Kenneth Gourlay is a student, activist, technologist, author, podcaster, formerly incarcerated, occasional webmaster, and is frequently seen in his handmade cedar strip canoe.
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Autumn on the River: A Photo Essay
A few days ago I made time for a little paddle on the river. It’s late in the season and I was nearly the only person on the water. It was still warm enough to be very pleasant, but the leaves have started changing colors. Possibly my favorite visual was the colored leaves floating down…
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Comments About My Canoe
One of the pleasures of taking my wooden strip canoe out on the river is hearing the comments, compliments, and exclamations of others when they see this beautiful boat. Here are some of my favorites. Nice boat! OK so this isn’t necessarily a favorite, but it’s by far the most common. Did you make it…
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Dreams of Another Boat
Ever since I built my canoe, I’ve had dreams of building another. The question was not whether I would build another boat, it was when and what design. I love my canoe, and I love the fact that it’s a solo canoe. But if I had my way, I would add a larger version to…
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Time for Another Paddle
Some time ago I experimented with some scrap wood and an unusual (at least for Americans) paddle design. It’s an otter tail paddle, which I was told is great for quiet, delicate maneuvering in still water. In other words, if you want to sneak up on something, use an otter tail paddle. As it happens,…
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My New Digital Business Card from Popl
I have always been interested in innovative and unique business cards. When I meet someone and exchange contacts with them, I always want to leave an impression. Having a card that stands out is a great way to have someone remember you. I’ve seen cards made of wood or metal. Those are fantastic. Even with…
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Major Snowstorm Today
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What is Bayesian Statistics?
In my study of the social sciences, statistics and statistical analyses come up frequently. These methods provide a way to make inferences based on observations. Most often in the social sciences, we want to observe a smaller group (a sample) in order to make inferences or predictions about a larger group (a population). As you…
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The Significance of Halloween
Most years I try to ignore Halloween. I’m not a big fan of dressing up in costumes, going to parties, or any of the other nonsense that comes with the modern secular version of this holiday. Not to mention my relatively new status as an outcast has particularly strong overtones with this holiday for some…
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Face Masks and the Color Red
Wayne State University Humanities Center Brown Bag Colloquium Series Presents Zachary Brewster and Kenneth Gourlay Wednesday, October 13, 2021, two members of the Sociology Department will be presenting results from two survey experiments they fielded last spring. Face Masks and the Color Red: Restaurant Tipping Behaviors During the Pandemic Poster used to advertise the event…