THE UNIVERSITY DARY KANSAN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2006
NEWS
3A
NIGHTLIFE
Fake IDs proliferate in fall
Bouncers spot deceptions that use Internet, ingenuity
Lisa Linovac/KANSAN
David Beck, Tulsa senior, looks over an ID at Liquid, 806 W. 24th St., on Wednesday night. Beck has been working as part of the security team since this summer. If members of the security team think an ID is fake, they ask for a second form of identification.
BY DAVID LINHARDT
Andrew Fennelly sometimes doesn't even need to look closely to check IDs when he works the door at the Cadillac Ranch, 2515 W. Sixth St.
When an underage patron brings in a driver's license with a new birthdate glued onto it — just a slip of paper printed off a computer and glued to the license — then Fennelly shakes his head, takes the fake ID and tells the underage patron to get lost.
Bouncers such as Fennelle, Naperville, Ill., senior, are the first defense against fake IDs. D.J. Gregory, an Alva, Olka, senior who works at It's Brothers, 1105 Massachusetts St. said bouncers tended to see more fakes during the fall semester.
The Internet has made it easier for people under 21 to obtain fake IDs to drink or enter certain clubs. Not all fake IDs are equal, though.
Fennelle has been a bouncer at the Ranch for only six months, but he said he'd already seen several "dumb" attempts at getting in with a fake ID.
"Most people trying to get in here underage are just using IDs from older friends." Fennelle said.
He said the silliest attempts happened when IDs showed the person with "a different race than the one in the picture."
Not all fake IDs lend to such obvious mistakes. All bouncers have their own method of figuring out fake IDs, and bars generally train bouncers in the basics.
"Many bad fakes are easy to spot right away," said Jacob Ross, Lawrence senior who also works doors at the Ranch.
When an underage patron uses an older friend's ID and the person happens to look somewhat like the friend, then the decision to let someone in can be tougher, Ross said.
Some bars, like The Wheel, 507
W. 14th St., have a device that takes picture of the ID of each person the bouncer allows into the bar. Kansas law states that if a bar reasonably attempts to check its patrons' IDs then it won't be liable for underage drinkers with convincing fakes.
The law helps protect a bar and the bouncer who made the decision to let someone in. Generally the law doesn't consider bouncers to be experts in deciphering fake IDs, Ross said.
Though bouncers may not be legal experts, they often learn enough street knowledge working doors at popular bars to spot most fakes, he said.
Nick Hergott, Overland Park senior, manages the bouncers at Mickey's Irish Pub in Lenexa. He trains bouncers to spot fakes and even pays his bouncers extra cash when they turn one in.
"You kind of feel like a dick for taking someone's ID," Hergott said. "But it gives you a little incentive" to keep underage drinkers out of the bar.
Initially, a bouncer determines if the person trying to get into the bar is the person in the ID's picture.
SEE FAKES ON PAGE 4A
Avi Morgenstern will celebrate Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, at services this Saturday morning with one major difference — his family won't be with him.
Like other new Jewish students on campus, Morgenstern, Overland Park freshman, will be adjusting to High Holiday celebrations this year as his first away from family since starting college. Morgenstern acknowledges this holiday season might be different.
Jewish groups observe High Holidays
"I think that I will feel a little less obligated to follow as many traditions by myself then I would with my family," Morgenstern said.
Campus and Lawrence Jewish groups offer celebrations to try to bring a bit of home to those students who are away from family. This year, Hillel, the Lawrence Jewish Community Center and the Chabad House all offer services and activities for Rosh Hashanah on Sept. 22 to 24 and Yom Kippur on Oct. 1 and 2. Rabbi Zalman Teichtel, Chabad House director, said this would be the first year that so many organizations would offer celebrations and services geared specifically to just college students.
RELIGION
BY COURTNEY HAGEN
Matt Lehrman, Jewish student life coordinator at Hillel, said the organization offered a free dinner at the Burge Union tonight, followed by services at 7:45 p.m. at the Lawrence Jewish Community Center, 917 Highland Drive. Rabbi Teichel said the Chabad House, 1203 W. 19th St., would hold a dinner Friday and morning services at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, followed by a holiday buffet.
Teichtel said the High Holidays were an important time in Judaism. Rosh Hashana will signify the beginning of 10 days of judgment ending with Yom Kippur, the day of atonement.
During Rosh Hashana, participants eat sweet foods such as apples and honey for a sweet new year. A shofar, or ram's horn, is also blown to express what Teichtel calls "the cry from the heart of a child to the father in Heaven."
Yom Kippur features a 24-hour fast that concludes in a large feast with family.
The time between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is God's time to consider the state of the universe. Teichel said this time didn't apply just to Jews but also to the rest of the world.
The holidays are used to ask God for a good year and to gather with others who wish to express their Judaic beliefs. Teichtel would he desired that students would find the opportunity to observe the holidays and express their faith on campus without having to travel home.
"Judah allows U-turns" Teichert said. "No matter where you are or who you are, you can always come back and that is really what the High Holidays are all about."
High Holidays with friends this year since she couldn't go home for her family's traditional celebration at her grandparents' house.
Traci Brill, Dallas, Texas, freshman, said she would be observing
More information on the High Holidays can be found at www.jewishku.com and www.kuhililel.org.
Morgenstern said he planned to attend some of Hillel's services.
"I will most likely enjoy services much more through Hillel than my old synagogue," Morgenstern said. "I will be with my friends, which will help greatly. However, my parents definitely have helped me fast during Yom Kippur and make sure I go to the services."
Kansan staff writer Courtney Hagen can be contacted at chagen@ kansan.com.
Edited by Shanxi Upsdell
jewish high holiday celebrations
Rosh Hashana
Friday
6 p.m. Hillel dinner at the Burge Union
6:30 p.m. Rosh Hashana service at the Chabad House
7:15 p.m. New Year dinner at the Chabad House
7:45 p.m. Hillel and the Lawrence
York Conference Center
Jewish Community Center service at the Lawrence Jewish
service at the Lawrence Jewish Community Center
imunity Cente
Saturday
9 a.m. Hillel and the Lawrence Jewish Community Center
service at the Lawrence Jewish
10 a.m. Service followed by a light
Service at the Lawrence district
Community server
meal at the Chabad House
6:30 p.m. Evening service at the
Chabad House
7:15 p.m. Dinner at the Chabad House
Sunday
9 a.m. Hillel and the Lawrence Jewish Community Center
service at the Lawrence Jewish
Community Center
sound followed by "Shofar Parry Blast Off" and Tashlich at the Chabad House
10 a.m. Service at the Chabad House
Yom Kippur
October
6. 30 p.m. Kol Nidrel Service at the Chabad House
Chabad House
7:45 p.m. Hillel service at the
7:45 p.m. Hillel service at the
Woodruff Auditorium in the
Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union
Kansas Union
October 2
9 a.m. Hillel and the Lawrence
service at the Lawrence Jewish Community Center
10 a.m. Service at the Chabad House
12:30 p.m. Yizkor at the Chabad House
Sources: Rabbi Zalman Teache, Chabad House director, and Matt Lehrman, Nilkel Jewish student life coordinator
theatres september 22