Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check

Dead:

BOB SHEPPARD, the iconic Yankee Stadium public address announcer whose impeccable intonations earned him the nickname "The Voice of God," died yesterday, at age 99.
   Sheppard's passing may mean more to local fans but he represents a fading part of history. In an era of blaring stadium music and public-address announcers styling themselves as entertainers and cheerleaders, Sheppard's clean, elegant delivery might seem arcane to younger generations of baseball fans, but for more than half a century his voice personified the cathedral-like image of Yankee grandeur. He shunned hyperbole. He was a student of Shakespeare and poetry. Diction and resonance were important.
   Greeting fans with the words, "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Yankee Stadium," Sheppard introduced dynasty ballplayers from the last days of JOE DiMAGGIO through the primes of MICKEY MANTLE, REGGIE JACKSON and DEREK JETER.
   You probably can't find a former Yankees player who wouldn't or hasn't acknowledged Sheppard's place in their careers or in Yankee lore. (Tribute piece) In fact, even though Sheppard retired two years ago, Jeter's contract stipulates that every one of his at-bats be introduced by Sheppard on a recording. (Maiman/Pacelli --yes, we're both devout Yankee fans. Suck it, you Red Sox and Dodger lovers!)
   Editor's note: When asked for a list of his favorite names, Sheppard did more than accommodate. He wrote this verse:
     There are certain names that go over well,
     Like Pena, Ramos, Carrasquel,
     With liquid sounds so panoramic.
     And strangely, they all are Hispanic.
     Aurelio, Hipolito, Cecilio, Domingo
     Have a lovelier sound than American lingo.
     What native name could I ever tell so
     Musically, as Valdivielso?
     And no native name could ever show us
     The splendor of Salome Barojas. (MLB.com via Marino)

Culture Shock:

Courtesy of CBS' Early Show and ABC's Good Morning America, here's your dubious trend story of the day: Thanks to the runaway popularity of vampire movies, teenagers are including a new trick in their sexual arsenals: Biting.
   It's called the "Twilight Effect."
   "For me, biting is the way to show affection toward the other person and to just get a crazy adrenaline rush," said one 16-year-old. "Not so much to mark territory or to show I belong to something, but just to show the other person I care and there's a deeper sense of affection," he said.
   Other teens and tweens say that the practice is gaining currency among classmates, and naturally, a pro-biting community has cropped up on social networking sites.
   Naturally, the networks had to get a comment from doctors warning that bites can become infected and spread blood-borne disease.
   So far, there haven't been any casualties of the so-called "Twilight Effect."
   Editor's note: Too bad. (Maiman)

Movies that will suck (get it --Vampires?):

Vampire stalkers should probably begin looking for budget tickets to Baton Rouge, LA, and Vancouver, Canada, after Summit Entertainment said Friday that they'll be shooting the fourth and fifth "Twilight" films there beginning this fall. Daily Variety magazine says the Baton Rouge location is expected to be done first.

Broadcast, cable and video news:

Oops, she did it, again: add BRITNEY SPEARS to the list of stars like MADONNA and LADY GAGA, whose music is used for an episode of "Glee." 
   "Glee" creator RYAN MURPHY told the Hollywood Reporter the pop star's music would be used for an episode of the hit show next season. However, reports that Spanish movie star JAVIER BARDEM would appear as a guest have been denied.

Grace notes from Vinny Marino:

MICHAEL JACKSON wanted his pet chimp to speak. The late entertainer's sister LaTOYA told Britain's News Of The World tabloid that Michael spent thousands of dollars on a procedure that would implant vocal chords into Bubbles, but then scrapped the idea when he realized his pal could die during the surgery. Bubbles is now 26 and lives at an ape sanctuary in Florida. (Marino)