FEAR! There they are, a mother and daughter playing in the side yard of the house. A creepy, hooded character is seen peeking through the fencing and the next thing you get to observe is the creepy character breaking into the house just after the mother and daughter have gone indoors. The alarm system starts screaming. The phone immediately rings and the well groomed, handsome uniformed agent assures the mother that help is on the way.

FEAR! The young woman has been dropped off from a date at the front door and after saying goodnight to her escort, the door is crashed off the hinges, the alarm system is at full volume and she scampers to the instantly ringing phone to get immediate assurances that help is on the way.

FEAR! The daughter has just bid pleasant evening to her parents, locking the door behind them as they head out for the evening. As the daughter starts up the stairs, the door knob is rattled and the daughter laughs and starts back down the stairs to see what mom and dad forgot when the door bursts open. The alarm system does its job with deafening noise scaring off the perp and the young woman is able to answer the phone and be assured help is on the way.

Like sex, fear apparently sells well in Peoria. We just recently had an ADT salesperson do a cold call in our neighborhood. He inquired as to what type of trouble we experienced in our neighborhood, particularly noting the rental units nearby. When I advised him that we had lived in the same location for over 30 years without anything more than a stolen car abandoned on the street he was incredulous. Were we not afraid of losing our valuables? We were not afraid of burglars, cutthroats, purse-snatchers, or home invasion robbers kicking in our front door? I advised him we had to have something of value to attract such attention from such villians. "Ah, yes." Pitching the final hook, "But what about your lives? Aren't they valuable?"

FEAR! Yes, there it is. Aren't we afraid of losing our lives to some creepy, hooded, wild-eyed, drug crazed, person looking for quick cash, a quick fix, cutting the ring off a finger, or pulling teeth for the gold...Lord knows that is what is depicted on TV ads and in the movies with great regularity.

Yes, but is it going to happen here? Now? First, do you live in a neighborhood where that type of activity is taking place? No? Then it's statistically unlikely to happen to you any time soon. Yes, but what if it MIGHT? That's what they are counting on to make a sale.

So, what about kicking in the front door as shown in the TV ads? My first question is, "Do you want to hire and pay for a security system where they don't even require you to make the slightest changes to your front entry door, including installing a dead bolt and a solid core door that is very unlikely to be kicked in by any passing crazed maniac? I think not! All just done for the FEAR factor.

There are all kinds of statistics on the internet...The FBI reports that a burglary occurs every 14 seconds...and plenty more statistics quoted by security companies trying to sell systems. There are also statistics showing that 30% of the people with security systems don't turn them on when they go on vacation. Another quoted a sample of 3,000 persons, and found 86% did not know how to properly operate their security systems and the available features. So, bottom line: This week let's take a vow not to buy systems or things based on FEAR. Let's look at reasonable solutions for reasonable problems...I think I'm putting up a sign in our front yard: Security System by TVC (two vicious cats). The burglars are on their own. Commercial is over...back to our regular programming.