My office (and especially my desk) usually looks like it’s been in the middle of a war zone. With all the paperwork, manuals, books and guides piled up on my desk, it’s probably the last place I’d consider hiding under for protection from severe weather or big heavy things that go boom.

Until now…

Gunnar, a furniture company in Calgary, AB, has created the Personal Protection Pod (or PPP). While their primary focus has historically been on high end office furniture, the PPP has been designated as “anti-terrorist technology” by the Department of Homeland Security.

If nothing else, check out the videos on the Gunnar website to watch the PPP being subjected to bomb blasts and attempted crushings.

It might even stand up to all the SharePoint manuals I have strewn across my desk.

This review is kind of a weird one… I’m not really sure if this should be a Gear Review or a Design review, which is why it’s going to appear in both categories.

As a gadget / tool / thingamajigie nut, I always oogle cool looking wallets with neat features (tiny pens, small knifes or screwdrivers, lots of pockets, etc.) This time, however, I took the “simple is better” approach and bought an ALL-ETT, “the world’s thinnest wallet”.

Even after transferring everything I had in my previous wallet, the ALL-ETT is still thinner than the now-empty old one. It’s also significantly more comfortable, and the simple design makes it very easy to organize and access cards and cash.

I have to admit, when I opened the (very thin) envelope it arrived it, my first impression was, “ewww…” After a few days, however, I came to appreciate its simplicity and comfort. Now, I can’t imagine carrying around a big bulky wallet.

Right now, I have 15 cards in it, several receipts and (as usual) no cash. With all of that, it measures in at just under 1/4″ thick. My old wallet was easily pushing 3/4″ thick.

Check them out at: http://www.all-ett.com/

If you ever get to the point where you think you’ve mastered dovetail joints, think again…

Kintaro Yazawa is a woodworker in Japan. The furniture he builds is both functional and beautiful, but it’s the detail he puts into his joinery that makes his furniture a work of art.

Visit Kintaro’s website to see some of his work.

My old ’84 Jimmy has a personality much like Mater, from the movie Cars.

I decided to make that personality a little more visible. If you want to “cars-ize” your ride, check out the NASIOC site for detailed how-tos.

Here’s Little Jimmy.

The wonderful folks at Smashing Magazine have posted an amazing collection of links and references to freebie icons, buttons and templates.

For a person who is a web geek and a woodworker it just doesn’t get any better than this…

Woodpixel lets you design (and constantly redesign) a 10×10 pixel, 6 colour icon masterpiece to hang on your wall.

Check it out at www.woodpixel.com

A List Apart is running their annual web design survey.

“Designers, developers, project managers. Writers and editors. Information architects and usability specialists. People who make websites have been at it for more than a dozen years, yet almost nothing is known, statistically, about our profession. Who are we? Where do we live? What are our titles, our skills, our educational backgrounds? Where and with whom do we work? What do we earn? What do we value?”

To take the survey, visit http://alistapart.com/articles/webdesignsurvey

The Figure9 rope tightener from Niteize is an amazingly cool little product – there’s no denying that. But to me, what’s even cooler, is that the instructions for the product are engraved right into it. You can’t lose the instructions (unless you lose the product as well…)

As a tool and gadget geek, I have so many things that I can’t remember how to use because I can’t find the instructions.

It’s very clear how to use this rope tightener/tensioner as the engraved instructions show both numerical steps and visual representations.

Now I just have to figure out how not to lose the Figure9 itself….

If you’re in the process of building a best practices or standards document for your corporate intranet or internet site, there’s an excellent online resource available to you for free.

The Web Communications Division in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office offers a comprehensive, easy-to-use, online guide for creating usable and useful websites.

Check it out at http://www.usability.gov/

The Hotel Palomar in Washington, D.C. was in the middle of rennovations when I stayed there. I stayed in one of the newly refurnished rooms, but the faucet in the bathroom was one of the worst I’ve ever used.

And it wasn’t just me… “The Faucet” was a hot topic of conversation.
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