Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to methods and systems anticipating a potentially threatening or dangerous incident, and providing varying levels of response to a user. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides varying levels of assistance to a user prior to, during, and after a threatening incident occurs. By providing assistance prior to a threatening incident occurring, the system may be able to thwart potential attacks, bodily harm, robberies, break-ins, and other criminal or dangerous activity. The assistance can be, for example, in the form of deterrents, alerting first responders to go to the scene, sending security personnel to the scene, remotely monitoring the scene, remotely interacting with the scene, providing information and advice to the user.

Abstract: An apparatus for inflating inflatable articles, such as bicycle tire inner tubes, and for securing mobile articles, such as bicycles, to other objects. In one preferred embodiment, a first length of cable and a second length of cable are kept within a housing until needed to secure the article to an object. A cable holding sleeve holds the lengths of cable in a substantially side-by-side relationship when the cables are within the housing. When needed, the lengths of cable are withdrawn from the housing, passed through the frame of the article, around the object and the two ends of the cables are locked together by way of, for example, a cylindrical combination lock. When the first and second lengths of cable are unlocked, a constant tension spring, provided in some embodiments, retracts the lengths of cable back into the housing. Other embodiments of the invention are provided with a pump valve at the end of the lengths of cable which remain within the housing.