Zoo ranks eighth on list for worst zoos for elephants

According to a press release by In Defense of Animals, an animal protection organization, The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium ranks eighth on its annual “Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants” list. This list aims to expose “the hidden suffering of elephants in zoos, where lack of space, unsuitably cold climates and unnatural conditions condemn Earth’s largest land mammals to lifetimes of deprivation, disease and early death.”

The zoo’s seven year old male elephant, Bodhi, the list says, is in a tiny zoo exhibit that is “unnatural.” They also write that the zoo is unprepared to house the “powerful and dangerous males” such as Bodhi, although the zoo claims that his environment “parallels” elephant life in nature.

For more information on this list and how the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium rated, visit HelpElephants.com.

The Ohio Union showcases 2012 ‘Taste of OSU’ event

This Friday, Jan. 27, the Ohio Union will host the 2012 “Taste of OSU” event. From 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., this free event will be home to various exhibits, international food samplings and cultural performances. According to the Office of International Affairs, many student organizations and University Residences and Dining Services chefs will collaborate to host this event. Tickets will be available for purchase to sample international foods for a dollar a piece. The event is free to all Ohio State students, faculty, staff, and friends.

Wednesday on campus: Emotional Intelligence and Diversity Training Workshop

This Wednesday, speaker Tommie Lewis will present a workshop "Emotional Intelligence and Diversity: Leadership Competencies for Competitive Advantage." The workshop focuses on highlighting proven skills-based strategies to help people manage their emotions effectively. Lewis will speak from 4-5:30 p.m. this Wednesday, Jan. 25, in 214 Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center. Refreshments will be provided at the workshop. For more information and for accommodations, contact Kathy Lechman at (614) 247-7176 ormailto:lechman.1@osu.edu lechman.1@osu.edu.

School of Public Affairs hosts delegation seminar

According to OSUToday, The John Glenn School of Public Affairs will host a seminar on “Effective Delegation” from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, at the Fawcett Center. The purpose of the event is to provide a holistic strategy as to the “art of delegation:” what you should or should not delegate, whom to delegate to, and successful delegation strategies. For more information, visit glennschool.osu.edu/training/maps.html or contact Natalie Gintert at (614) 247-8823.

Learn self-defense basics from OSU Police at the RPAC

According to OSUToday, The Association of Staff and Faculty Women will be providing a free 90-minute presentation on the basics of self-defense from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26. The presentation will take place in the RPAC’s Dave Griner Room. Headlining the event will be an interactive presentation led by OSU police that will highlight the “basics of awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance.” This presentation is a compact version of the Department of Public Safety’s five-week Rape Aggression Defense program. Although no physical training will be offered at the session, you can learn more about the five-week training through the Department of Public Safety at ps.ohio-state.edu/police/rad/.

Verizon blunders cause cell phone confusion in Ohio

According to the Columbus Dispatch, this Saturday marked a statewide outage of Verizon cell phone service. Reasons for the Jan. 22 outage are not available, but many reported the inability to “send or receive text messages, calls or access the Internet.”

Meredith Heagney of the Columbus Dispatch reports that even calling 911 didn’t work that night for one Verizon customer. Thanks to the outage, “#verizon” was a trending topic on Twitter that night.

All problems seem to be resolved as of this printing, but the outage was the cause of much confusion at the time.

Discounted rates for ‘Puppy Kindergarten’

The OSU College of Veterinary Medicine is now offering a $10 discount to all OSU employees and students for their Puppy Kindergarten classes. According to the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine, these classes offer “socialization” tools for puppies and puppy owners so that they may “learn to handle stress and new situations as well as an adult.” They also educate owners as to “aspects of canine development and behavior problem prevention.” For more: vet.osu.edu/vmc/puppy-kindergarten.