You can check them out at the AXIS Contemporary Art gallery.

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.

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/

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.

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.

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

“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….

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/