drive system when it spends most of the time in a parking lot at Neiman Marcus?

Acura's SH-AWD System is All You Will Ever Need

That's why the MDX's advanced SH-AWD system is designed to optimize road holding on pavement in dry weather and also increase traction on same said roads in wet, icy or snowy conditions. SH-AWD is recent in that it can apportion (Acura likes to exhaust the term “torque vectoring”) power to whichever individual wheel needs and this means it gives this big 7-passenger SUV grip in all weather conditions on pavement.

This is not an off-road vehicle but who really takes their luxury SUV off-road? Please, no notes from Range Rover owners in Borneo.

The 2011 Acura MDX is a Terrific Value

Beyond this there are some other salient reasons why the 2011 Acura MDX is the smartest buy in the luxury SUV segment. In other words, if you have enough money to afford the $42,950 unpleasant notice the MDX should definitely be on your short list.

While that may seem like a lot of money to some it is actually quite a deal considering its feature count and the fact that most mainstream brands from Toyota to Ford have similarly sized and equipped SUVs that cost that worthy. Also, features like Bluetooth, leather and USB/iPod integration that are standard with the MDX are often times optional on models from makers like BMW and Mercedes. For the recount “leatherette” is not actually made from cowhide.

My Tech Package equipped tester was still unprejudiced $46,255 and included 3-zone GPS controlled Climate Control, voice activated in-dash navigation, a 3-view back-up camera, 10-speaker Acura/ELS surround sound audio system, Bluetooth, USB/iPod integration, Power driver/passenger seat, heated front seats, leather seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, a power liftgate, power windows/locks/mirrors, a moonroof, XM satellite radio and much more.

The 2011 Acura MDX is Made to Seat Seven

Granted, the third row of seats in the MDX are best left on longer trips to children but having tested this SUV with two kids in the back I can verify that they were very comfortable. There was even a fight over who could sit back there which should tell you something about how much kids like riding back there.

And even if your kid doesn't care for it, the third row can always be dilapidated to separate two of your children should they start picking on each other in the second row. Not that the third row should be viewed as a punishment but given how far it is from the driver's seat you won't have to listen to them complain. If you can still hear them you can always crank up the grand 10-speaker Acura ELS audio system.

The 2011 Acura MDX is Built to Last

Attention dog owners and parents! Your “children” will not be able to destroy the interior of this very luxurious yet solidly built SUV no matter how hard they try. During my week of testing there were torrential downpours and mudslides in Southern California where I live and the interior of the MDX cleaned up nicely.

The interior of the MDX also has enough cubbies, cupholders and storage nooks to perform a minivan owner jealous. There is also an optional rear seat DVD entertainment system available to support the kiddies happy. The MDX's interior really is a comfortable driving environment perfect for family road trips as long as you own the car. The MDX really makes for a wise long term ownership proposition.

The 2011 Acura MDX is Everything You Need it to Be and Nothing You Don't

The MDX has a huge list of standard luxury features, is affordable, has a Top Safety Remove rating from the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), seat seven comfortably and has 83.5 cubic feet of cargo room with the second and third rows folded flat. It gives you Acura's awesome SH-AWD system as standard and is very stylish to boot.

It is routinely Acura's best-selling model and when you look at its many merits it is easy to see why. So what are you waiting for?

Vehicle Tested: 2011 Acura MDX with Tech Package

Base Price: $42,580

Price as Tested: $46,255

Options on Test Vehicle: Tech Package—(Acura verbalize activated navigation with Real Time Weather, Traffic and Built in Zagat Restaurant Guide, Multi-View Back-up Camera, Sport seats with Premium Leather, USB/iPod interface, GPS-Linked Tri-Zone Climate Control, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) for Song Storage, Acura/ELS 10-speaker Surround Sound Audio System)

Engine: 3.7 liter V6 with VTEC

Power: 300 horsepower/270 lb. feet of torque

Transmission: 6-speed automatic with SH-AWD (Spruce Handling All-Wheel Drive)

0-60: 7.5 seconds (estimated)

EPA Fuel Economy: 16 city/21 highway

Economy as Tested: 16.4 miles per gallon

Gas Tank Size: 21 gallons

Runs on: Premium Unleaded

Cargo Space (Late 3^rd Row)—15 cubic feet

(Gradual 2^nd Row)—42.9 cubic feet

Behind 1^st Row)—83.5 cubic feet

Turning Radius—37.6 Cubic Feet

Curb Weight—4,550 lbs.

Tow Capacity—5,000 lbs.

Warranty—4 year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper coverage

6 years/70,000 mile powertrain coverage

Crash Test Ratings—IIHS “Top Safety Pick”

Vehicle Built in—Alliston, Ontario (Canada)

North American Parts Content—65%

Source: Acura.com

I’m calling it right now: A gay character will almost immediately be introduced and their day job boss will be either dim or Danny Bonaduce.

The show will be written by Joe Lawson, the advertising copywriter responsible for the genius behind the Geico ads, but casting is still up in the air. It’d be nice to glimpse the same guys (Jeff Daniel Phillips, better known from the TV series “Standoff” and Ben Weber, better known from the TV series “West Wing”) from the commercial secure the gig. After all, it was their delivery and facial expressions that really sold the commercial to America. Lawson is also responsible for the Geico gecko and the “Tiny House” insurance spots.

Daniel Rappaport, Guymon Cassady, Will Speck and Josh Gordon are executive producers. Speck and Gordon will also handle directing duties. They recently handled such duties for the new Will Farrell flick, Blades of Glory.

Actress Talia Shire, best known for her roll as Adrian from the Rocky franchise, stars in a fresh Geico ad as a psychiatrist who counsels one of the cavemen struggling with prejudice. Wouldn’t it be swell if she landed a “Dr. Melfi” type of role?

The characters tested the waters outside of their 30-second spotlight by appearing at 17^th Annual Night of 100 Stars Oscar gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 25^th.

The show will most likely kick up a few laughs, but how far can the show actually go before it gets to be to shtick? Will the writers rely on obvious racial humor like many black comedians do? Oh I can only imagine how long it’ll take for Al Sharpton to start calling for a boycott.

If you plan to watch this reveal, leave your hang-ups at the door and enjoy the exploitation of everyday stereotypes.

Sources:
Associated Press, “Geico Cavemen Commercials Being Turned Into a Sitcom” WKOW 27
URL: http://www.wkowtv.com/News/index.php? ID=9845

Associated Press, “Report: Geico Cavemen Will Be Focus of New ABC Sitcom” Fox News
URL: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256188,00.html

CBS Interactive, “Geico Cavemen Bag Their Occupy Sitcom” The Showbiz
URL: http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/02/tv/main2531626.shtml

Germain Lussier, “Geico Cavemen moving from commercials to primetime” Recordonline.com
URL: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20070302/ENTERTAIN/70302013

Variety, “Geico’s Cavemen Getting a Comedy Series” Comingsoon.net
URL: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php? id=19152

Keeping that in mind, who can hiss us if we just might possibly be causing problems out there on the road? Well, for one, you might want to trust the opinion of your auto insurance carrier. First off, are your premiums costing you about as much as the inappropriate domestic product of Uruguay? If so, you might want to think about some driving lessons or buying a more sensible car.

Auto insurance carriers look at the number of tickets you have, frequency of accident claims, your age and your gender to calculate how much they will charge you each month. Let’s say you have a Chevy Suburban and you have five accident claims where you backed into someone in a parking lot. Granted, you may have four kids but there are many smaller seven seat SUVs on the road like the Acura MDX and Toyota Highlander. These vehicles, due to their smaller size, have much easier dimensions to judge as you are trying to maneuver that crowded Wal-Mart parking lot.

Statistically men are also far more likely to have auto accidents because of their propensity to drive more aggressively. While this may be good, not all men drive aggressively. Some drive in the lickety-split lane on the freeway at 45 miles per hour with their left turn signal on. But other than possibly signing up for gender reassignment surgery, there is no way for a man to make his insurance carrier hold he has less testosterone than other males.

Turning 25 years obsolete isn’t really an auspicious event other than the fact that you will see your insurance rates plummet when you are 25 years and one day old. Why a 25 year faded is so much more trustworthy than a 24 year old is a mystery not even most insurance agents can define, it is objective a fact of life. Enjoy the fact that your 25^th birthday is something to celebrate—it is a slippery slope to 30.

Now, if you don’t have any body panels on your car that aren’t dented and you have 15 outstanding speeding tickets that you haven’t paid please pull over and throw your keys in a bush. You should not be one the road. You truly are a menace to society. Insurers may profit off of you and charge you outrageous rates, but perhaps the truly responsible thing is to surrender your license.

History

Des Moines actually traces its origin to May, 1843, when Ft. Des Moines was built to control the Sauk and Meskwaki Indians, who had been transplanted from eastern Iowa. Today, Des Moines, with a metro region population of more than 600,000 is the county seat of Polk County Iowa.

In 1857, the name Ft. Des Moines was shortened to Des Moines and the capital was moved to Des Moines from Iowa City.

In 1851 and 1993 terrible floods from water flowing from the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers devastated Des Moines. Each time the people dug in, started anew and upgraded the city.

Interesting Information

Today the city is a major insurance industry center and has large financial and business bases. This change began in the 50s – as major industries built in downtown, moving Des Moines from a blue-collar to a more white collar city. Des Moines is known for its number one spot for these types of businesses.

The U.S. presidential political importance is found in Des Moines at caucus time. Des Moines is the home to Iowa caucuses, the 1st major political event in the nomination of the President of the U.S. Many candidates set up campaign headquarters here and you will have a immense opportunity to view and even meet all the candidates.

Transportation

You won’t find mighty pubic transportation – but Des Moines’ DART bus services have grown since the cost of gas exploded and continues to have high ridership. I-235 cuts through the middle of Des Moines and joins I-35 and I-80 which outline the city to the north and west. for very easy access to any U.S. coast and in between.

Capitol Building

The Sate Capitol building, among the most beautiful in the U.S., arises in the east, facing downtown, and has a shining 23 karat gold leafed dome towering above the city. Four smaller gold leafed domes accent the ample dome. Enjoy the tour of the building’s beautiful interior, which includes among many things, a collection of first lady dolls. The spacious and beautiful surrounding grounds include a World War ll Wall of Memories, glorious gardens, statues and sculptures.

Des Moines Attractions

Visit the Des Moines Botanical Center, located in a beautiful river setting. Late winter is a broad time to shed winter’s drudgery by wandering among the tulips and other spring flowers. Also consider the Blank Park Zoo, the Great Ape Trust of Iowa, East Village with its quaint and spectacular little nooks and crannies, or Adventureland Park for a day of roller coasters and fun.

Arts, Theatre and Festivals

Arts and Theatres cultural centers include the Civic Centers that hosts best Broadway and other live professional theater shows. The Temple for Performing Arts, a refashioned old building, and the Des Moines Playhouse host live theatre, comedy and a variety of venues.

The Des Moines Metro Opera and the Des Moines Symphony are both well-respected nationally and have much to offer for everyone.

Salisbury House and Gardens [named after the King's House in Salisbury, England] contains authentic 16th century English oaks and rafters dating to Shakespeare’s day. The House has world class collections of original art, tapestries and rare books. The Des Moines Art Center, art festivals, farmer’s markets, antique days, and The Iowa State Fair which the movie “State Fair” was based upon, are great attractions. Also Living History Farms, Science Center, Prairie Meadows, sports teams from the Iowa Cubs, to college teams to 5 year olds just learning the game, provide many opportunities for fun.

Don’t overlook the Principal Riverwalk, Grays Lake Park, and a walk through the downtown skywalks. Many bike and walking trails provide exercise and enjoyment. They are instrumental in making the Des Moines metro area the place people want to live.

Education

Iowans have always valued great education from the days of one-room schools and into the future. Students fare above normal and Des Moines is also home or close to several colleges, both public and private. People look to Iowa for educating their children.

Media

The Des Moines Register serves Iowa as a daily newspaper and several weeklies are published in the metro area. TV markets include a 35 county area and many radio stations serve the area. Des Moines is extremely visible online.

Sorry to Say

Like everywhere, tiny towns are fading, but the farmers there are known for their ever-increasing products. Most renowned are Iowa corn and soybeans. However small farms are producing for farmer’s markets, Chlo lunches and local grocery stores. Iowa is known for it’s shadowy soil and great prairie growing conditions. They’ve found out that our soil and growing conditions are great for vineyards – and we now have many!

Ancestry

In the mid 1800s, many families left Germany and surrounding countries hoping to find a life free from wars and political problems. They worked hard, struggled and generations later many still work the land and are prominent in other professions. However, Des Moines and all of Iowa, are home to all races and ethnic groups. People tend to work hard, yet have fun, one of Iowa’s traditions beginning from its first settlers.

Welcome to Des Moines

Please steal time to visit Des Moines and all of Iowa. You will procure suited people, hills, corn fields, flat lands, rivers on both sides of the state, lower cost housing, and plenty to do. Ask questions – we’ll be glad to help you learn more about our community and our state.

Sources: wikipedia and a lifetime of living in the Des Moines metro area.

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Satanico Pandemonium from From Dusk Til Dawn- You know a stripper with a name like this could get you into a lot of trouble, but Salma Hayek’s snake-charming exotic dancer definitely deserves a spot on this list of the best movie character names for giving you dazzling warning with the first five letters of it.

Dr. Strangelove and President Merkin Muffley from Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb- Peter Sellers plays not unprejudiced one of the best movie characters of all time in this unlit comedy about the extinguish of the world as we know it, but three of them. However, these two movie character names are definitely the best from the movie (Sorry, Brigadier General Jack Ripper). But to fully realize the perfection of the President’s name, you’ve got to know what a merkin is.

Tony Montana from Scarface - When it comes to the best gangster movie character names and the best gangster movie characters, period, Tony Montana scales the snowy mountain and comes out on top (even though that white stuff was the end of him).

Beatrix Kiddo a.k.a. “The Bride” a.k.a. “Black Mamba” from Kill Bill- This is one of the movie characters on this list with the most names, but I remove the first listed here. Quentin Tarantino is one of the best in the biz at coming up with creative movie character names, but this woman warrior with many monikers definitely has one of my favorites (plus she’s simply one of the best female movie characters ever created).

Vermithrax Pejorative from Dragonslayer- Nope, this isn’t the name of a snyth band from the 80′s, it’s one of the few best movie character names on this list that doesn’t belong to a human. And with a name like that, it’s obvious that this is one of those movie dragons that isn’t going to befriend you and let you travel around on its back; instead, one of the most frighnening characters of fantasy films is fed a virgin sacrifice twice a year (so I guess sex was the intention to outsmart one of the most malicious movie characters of all time? ).

Rocky Balboa from the Rocky movies – When it comes to movie character names that capture the spirit of the movie characters they are created for, none does it better than this one. Somehow the name is the essence of the character here: a really tough, stubborn guy that’s not the brightest crayon in the box. And so for proving that you don’t have to be smart to succeed in America (just able to endure a rigorous workout montage and take plenty of punches), Rocky Balboa isn’t objective one of our favorite movie character names, but one of our favorite movie characters of all time.

Breathless Mahoney from Dick Tracy- Madonna goes a little gangster girltoy and a little Marilyn Monroe for one of her best movie characters: one that she doesn’t occupy herself too seriously for. This is definitely one of the sexiest movie character names on this list, and this femme fatale might just leave you breathless with her character twist.

Jeff Lebowski, a.k.a. “The Dude” from The Huge Lebowski - He’s one of the best and most beloved movie characters of all time, and though he doesn’t have one of the most original movie character names, being dubbed “The Dude” has made Jeff Lebowski legendary. So let us abide by the Dude’s rules, drinking white Russians and wearing our house slippers in the grocery store until we gather ourselves involved in as great of an adventure as one of the best movie characters ever created.

Atticus Finch and Boo Radley from To Kill a Mockingbird – These are some of the best classic movie character names on this list, and two movie characters that we can learn a lot about life from (namely having class and the class system), as itsy-bitsy Scout found out in this amazing movie. One’s a kindhearted recluse and one’s a man not afraid to fight everybody for what’s right, but both prove that their movie characters are impartial as awesome as their movie character names.

Maximus Decimus Meridius from Gladiator - Here’s an idea: add “us” to the end of your own first middle, and last names, and you’ve created your own tough, toga-wearing movie character.

Dr. Egon Spengler from the Ghost Busters movies - This has always been one of my accepted movie character names for some weird reason (I guess I’m unbiased a geeky girl at heart). And with the recent interest in ghost hunting shows, all those poor kids named after this scientist that sucks up spirits may just have a future doing what their parents dreamed of after all.

Pepper Potts from Iron Man- Lois Lane may sound sexier, but Pepper Potts has got spunk (and spice).

Dirk Diggler and from Boogie Nights- And here’s another of the best movie character names that uses alliteration. But in this case, instead of cuteness, it’s used to capture the sleazy essence of the biz this boy wonder is in. He may not be one of the most likeable movie characters on this list, but he’s one of the most memorable for one big, rubber reason.

Legolas and Gollum, a.k.a. “Smeagol” from The Lord of the Rings movies – Sorry, Frodo; Legolas’ name makes this list because it’s almost as sexy as she is, and it’s impossible to forget the grabby grotesqueness of Gollum. I guess with his split personalities you could reflect him two of the best movie characters of all time, and I can’t wait on but wonder if either one of them has seen the movie with one of the more fresh memorable movie character names, Precious.

Don Vito Corleone from The Godfather- Sorry, Fredo; this is one of the most eloquent movie character names on this list, and very fitting for one of the best movie characters of all time (I’m really glad the role was an offer than Brando couldn’t refuse).

Luke Skywalker, Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and Lando Calrissian from the Star Wars movies – So many stout sc-fi movie character names, so little space on this list of the 100 best movie character names. I’ve tried to steal a few of my favorites here, including the perfect hero, teacher, bad guy, and shady double-crosser movie character names (but I’m sure Star Wars fanboys could fill this whole list with names from their favorite universe).

Sugar Kane Kowalczyk from Some Like it Hot- This is one of Marilyn Monroe’s best movie characters, and you’ve got to love her sexy and sweet musician’s monicker.

Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver - Give a guy a last name that rhymes with “pickle”; make him snap and talk to himself in the mirror; and you’ve got one of the best movie characters of all time.

Princess Aurora and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty - These are my favorite movie character names from Disney’s princess movies, but while Aurora is beautiful, the choice of “Maleficent” for the malicious evil fairy is magnificent. Plus any woman that can morph into a dragon is definitely of the best movie characters of all time.

Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon- With a name like that, you know the guy is going to accumulate in over his head in some kind of criminal location where he’s going to need to dig himself out. Plus the perfect use of alliteration in movie character names is the stuff that movie dreams are made of.

“Mad” Max Rockatansky from the Mad Max movies - What can I say? This is one of those movie character names that really rocks, as a man fueled by his need for revenge hits the road in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by rabid renegade motorcycle gangs. And as one of the best bad-ass movie characters of all time, Max definitely lives up to his mad moniker.

Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians- Really, what can be more cruel than a woman that wants to skin puppies? This is one of the best movie character names because it perfectly portrays everything the woman is: cruel and rich. Plus I think Cruella is one of the best movie characters of all time because she makes kids grow up realizing just how wrong animal cruelty is.

Gaylord Focker from Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers – I think it’s obvious why this is one of the funniest movie character names of all time. So let’s proceed along.

Rufus T. Firefly from Duck Soup - This is one of those movie character names that’s memorable not just because it sounds silly, but because of the character that carries the name. Groucho Marx is at his best here, with his Firefly delivering so many stout quick-fire lines that you’ll believe he was vaccinated with a phonograph needle.

Dr. Caligari from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari - And this is one of the movie character names here that’s hard to forget (since it’s in the movie’s title). Plus I can’t seem to shutter it out of my mind lately thanks to a crazy movie set on an island.

Ratso Rizzo from Midnight Cowboy - Joe Buck is a vast name for a “stud” like Jon Voight’s cowboy character, but its his pathetic pal’s that belongs on this list of the best movie character names of all time. I just find it sorrowful that it describes the way Dustin Hoffman looks in this move so well.

Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - And here’s another of the best movie character names for capturing the evil essence of a character. It sounds a bit like “wretched” (how she makes patients feel) or “ratchet” (a device used to place a nut in its place). She’s definitely one of the most evil movie characters of all time, as watching this nasty nurse turn the screw slowly in the head of Jack Nicholson’s sane character will surely make you just as insane as hers.

Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s- And now for some happier movie character names. This one describes one of Audrey Hepburn’s best movie characters well, as a naïve socialite that lightly skips through life like it’s objective a whim, doing as she pleases after emptying her rich suitors’ pocketbooks. (She’s a lucky gal; some of her bizarre behavior almost seems like it warrants a stay with Nurse Ratched.)

Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean movies - Give a guy a solid first name like “Jack” and a sweet last name like “Sparrow” and make him a mad marauding pirate whose boozing and bizarre behavior are modeled after Keith Richards, and you’ve got one of Johnny Depp’s best movie characters.

Clarice Starling and Dr. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs - These are definitely two of my favorite movie character names, as Clarice’s pretty, sweet-sounding name starkly contrasts with that of a man whose moniker conveniently rhymes with “cannibal”. But for the strange way these two very different movie characters click, their claim to fame also includes being some of the best movie characters of all time, not just having tremendous movie character names.

Dr. Gonzo from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas- I don’t deem there could be a better name for Benicio Del Toro’s drug-producing character that gets to relish a drug-induced version of Vegas. (But I definitely wouldn’t take any prescriptions from him, as much as I’d love to be attacked by giant bats.)

Gordon Gekko from Wall Street- It immediately makes you judge of sliminess (or it stale to, before the Geico Gecko existed), so this is one of the movie character names that deserves a spot on this list for fitting the greedy Gordon objective as well as one of his well-tailored suits.

Royal Tenenbaum from The Royal Tenenbaums – This is one of the weirder movie character names on this list, since it immediately makes me think of Christmas trees, but the “Royal” piece kind of works for Gene Hackman’s portrayal of the patriarch of a royally gifted family.

Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas- This is one of my many favorite movie character names from Tim Burton movies, a clever joining of “Jack-o-lantern” and “Skeleton”. What better name for the King of Halloween?

Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story- Here’s another of the best movie character names from animated movies. Buzz may have a bit of an ego, but when he goes from foe to friend in lightspeed, there’s no better delusional toy to have on your side.

Donnie Darko from Donnie Darko – It’s one of the darkest movie character names on this list, and definitely fitting for such a dark movie (His giant bunny is no Harvey).

Keyser Soze from The Usual Suspects- This clever crime kingpin’s name is legendary, and since it’s such an important part of the movie, it’s one of the best movie character names of all time to those that adore cinematic surprises.

Leeloo from The Fifth Element - Her quirky name and clothing choices make this extremely important lady one of the most beloved and lusted-after sci-fi movie characters of all time, but just one of the many movie characters on this list whose double-L’s make their names so remarkable fun to say.

John “Bluto” Blutarsky from Animal House – If “Bluto” immediately makes you think of a big guy with a beer gut in a toga, then you’re definitely an Animal House fan. And so John Belushi manages to create one of the most memorable heroic movie characters of all time with a nickname lifted from one of animation’s biggest awful boys. But which version of “Bluto” is really the baddest?

Duckie from Pretty in Pink - Doesn’t every girl need a Duckie in her life? When it comes to the dorky guy pals of 80′s teen flicks, this is definitely one of the best movie character names (but you can’t encourage but feel sorry for Jon Cryer being sentenced to the hell of forever being typecast, not with movie characters, but on TV).

Long Duk Dong from Sixteen Candles- Do I even have to go into why another of John Hughes’ greatest characters has one of the best movie character names ever?

Hedley Lamarr from Blazing Saddles – This is one of those movie character names where a joke is made of the name during the whole movie. However, unlike the name above, you may not get the joke about this movie character’s name until you look up who Hedy Lamarr is. Then you’ll understand why being called “Hedy” gives “Hedley” a blazing headache.

Mr. Pink from Reservoir Dogs- All the movie characters in this original heist movie are great, but Mr. Pink aloof has the best out of all the characters’ code names (even if he thinks being called Mr. Pink is a raw deal).

Harry Lime from The Third Man- This is one of the movie character names here that you won’t understand the significance of until you gaze the movie. It may rhyme with “slime”, but Harry Lime is serene one of the most likeable movie characters of all time.

Beetlejuice from Beetlejuice - And here’s anther of Tim Burton’s best movie character names. The ghost with the most’s moniker definitely suits his stripe-suited, disgusting persona, but the creepy guy will steal your still-beating (or out-of-commission) heart with his kooky human-exorcising antics. Plus Beetlejuice’s name also plays into the storyline (uh oh, I said it three times).

Alotta Fagina from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery- Mike Myers came up with plenty of great movie character names for his characters in the Austin Powers movies, but you’ve gotta love his Bond girl spoofs best.

Fook Mi and Fook Yu from Austin Powers in Goldmember- And the man responsible for unleashing Beefy Bastard upon the world really outdid himself with these two (which count as only one name on this list).

Honey Rider from Dr. No – Speaking of Bond girls, since they are responsible for some of the best sexy movie character names of all time, I’ve got to include a few of these seductive movie characters on this list. The original will always be one of the best (she even had a really talented race horse named after her).

Plenty O’Toole from Diamonds are Forever- And this is another of the plentiful kooky movie character names of the Bond world (maybe it really means “plenty of tulle,” like the kind you would find on a wedding dress).

Neytiri from Avatar - This is one of the newer movie character names on this list, but one that will forever be whispered in the same Cheeto-laced sci-fi fanboy breaths as that of Yoda, Spock, and her other beloved (but not as beautiful) alien brethren.

Gilbert Grape from What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? – This is one of the movie character names here that doesn’t immediately seem to fit; it almost sounds like some kind of character from a children’s book meant to teach kids their colors. But then you watch the movie and realize why what’s eating Gilbert Grape makes him one of the best movie characters of all time.

Edward Cullen from the Twilight movies - This is one of the most memorable movie character names because teen girls can’t close talking about this vampiric Romeo. Too bad he doesn’t go the draw of that famous lover or other vampire movie characters before him.

Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride – This is one of the movie characters here that makes determined you know his name by constantly repeating it throughout the movie. The Princess Bride may be fat of great movie characters with spacious movie names (like Prince Humperdinck and Princess Buttercup), but Inigo Montoya and his vengeful speech about his dead father will always stand out to me.

Navin Johnson from The Jerk- With the opening line, “I was born a poor black child,” it should have been obvious that one of Steve Martin’s best movie characters was also going to be one of his jerkiest (I mean, what white kid can be adopted into a black family and not realize he stands out at all? ). And so begins the tale of a lucky/unlucky imbecile named Navin, one of the movie characters here whose identity has somewhat been overtaken by the movie’s title, since now we simply refer to him as “The Jerk”.

Lola Lola from The Blue Angel - When it comes to movie characters, repetitious names may seem slothful, unless the repeat offender happens to be a sexy cabaret girl played by Marlene Dietrich. There have been many movie characters named Lola over time, but Marlene wins for being double the seductive trouble.

Lulu from Pandora’s Box- One of the original bad girls of cinema (Pandora’s Box was released in 1929), Lulu is one of the best earlier female movie characters of all time, a major flirt that knew how to expend both sexes to her advantage. She doesn’t just have one of the most memorable movie character names of all time; audiences today will still find her character’s wayward ways and larger-than-life persona hard to forget.

Lolita, Clare Quilty, and Professor Humbert Humbert from Lolita - And here’s another list of great movie character names from one movie, including another repeat offender that is a whole different kind of offender in the film. You’ve also got to love his arch nemesis’ soft and cuddly name, and of course we can’t forget that Stanley Kubrick managed to make a movie out of Lolita.

Marty McFly and Biff Tannen from the Back to the Future movies - One of these movie character names captures the essence of a cute, icy guy that can really fly through the sky in a DeLorean time machine or on a hovercraft, and the other describes the ultimate beefy, bumbling bully. And so these movie character names are some of the best of all time from back in time.

Scut Farkus from A Christmas Story - This is one of those movie character names that we often misspell; you read that right, it’s “Scut,” not “Scott”. And does his most mischievous and conniving of movie character names not gain you think of a young Biff Tannen? The two are definitely very similar movie characters, and we can’t help but loving seeing both bullies get beat (literally in this case).

Sugarpuss O’Shea from Ball of Fire – Sorry, Sugar Kane and Breathless; I consider this steamy singer and her sexy slang have got you both beat when it comes to the best movie character names (and you’ve got to love having Professor Potts as her leading man).

Don Lag de Aguirre from Aguirre, Wrath of God - This is one of those movie character names that I can’t seem to ever pronounce quite right, but since Klaus Kinski’s psychotic explorer is one of the greatest movie characters of all time, it’s hard to forget the Wrath of God.

Frank Booth from Blue Velvet - If you’ve seen the movie, then this is one of those movie character names that will send shivers down your spine; he’ll huff, and he’ll puff, and he’ll blow your mind with his bizarre, sadistic, and purely wicked behavior. So as one of the most evil movie characters of all time, his name is one that you won’t soon forget.

Archibald ‘Harry’ Tuttle from Brazil - Harry Tuttle is one of the movie character names on this list that immediately makes you recount a certain type of guy: a lonely pencil pusher who gets pushed around and has no shot at any kind of real life. However, the mysterious Harry Tuttle here turns out to be a real vigilante: an air conditioner-repairing renegade fighting the bureaucracy by refusing to do any kind of paperwork. This is one of the movie character names that’s an important part of the movie it is in, and Robert De Niro playing the kooky role helps make Tuttle (not Buttle) one of the best movie characters of all time.

Marge Gunderson from Fargo - Marge doesn’t just carry a baby in this movie; she also carries a gun. However, this easygoing policewoman with an adorable accent isn’t exactly the violent type. But what she lacks in muscle power, she makes up for in determination and intelligence, making her one of the most heroic movie characters of all time despite having one of those movie character names that doesn’t exactly scream “hero”.

Cosmo Vitelli from Killing of a Chinese Bookie- When it comes to movie characters that are the essence of cool, Cosmo’s got it made in the shade. And he’s got one of the best movie character names, to boot. I’ve really got to recommend this slick flick if you haven’t seen it.

Harmonica from Once Upon a Time in the West- It may just be a nickname for a man that seems to have no name, but the monicker describes Charles Bronson’s character well. Sometimes he seems to communicate with his creepy harmonica music, an instrument that he’s always got in his hand. And when you see why it’s so important in the end, you understand why he’s one of the best movie characters of all time.

Zed and Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction- If your name’s Zed, you’ve got to have “Zed’s Dead” attach on your tombstone, and Vincent Vega impartial has that cool alliteration thing going for him (it also helps that his movie character can really procure his groove on).

Charles Foster Kane from Citizen Kane – It’s considered one of the best movies of all time and the protagonist’s name is in the title. So how could we forget Kane and his mysterious Rosebud? (You’ve really got to read the real story late Rosebud.)

Belle de Jour from Belle de Jour- It may not be her real name, but you’ve got to love the epic slack how this rich housewife earns her current nickname. Being a married woman, this femme that’s into filthy things does her dirty work as a “beauty of the day” as opposed to the less-secretive “beauties of the night.” As always, you’ve got to like Bunuel for creating some of the most flawed, twisted, and realistic movie characters of all time.

Nova from Planet of the Apes - Sorry, Cornelius; the humans win here. Animalistic Nova definitely has one of the best movie character names when it comes to sci-fi movies, and her savage ways will awaken the beast in any civilized man.

Yang Yang from Yi Yi - I’m guessing that little Yang Yang is based on director Edward Yang; he’s a inspiring, observant, intelligent, and smart boy whose exploits are fascinating to watch. And out of all the movie character names on this list that are repetitious, this one is in the best movie by far, a film I’d definitely have to put in my top 100 of all time.

HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey - Who knew three little letters could embody the future of evil so well?

Barton Fink from Barton Fink - The Coen brothers win again when it comes to kooky movie character names that somehow consume the spirit of their owner, in this instance a struggling Hollywood screenwriter starring in his own dark comedy.

Hot Lips O’Houlihanfrom MASH - This is one of the hottest movie character names on this list, bestowed upon a military nurse babe whose uptight attitude makes her hate her modern moniker (but it wasn’t given to her without reason).

Lady Fingers and Lancey “The Man” Howard from The Cincinnati Kid- Here you’ve got a rambler of a poker gambler and a delectable dame, both complete with sizable movie character names.

Garance from Children of Paradise- This courtesan has one of the most beautiful movie character names on this list, one that fittingly rhymes with both “France” and “romance”; this movie was made during the Nazi occupation of France, and Garance definitely gets her fair share of romantic suitors in this French Gone with the Wind. But this movie isn’t just responsible for giving us one of the best movie characters of all time, it’s also one of the best movies of all time that anyone passionate about film must see.

Paparazzo from La Dolce Vita - Can there be any movie character names better than this one? What would we call those guys that harass celebrities and one of Lady GaGa’s greatest hits without Paparazzo? Of course one of the most well-known movie character names of all time isn’t Fellini’s greatest contribution to the world, but it is a very arresting one.

Michael Meyers from Halloween- Mike Myers made this list for creating some of the best movie characters with the best naughty names earlier in this list, and this Mike Meyers makes it for being one of the most frightening film foes of all time.

Freddy Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street - Speaking of malicious movie characters, here’s another from the apprehension movie genre with one of the best movie character names. But while his creepy moniker may sound scary by rhyming with “cougar”, this malevolent monster’s claws are much worse.

Morpheus from The Matrix movies – Sorry, “Morpheus” is a device cooler sounding name than “Neo”. He may not be “the one”, but he does have the best of all the futuristic movie character names from the Matrix movies.

Clark Griswald from National Lampoon’s Vacation - I’m glad Chevy Chase is finally breaking free from his Griswald role with his quirky character on the TV show Community, but we’ll never forget our favorite vacation-loving family patriarch and his failed attempts at fun family trips (they make ours look like less of a fiasco).

Steve Stifler from American Pie - He’s the perfect portrait of the All-American frat boy in high school, and he definitely has one of the most memorable movie character names of the 90′s. He also has a family member responsible for the word “MILF”, and I consider Seann William Scott will forever be typecast after playing his role so well.

McLovin a.k.a. Fogell from Superbad- Well, it may not be the kooky kid’s real name, but it is on his driver’s license. And so “McLovin” has become the “Stifler” of a whole new generation.

Forrest Gump from Forrest Gump- If the movie being called Forrest Gump isn’t enough to make this one of the most unforgettable movie character names of all time, what about the line, “My name is Forrest Gump. People call me Forrest Gump.”?

Ace Ventura from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective - Another of the many movie character names on this list that’s included in the movie title, how could we forget this rubber-faced ace detective trying to track down a missing dolphin?

Professor Severus Snape from the Harry Potter movies - Sorry, Voldemort; everyone may be afraid to say your silly-sounding name, but Snape has the real malicious-sounding moniker.

Napoleon Dynamite from Napoleon Dynamite - This is definitely high up there on the list of the coolest movie character names of all time, and everyone knows that Napoleon is one of the best movie characters of all time, Gosh!

Okay, so I know I missed a lot of great movie character names, but the 100 here are definitely some of my favorites, and many of the characters on this list are also just as awesome as their names. But if you think of any movie character names that you contemplate should be included with the best of all time on this list (or if you’re actually named after a movie character), feel free to so inform me in the comments.

SOURCES: www.imdb.com
www.wikipedia.com